Learning about the fruit of the Holy Spirit: Temperance

by Nicole Leao·November 13, 2020·3 min read

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Learning about the fruit of the Holy Spirit: Temperance

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 (JKV)

We are in the eighth text of the series “Learning about the Fruit of the Spirit”, in which we will go deeper into what is written in the Bible about the fruit of the Holy Spirit of God, mentioned in the book of Galatians and today we will learn more about temperance.

I would like to start by saying that temperance is moderation in thought, word or action, that is, it is directly linked to self-control.

Temperance and self-control

He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.
Proverbs 25:28 (KJV)

Those who practice temperance have self-control and show moderation in their passions and behavior. Therefore, temperance as a character trait is a common theme throughout the Bible, especially in the New Testament.

It is impossible to live a godly life and please the Lord without self-control because our flesh desires only to please itself. But in Romans 13:14, we are warned not to seek to satisfy the evil desires of our human and carnal nature.

Also, when we desire to please the Lord, we stay away from anything that has the appearance of evil. Living a moderate life does not mean that we can commit sin, as long as it is only a little, in fact on the contrary, we need to flee from sin.

Guided by the Holy Spirit

And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
Ephesians 5:18 (KJV)

The word temperance is also related to the consumption of alcohol in the Bible, as in Ephesians 5:18, where it is written that we should not get drunk, but fill ourselves with the Spirit. This is because a drunk person will not be guided by the spirit, but by alcohol, which leads to contention.

The same is true for anything that is not treated with temperance. Examples of this are gluttony, lust, greed and any carnal desire that is not contained.

The apostle Paul describes temperance in 1 Corinthians 9:27, “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”.

Paul knew that the flesh had the power to overthrow his ministry, so he refused his flesh what it longed for in order to develop strength of character. Today we see so much news that shows how beautiful ministries can be overthrown by lack of self-control.

In conclusion

We can conclude by affirming that like the other characteristics of the fruit of the spirit, temperance does not come from human nature. But is produced by the Holy Spirit in him who accepts Christ as his only savior and chooses to deny his own flesh.

Therefore, seeking what comes from above is essential to be guided to have self-control because full temperance comes from the Spirit.

God bless you!

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