Bread From Heaven

Fruits of the Spirit - Temperance

Dear Lord,
Teach us what it means to have temperance. Show us what we need to learn. Help us to walk in your ways. Guide us by your spirit so we can bring forth and produce abundant fruit in our lives and the lives of others.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen

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Galatians 5:22-23
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

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Temperance is defined as showing restraint in eating or drinking and especially avoiding alcohol. It is moderation of passion; patience; calmness; sedateness.

Moderation is defined as avoiding excess or extremes. It is the absence of violence; calmness, the state or quality of being moderate; avoidance of extremes.

Temperance is moderation.

Personally, I had always viewed temperance as self-control. In some sense it is. I have honestly never thought of it as moderation until I began working on this study. I could be stepping on my own toes in this one. Ouch! Moderation in food is one of my personal struggles. Do any of you struggle with moderation and self-indulgence?

Our society doesn't exactly encourage moderation. It is filled with consumerism and materialism. There are restaurants everywhere here in America, sometimes more than one on every street corner. We live in a society that is out of control financially, physically, emotionally, and morally.

Another definition of moderation is sensible behavior, especially behavior that involves not eating or drinking too much of something. True temperance teaches us to remove everything harmful. It teaches us to use everything healthy wisely. It helps us control our impulses and passions.

Moderation is what brings balance to all the other fruits of the spirit. Temperance is moderation in action, thought, or feelings. It is self-control and the ability to restrain yourself. We must establish healthy boundaries, behaviors, actions, and thoughts. Temperance can be both physical and spiritual. We must exercise self-control over our emotions, expressions, impulses, opinions, and ideas.
Romans 8:1-6 ▼

1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

Temperance is Controlling our flesh.

“In every man’s life there is a throne, and when self is on that throne, Christ is on the cross. But when Christ is on that throne, self is on the cross.” - S. D. Gordon

Temperance has to do with learning to master ourselves. Without Christ in our lives, this is impossible. The world would want us to believe we can control ourselves without the help of any deity, little alone the God of the Bible. My Bible tells me I need Jesus. Full temperance comes from the Holy Spirit as we seek first the kingdom of God. We are either controlled by our flesh (=out of control) or we are controlled by the Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit is self-control.

Let's think about this. It was lack of self-control that got man into trouble, to begin with. Had the first man and woman used self-control and refused to eat the forbidden fruit, would we have experienced the fall of man? Honestly, I think someone would have committed the first sin at some point. Once that first sin was committed, we hurt our relationship with God. God could no longer trust us. Our sins have consequences. The Bible says those consequences are death. Our soul is doomed without Christ.

However, when we accept Jesus as our Savior, we turn from our sinful ways. We don't do it by our own power. After Jesus rose from the dead and ascended back to Heaven, he sent the Holy Spirit to live in us and to help us. We develop the fruits of the Spirit as we spend time investing in our relationship with God.
Romans 7:2-6 ▼

2 For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.
3 So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.
4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.
5 For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.
6 But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.

Allowing the spirit of God to take the Word of God to make you more like the Son of God is what it means to walk in the Spirit. When we walk in the spirit and not according to the flesh, we produce the fruits of the Spirit in our lives. It is a strength and not a weakness to master one’s own passions and desires.
Romans 13:12-14 ▼

12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.
14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

In fact, we are instructed to stay away from even the appearance of evil.
1 Thessalonians 5:22 ▼

Abstain from all appearance of evil.

What is our purpose?

https://www.gotquestions.org/purpose-of-man.html
God made us to receive glory for himself. Here is a general rule to follow.
1 Corinthians 10:31 ▼

Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

When we sin, we fall short of God's glory. Sin makes us work against our God-designed purpose.
Romans 3:23 ▼

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

How do we bring glory to God? We fear him with a reverential fear and we strive to do his will and keep his commandments. We worship him. We do everything we do with the purpose of pleasing and glorifying God.
Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 ▼

13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

https://www.openbible.info/topics/purpose_of_man
Our bodies and our spirits are to be ruled by God. They were given to us to serve him with.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 ▼

19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

Romans 6:12-13 ▼

12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

Keep your eyes on the prize.

Temperance is like training for a race and learning self-discipline. We must learn when to say yes and when to say no. We must be temperate in stress, finances, alcohol, drugs, and food. We must practice moderation in everything to have a balanced life. This requires good time and resource management. Each aspect of our lives contributes to another. We must control our thoughts and attitudes to receive an incorruptible crown.
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 ▼

24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:
27 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.

