Self-Control: An Attribute of God and A Fruit of the Holy Spirit

Titus 2:11-3:8

Let’s Get On The Same Page

We often view the fruits of the Spirit wrongly. They are not merely character traits that we

should work hard to develop on our own because we have added Jesus to our life.

They are the Attributes of God that He is working in us through His Holy Spirit.

It is the Self Control of our Lord God Almighty being worked into us by the Father’s Will,

the Son’s Word, and the Holy Spirit’s Work!

Defining Self-Control

● Fallen Definition: To do what ought to be done especially when I don’t want to do it...

● Biblical Definition: To maintain a constant state of mind and heart that genuinely

desires to will and to do what pleases God.

Law:

● Demands absolutely perfect Self-Control. The standard is that we always maintain a

condition of heart and mind that loves God, loves neighbor, and is completely

self-controlled for the Glory of God and the good of His people.

Grace:

● We all fall far short of this and deserve judgment.... But God Who is rich in mercy has

made manifest His glorious grace to us in His Son Jesus Christ... The Lord of all glory

fulfilled the standard of the law on our behalf and took the punishment for every single

time we have ever fallen short of the law in sin or ever will in the future. If we repent and

believe in His work alone for salvation.... His grace washes over us and we will never

experience God’s wrath.

Titus 2:11-14

Question 1: How do we live self controlled lives?

● Answer 1: (Verse 11-12): By the Grace of God Who appeared in Jesus Christ and by

His Spirit bringing us salvation and training us to renounce the life of the flesh and live

self-controlled lives in the Spirit. It is by the Power of God’s Spirit that we can live

self-controlled lives.

Question 2: What is our Chief motivation to live self controlled lives?

● Answer 2: (Verses 11-13): The First coming of Christ our Savior or The Grace Who

appeared and the Hope of His Second coming... The appearance of His glory on the last

day!

Question 3: How does the Hope of Christ help us to be self controlled?

● Answer 3: (Verses 13-14): Our hope of what Christ has promised to do is grounded in

what Christ has already done! You see by faith the christian hope is different from the

world's hope. As the Holy Spirit works in us to show us more and more of Who God Is

and magnifies Christ in our hearts... We come to be confident and have great assurance

that God is faithful and His promises are sure!

● The Christian hope is a faith filled assurance that God will do what He promises, and that

faith strengthens our hearts and helps us live self-controlled lives as we eagerly wait on

the coming of our Lord in glory.

Application: Titus 3:1-2

5 Ways to Practice God Glorifying Self- Control

1.) Submit to Authority as Unto the LORD & Be Obedient

● All rulers and authorities have authority under the Sovereign Will of the Father.

-Proverbs 21:1, 1 Peter 2:13-17, & John 19:10-11

2.) Be Ready For Every Good Work

● How do we stay ready?

-1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (Immediate context of preceding text is good works.)

3.) Speak Evil of No One

● Do not grieve the Holy Spirit by slandering others... We are meant to build one another

up in grace, love, and truth. The truth hurts enough... We don’t need to add to it by sinful

slander and gossip.

-Ephesians 4:29-32

4.) Avoid Quarreling

● Don’t let secondary issues cause strife and division... STOP IT!

-Titus 3:9

5.) Be Gentle and Show Courtesy To All People

● All people are made in the image of God and deserve respect. Let’s look to the Holy

Spirit given heart of Moses...

-Deuteronomy 32:1-3

Closing: Titus 3:3-8

● You see... We don’t earn any of our salvation by works... Not our justification or our

sanctification.. It is all GRACE. It is by God’s grace in Christ Jesus that we even desire to

exercise self-control for His glory and not our own self preservation.

Encouragement

Take heart! The Lord of all things promises us that we are heirs in Christ Jesus our Lord

and He is faithful. Trust Him this morning. He grounds our hope of eternal life in the

Person and Work of His Son Jesus Christ, God with us. Let these profitable and

excellent truths we discussed this morning spur you on to good works! Proclaim the

gospel, visit the orphan and widow in their affliction, and serve Christ and His people

with zeal and love. All while looking back to the cross for a reminder of what our freedom

cost and that we would still be lost in sin apart from the grace of God appearing in Christ.

Then look forward to His glorious return with the hope of God giving you a genuine heart

to work for His glory. When we go to war with the King of Kings... Our victory is sure!

Prayer

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

“ Father, we praise You for being The God of peace, and that Your amazing grace has appeared

in the Person of Your Son Jesus Christ. We ask You Father to glorify the Name of Your Son by

sanctifying us completely and keeping us blameless for the coming of Our Lord Jesus Christ in

glory. We thank You for the work of Your Son on our behalf and for the work of The Holy Spirit in

our hearts. Please Father... Please... Search our hearts, show us our sins, and lead us into all

righteousness. Let us glorify Your Name with our lives. Amen.”