# Self-Control Study --- ## Background - Started 2019.02.12 - --- ## Questions - What does the Bible say about [[Self-Control]]? - What are the divine tensions? - Should we look inward (to [[Self]]) for [[Self-Control]], or to God? - --- ## Takeaways - --- --- ## Notes --- - [[Genesis_04|Genesis 4]] - 2023.02.15 - Context - Story about Cain and Abel {1-16} - Verse seven occurs after Cain and Able gave their offerings to the Lord {} - **Verse 4b-5** discusses God's assessment of their offerings {4b-5} - Abel: the Lord looked with favor - Cain: the Lord had no regard - God's statement to Cain really resonated with me. There are four parts to His exhortation in **Genesis 4.6-7** ![[Genesis_04#^01-04-07|Genesis 4.6-7]] - In verse 7c, God said to Cain, "if you refuse to do what is right" - God seems to be telling Cain that he must repent - BSB and NLT use wording that seems a little stronger with the use of "refuse" which is not in the Hebrew - In verse 7d, God said to Cain, "sin is crouching at your door" - This sounds similar to [[Self-Control_Study#^scbs-60-05|1 Peter 5.8]] (Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.) - In verse 7e, God said to Cain, "it (sin) desires you" - I never noticed this phrase before. I always thought of sin as something "I" desire. However, in this case, God told Cain that "sin" desired him (Cain) - In verse 7f, God said to Cain, "you must master it" - the literal translation is: but you should rule over it - Other translations of verse 7c-7f: - But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it. - NIV - But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master. - NLT - And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it. - ESV - But if you refuse to do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires you, but you must master it. (BSB) - and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee _shall be_ his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. - KJB - And if you do not do well, sin is lurking at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it. - NASB - And if you do not do well, sin is lying at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must rule over it. - LSB -  But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it. - CSB - But if you refuse to do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires you, but you must master it. - MSB - But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at the door. It desires to dominate you, but you must subdue it. - NET - If you don’t do well, sin crouches at the door. Its desire is for you, but you are to rule over it. - WEB --- - [[Proverbs_16|Proverbs 16]] - 2019.02.12 ^scbs-18-16 - The translations are quite varied {32} - Self control (NIV, NLT) - Rules ([[H4910]]) his spirit ([[H7307]]) (ESV, NASB, WEB) - Controls his temper (BSB, NET) - Ruleth his spirit (KJV) - Controlling one's emotions (CSB) - Control over yourself (GNT) - Controlling one's temper (HCSB) - Even tempered (GWT) - [[Self-Control_Study#^scbs-18-25|Compare with my note on Proverbs 25.28]] {32} --- - [[Proverbs_25|Proverbs 25]] - 2019.02.12 ^scbs-18-25 - The translations are quite varied {28} - Self-control (NIV, NLT, ESV, GWT) - Control his temper (BSB, CSB, NET) - Control over his spirit (NASB) - Rule ([[H4623]]) over his own spirit ([[H7307]]) (KJV) - Control your anger (GNT) - Spirit is without restrain (WEB) - Compare with Proverbs 16.32 - [[Self-Control_Study#^scbs-18-16|Compare with my note on Proverbs 16.32]] {32} - [[H4623]]; only occurrence --- - [[Acts_24|Acts 24]] - 2019.02.12 {25} - Context - Felix sent for Paul frequently and talked with him {22-27} - Paul discussed various topics with Felix and his wife Drusilla {24-25} - One of the topics Paul discussed with Felix was self-control ([[G1466]]) {25} --- - [[Galatians_05|Galatians 5]] - 2019.02.12 {22} - According to verse 23, self-control is part of the [[Fruit]] of the [[Spirit]]. It would seem that it is a [[Gift]] from God. - Is self-control something that I can conjure up or is it somehow **"only"** a gift from God? {22-23} --- - [[1_Corinthians_09|1 Corinthians 9]] - Date - {24-27} --- - [[1_Timothy_03|1 Timothy 3]] - Date - [[G4998]] {2} --- - [[2_Timothy_01|2 Timothy 1]] - 2019.02.12 {6-7} - Paul told Timothy to fan into flames the gift of God. {6} - Then he goes on to say: For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control {7} - self-control [[G4995]] - only occurrence {7} - fear [[G1167]] - only occurrence {7} --- - [[Titus_01|Titus 1]] - Date {8} - [[G4998]] --- [[Titus_02|Titus 2]] - Date {2, 5} - [[G4998]] --- - [[James_03|James 3]] - Date {0} --- - [[1_Peter_04|1 Peter 4]] - Date [7] --- - [[1_Peter_05|1 Peter 5]] - 2023.02.17 ^scbs-60-05 - @ 8 Be sober-minded ([[G3525]]) and alert ([[G1127]]). Your adversary ([[G0476]]) the devil ([[G1228]]) prowls ([[G4043]]) around like a roaring ([[G5612]]) lion ([[G3023]]), seeking ([[G2212]]) someone to devour ([[G2666]]). 9 Resist ([[G0436]]) him, standing firm ([[G4731]]) in your faith ([[G4102]]) and in the knowledge ([[G1492]]) that your brothers ([[G0081]]) throughout ([[G1722]]) the world ([[G2889]]) are undergoing ([[G2005]]) the same kinds of suffering ([[G3804]]). @ (BSB) {8-9} - These would seem to be key verses in my battle against sin. - Most of the translations say something similar to the BSB - According to verse 8, Satan makes a lot of noise as he seeks someone to devour {8} --- - [[2_Peter_01|2 Peter 1]] - Date {3-7} - [[G1466]] {6-x2} ---