Christians must run to win their race. They must run in such a way that will help them obtain the prize. Christians must discipline their bodies. We must run the race while focused on the heavenly prize that is set before us.
Titus 2:11-15 ▼

11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
15 These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.

Virtue is built on faith with diligence. Knowledge is built on virtues. Temperance is built on knowledge. Patience is developed with temperance. All of these things lead to godliness, brotherly kindness, and love. If these things abound in you, you will produce a whole lot of spiritual fruit for the kingdom of God. You also will abound in the knowledge of Christ.
2 Peter 1:4-11 ▼

4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Practicing Temperance and Moderation

It is said that there are 8 natural remedies to our health. Temperance is one of them. The 8 natural remedies are nutrition, exercise, water, sunlight, temperance, air, rest, and trust in God.

Intemperance can lead to addiction and cause our lives to become unbalanced. Gluttony, lust, greed, drunkenness, and carnal desire are examples of intemperance.

Temperance and moderation help you find the perfect balance. For example, too little courage is considered cowardice. Too much courage can be considered recklessness. Moderation helps you determine how to have exactly the right amount of courage.

Moderation is control of self-indulgence. It regulates all of the other virtues. It is an intellectual attitude that shows restraint and allows reflection. This is something that is acquired over time and with experience. If you practice enough, you can direct your mind, body, and emotions in the right direction.

With food:
We need to learn moderation with food. Too little food won't give us the fuel we need for everyday living. It could cause us to be malnourished. Too much food causes us to be obese and have health issues. We have to find a healthy balance.

Gluttony (extreme overeating) is placed in the same category as drunkenness according to Ecclesiastes 10:17. Overeating and alcohol both dull the mind and impares judgment.
Ecclesiastes 10:17 ▼

Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!

With stress/emotions:
Be slow to anger. Man’s anger does not work to bring forth God's righteousness. Don't be quick to run your mouth. Actively and intentionally listen to what others are saying before you interrupt to give an answer.
James 1:19-20 ▼

19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.

Don't hang onto anger. Release it quickly. Don't give the devil a foothold in your heart.
Ephesians 4:26-27 ▼

26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
27 Neither give place to the devil.

Don't get angry over nothing. If you get angry, make sure it is for a good reason. Control your reaction and then let it go.
Matthew 5:21-22 ▼

21 Ye have heard that it was said of them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:
22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

The Bible says a fool does not control his anger and to be quick-tempered is foolishness.
Proverbs 14:16-17 ▼

16 A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil: but the fool rageth, and is confident.
17 He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly: and a man of wicked devices is hated.

Bitter envying and strife are from your enemy the Devil. Righteousness is sown in peace by those that make peace. Pursue peace!
James 3:14-18 ▼

14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

Stay humble. Put God first, others second, and yourself last. Let everything be done in love and peace.
Philippians 2:3 ▼

Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

Having control of your own temper is better than having taken a city by force. In other words, it is better to control yourself than to try to control everyone else. How can you control anyone else if you can’t even control yourself? This is some good food for thought.
Proverbs 16:32 ▼

He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.

Don't be anxious. Give all your worries to God. Keep your mind on Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7 ▼

6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

1 Peter 5:6-7 ▼

6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

With alcohol and drugs:
St. Augustine wrote in the 5th century, “To many, total abstinence is easier than perfect moderation.” This is still true today.
Ephesians 5:18-21 ▼

18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

With finances:
Before you spend money, you have to earn it.
Luke 14:28 ▼

For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?

It is wise not to spend everything you earn the moment you earn it. For some of us, it is wise not to spend it before we earn it.
Proverbs 21:20 ▼

There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up.

Don’t borrow money. You become indebted and a slave to the person you borrow it from. As Christians, I believe we are not to borrow because it only causes indebtedness. However, we are supposed to lend to others and give from what the Lord has blessed us abundantly with.
Proverbs 22:7 ▼

The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.

Romans 13:8 ▼

Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.

Your life is more than your physical possessions. Your worth is not measured by what you possess.
Luke 12:15 ▼

And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.

When you pursue the things of the flesh, it only brings heartache. When you pursue the things of God, you will be blessed.
1 Timothy 6:10-11 ▼

10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.

With giving:
It is always good to help others when you can, but not at the expense of your family's wellbeing. If you can help because you have it to give, then give it. If not, then don't give it.
Proverbs 3:27-28 ▼

27 Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it.
28 Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to morrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee.

