The Rev. William Klock: “Lack of Self-Control”

Continuing his series on “Respectable Sins”, the Rev. William Klock of Living Word Episcopal Church in British Columbia gives us an excellent sermon on Lack of Self-Control.  Based on what I have seen in recent years I’d say this particular sin is one that besets all segments of society, and perhaps some of our problem is that we do not understand what Biblical self-control is.  Fr. Bill gives some insight into this that I think is most helpful:

Now, it’s important to understand that self-control and willpower aren’t the same thing – at least not natural human willpower.  Anybody, believer or unbeliever, can practice self-control in specific areas of life if they’re trying to meet a certain goal, but in other parts of their lives, they may live with little or no self-control at all.  An athlete might be strict and have a lot of self-control when it comes to his diet or his daily workout, but then be totally lacking in self-control when it comes to his temper.  Sometimes our self-control may be situational.  Think of the guy with a temper problem.  He controls his anger and his temper when he’s at work and around his customers, because his livelihood depends on it, but when he gets home he gives up that control, loses his temper, and takes it out on his wife and kids.

That’s a human-powered kind of self-control.  Biblical self-control, in contrast, covers every part of our lives and requires an unceasing conflict with the passions of the flesh that, as St. Peter puts it, “wage war against our souls.”  No one can do that on his own.  This is why God fills us with his Holy Spirit when we come to saving faith in him.  His goal isn’t just to redeem us – it’s also to make us like Jesus.  Real, godly, biblical self-control depends on the work of the Holy Spirit to give us not only a desire for self-control, but the power to do it.  You could say that real, full-time, biblical self-control is not control by yourself through your own willpower, but instead it’s control of yourself through the power of the Holy Spirit.  I think it helps to remember that self-control is one of the fruit of the Spirit.  We don’t expect to put on love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, or gentleness all on our own power – we know that this is the work of the Spirit in us.  The same goes for self-control.

Fr. Bill has additional insights into this issue of self-control that will be beneficial for anyone–please read it all, or you can listen to the sermon here.