"GROWING IN GRACE - TEMPERANCE"
Larry Yarber
"And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;" (2nd Peter 1:5-6).
Temperance does not appear very many times in the New Testament but it is listed as one of the Christian Graces and should be found in the life of every Christian. Vine defines temperance, "enkratela, from kratos, 'strength,' occurs in Acts 24:25; Gal. 5:23; 2nd Pet. 1:6 (twice), in all of which it is rendered 'temperance'; the RV mar., 'self-control' is the preferable rendering, as 'temperance' is now limited to one form of self-control; the various powers bestowed by God upon man are capable of abuse; the right use demands the controlling power of the will under the operation of the Spirit of God; in Acts 24:25 the word follows 'righteousness,' which represents God's claims, self-controlling being man's response thereto; in 2nd Pet. 1:6, it follows 'knowledge,' suggesting that which is learned requires to be put into practice" (VINE, p 620). Strong’s definition is much briefer and to the point, "egkrateia, eng - krat - i - ah; from egkrates; self-control (espec. continence): - temperance" (STRONG, p 31). Brother Guy N. Wood's comments on temperance are very pertinent to our study, "The familiar 'temperance' of the King James Version has properly given way to the more accurate rendering 'self-control.' The word is derived from en and krates, 'one who holds himself in.' It denotes self-government, discipline, the ability of one to control his own life. It is acquired through the exercise of discernment, the knowledge by which one differentiates between right and wrong, and thus develops from it. One possessed of such knowledge and being thus equipped to identify evil is able to avoid it" (Guy N. Woods, Gospel Advocate Commentaries, Peter, p 151).
The temperance exercised by an athlete is the type of self-control which Paul exhorts all Christians to possess, "And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. ..." (1st Corinthians 9:25). Paul goes on to say, "But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection; lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway" (1st Corinthians 9:27). Temperance is listed in the fruit of the Spirit mentioned in the Galatian letter, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law" (Galatians 5:22-23). He goes on to say, "And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts" (Galatians 5:24). Notice how that in each of these passages the spiritual man is in control over the physical man? These are classic illustrations of temperance (self-control) in practice. Elders and aged men are both commanded to be temperate, "But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holly, temperate;" (Titus 1:8) and, "That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience" (Titus 2:2). When Paul reasoned with Felix of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, "And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee" (Acts 24:25). Perhaps, Felix had lived his life without restraint and in disregard of self-control?
Twice our word (temperance) is used with the negative article before it and is thus translated incontinent, meaning, "akrates, as - rat - ace; from a (as a neg. particle) and kratos; powerless, i.e. without self-control: - incontinent" (STRONG, p 8). In one passage it refers to the state of mind men will eventually come in the last days, "Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good" (2nd Timothy 3:3). In the other passage, Paul warns husbands and wives not to neglect their conjugal duties to one another lest Satan tempt them for their lack of self-control (incontinency - 1st Corinthians 7:5).
As we seek the Christian Graces, may we strive to add to our knowledge, self-control (temperance)?