1 Timothy 5:8 ▼

But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

When the five foolish virgins asked the five wise virgins for oil, it wasn't counted sin for them to not give it to them. Had they given the foolish virgins of their oil, they may not have had enough for themselves to wait for the bridegroom.
Matthew 25:1-13 ▼

1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.
11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

With communication:
We can stir up anger or calm others with our words. Wisdom is knowing what to do with the knowledge you have. We need to always keep in mind that our words have power.
Proverbs 15:1-4 ▼

1 A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.
2 The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness.
3 The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.
4 A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.

A man that does not control his speech, is deceived. The Bible says his religion is of no value.
James 1:26 ▼

If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.

We need to be kind to one another. We need to forgive each other quickly. Get rid of anger, bitterness, hard feelings, and speaking evil. Only speak good things that lift up the people hearing you, that brings life (not harm) to their souls.
Ephesians 4:29-32 ▼

29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

In Witnessing:
When the apostle Paul witnessed to Felix, he spoke of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come. Temperance is man’s response to the righteousness of God. Judgment is bringing righteousness and temperance into accountability. Every man will be judged rather his deeds were good or evil.
Acts 24:24-25 ▼

24 And after certain days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ.
25 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.

How do we determine the limits of moderation?

Moderation could mean something for one person and something entirely different for another. For example, one person could decide that they will only allow themselves two sweet treats a week while another may allow themselves one per day. Is either of them wrong? For some people, moderation can feel like deprivation. How do you know what is enough?

I believe moderation for each individual can be defined differently. I believe it is about setting reasonable boundaries for ourselves. Moderation is avoiding excess or extremes. It is finding and keeping the right balance. It is important to know your goal and purpose in life to help you stay focused on what matters the most to you.

“It is best to rise from life as from a banquet, neither thirsty nor drunken.” -Aristotle

Conclusion

Temperance/moderation leads to peace and unity. It does not allow emotion to overwhelm facts and allows us to view things objectively. It allows us to think deeper and more efficiently, taking time to digest information as it comes to us and not jumping to conclusions. It helps you develop wisdom and understanding in life.

Without temperance or moderation, our impulses, desires, immediate wants and needs have little to no filter. Lack of moderation reflects extremes. It leads to impulsiveness, addiction, division, and obsession. Without moderation, you will never be satisfied.

Moderation allows you to stay in control and in the moment while having a better awareness. It allows you to prioritize which situations need your attention more immediately. Having temperance in your daily life allows you to look into every aspect of life objectively and keep a well-balanced attitude toward everything.

Philippians 4:5-7

5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.
6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Resources ▼

https://www.macmillandictionary.com/us/dictionary/american/moderation

https://www.yourdictionary.com/temperance

https://propheticexpressionsdance.com/blog/fruitofthespirittemperance

https://virtueconnection.com/what-is-virtue/cardinal-virtues/temperance/

https://www.slideshare.net/athensmallari/temperance-how-to-say-no-to-alcohol-cig...

https://www.back2edenlifestyle.org/newstarttemperance-index

https://www.slideshare.net/antoniobernard9/life-at-its-best-38998227

https://presenttruth.info/fearfully-and-wonderfully-made-part-16/

https://bibleoffline.com/blog/learning-about-the-fruit-of-the-holy-spirit-temper...

https://slideplayer.com/slide/8514874/

https://sermons.faithlife.com/sermons/259166-the-fruit-of-the-spirit-temperance

https://www.slideshare.net/cu_connect/temperance-master

https://www.coronahealthinfo.org/temperance

https://www.slideshare.net/chucho1943/09-temperance

https://slidetodoc.com/lesson-4-the-fruit-of-faith-meekness-and/

https://the-scriptures.co.uk/studies/topical-bible-studies/bible-studies-by-mike...

https://www.colonialindy.org/uploads/1/0/9/1/10910125/fruit_of_spirit_lesson_4_t...

https://goodnews.ie/jacobswellanne.shtml

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moderation

https://rdi.org/defining-democracy/2020/3/17/defining-democracy-moderation/

https://www.modernagespirituality.com/be-moderate-with-everything/

https://www.womansday.com/health-fitness/nutrition/a28721118/eat-in-moderation-t...

https://www.openfit.com/the-pros-and-cons-of-everything-in-moderation

https://www.quoteslyfe.com/category/moderation-quotes

https://personaldevelopmentwisdom.com/moderation-is-the-key-to-balance.html

https://www.planetfitness.com/community/articles/eating-moderation-easier-you-th...

Jesus is my permanent anchor!