The Culmination of Spiritual Growth

When Paul places self-control as the final fruit of the Spirit, he reveals its significance as the culmination of spiritual maturity. While love serves as the foundation of Christian character, self-control in spiritual maturity represents the outcome of a life transformed by the Holy Spirit’s work through all the other fruits. A believer who has cultivated love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and gentleness will naturally begin to demonstrate the temperance and discipline that characterize mature Christian living.

Self-control encompasses far more than willpower or human discipline. It involves the Spirit-enabled ability to govern our responses to temptation, manage our physical appetites and desires, use our time wisely for God’s glory, and maintain proper priorities in every area of life. This comprehensive self-discipline flows from an understanding of our identity in Christ and our responsibility as stewards of the gifts, opportunities, and resources God has entrusted to us.

The believer who exercises biblical self-control recognizes that every aspect of life—physical, emotional, spiritual, and relational—belongs under Christ’s lordship. This acknowledgment leads to deliberate choices that honor God rather than gratify the flesh, serve others rather than indulge selfish desires, and advance His kingdom rather than pursue temporal pleasures (Romans 12:1-2).

Honoring God with Our Bodies

Scripture teaches that our bodies serve as temples of the Holy Spirit, a truth that transforms how we should care for these earthly vessels. Paul reminds us, “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). This profound reality demands self-control regarding how we treat our physical bodies.

Since the Holy Spirit dwells within us, we should strive to maintain our bodies in health through proper nutrition, adequate rest, and appropriate physical activity. This doesn’t require perfectionism or obsession with health, but it does call for reasonable care of the vessel God has given us for His service. Similarly, we must exercise self-control by avoiding substances and practices that would damage our bodies or hinder our spiritual effectiveness.

Most importantly, self-control requires keeping our bodies pure from the lusts of the flesh that wage war against the soul (1 Peter 2:11). In a culture saturated with sexual temptation and moral compromise, believers must exercise vigilant self-discipline in what they watch, read, think about, and engage in physically. The goal isn’t legalistic rule-keeping but honoring Christ who purchased us with His precious blood and now lives within us through His Spirit.

Stewarding Our Time with Wisdom

The psalmist’s prayer in Psalm 90:12 provides crucial guidance for self-control in spiritual maturity: “So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” This verse reminds us that our time on earth is brief and should be invested wisely for God’s glory rather than squandered on temporal pursuits that have no eternal value (Ephesians 5:15-16).

Self-controlled believers recognize that every day represents a gift from God with opportunities for spiritual growth, service to others, and advancement of His kingdom. This perspective leads to intentional choices about how we spend our hours—prioritizing prayer and Bible study, investing in meaningful relationships, serving in the local church, and engaging in productive work that provides for our families and enables generous giving to God’s work.

Self-control also involves maintaining proper balance between work and rest, service and family time, church involvement and personal responsibilities. The mature believer learns to say no to good opportunities in order to say yes to the best ones, recognizing that even ministry activities can become idols if they displace God Himself from the center of our lives (Luke 10:38-42).

Living with Eternal Perspective

God desires that we maintain proper perspective on our lives that keeps first things first. This means ensuring that God occupies the supreme position in all we do, serving as the foundation upon which we build every decision and relationship. It requires spending quality time with our families both at home and in church fellowship, remembering to pray daily for those God has placed in our care, and never losing sight of our ultimate purpose on earth.

We have been placed here to live by the example Christ set before us, to demonstrate love for the lost, and to maintain obedience to the Father in all circumstances. Our lives should serve as continuing testimonies to the salvation Christ provides, creating opportunities for those still trapped in sin to encounter the Savior who can transform their hearts as He has transformed ours (2 Corinthians 5:17).

The Great Commission provides the overarching framework for self-control in spiritual maturity: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20). Every exercise of self-control—whether in physical appetites, time management, or priority-setting—should ultimately serve this greater purpose of making Christ known to a lost world.

When we view self-control through this eternal lens, it becomes not a burden but a privilege—the opportunity to honor the One who gave His life for our redemption and to participate in His ongoing work of drawing others to salvation. The promise that accompanies this commission provides both comfort and motivation: “And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). We exercise self-control not in our own strength, but in the power of Christ who remains with us every step of the journey.

Reflection Questions

1. In what specific areas of your life do you most need to develop greater self-control—physical appetites, time management, or priority-setting?
2. How does understanding your body as the temple of the Holy Spirit change your approach to health, purity, and self-discipline?
3. What adjustments do you need to make in how you steward your time to ensure it serves God’s glory and eternal purposes?
4. How can greater self-control in your daily choices serve the ultimate goal of making disciples and advancing Christ’s kingdom?

Prayer

Consider asking God to develop complete self-control in your life that honors Him and serves His purposes through you.

For further study on the Fruits of the Spirit, see the full devotional series here: Fruits of the Spirit