First Control Self

“I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection” (1 Corinthians 9:27).

— Derek Place and James Parkinson

In biblical context, subjection refers to the act of submitting to God’s authority and surrendering one’s will to His divine plan and purpose. Subjection requires self control, and discipline.

But how do we develop self control and discipline? We are not born with these skills; we must develop them as we grow and mature in the Christian life.

To Develop Self Control

Galatians 5:16 says, “Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” One of the fruits of the spirit, described later in verse 23, is temperance or self control.

Self control is the ability to regulate one’s emotions, thoughts, and behavior in the face of temptations and impulses. How do we overcome the weakness of our fallen flesh in developing self control?

We have been given biblical tools in the word that we can use. Jesus was able to remove the devil’s temptations after his baptism by using scripture. The word of God shows us the power of prayer, and how we can ask the LORD to help us overcome temptations in our lives. Regulating our emotions and impulses takes a great deal of self control.

Self‑help groups use phrases or keyword acronyms to help members learn how to control temptations. One of them is the word HALT. The HALT acronym stands for: Don’t let yourself get too: Hungry, Angry, Lonely, and Tired. These emotional triggers can cause loss of control and poor decision making. Not getting enough sleep, proper nutrition, or exercise, can cause us to be impulsive and lacking in willpower. With God’s help we can overcome the weaknesses of the flesh; in the end, we must learn self control.

Lessons from the Past

The Bible gives us examples of the lack of control in the first priesthood. In chapter 10 of Leviticus, Nadab and Abihu were destroyed by God for offering strange fire before Him. The standard for the first priesthood during the Jewish Age was to follow God’s instructions exactly or face a penalty of death. However, with the Jewish law being nailed to the cross by Jesus’ fulfilling of the law perfectly, even Jewish brethren who become members of the royal priesthood are not subject to the death penalty for mistakes in their duties. By accepting Jesus Christ as their Redeemer, they are no longer under the Mosaic Law. Yet, this does not give any an excuse to commit sin, or lower the high standard God expects from those being prepared for the Royal Priesthood and a position in the symbolic Temple.

The brazen disobedience of Nadab and Abihu is followed immediately by a command that priests “drink no wine nor strong drink when ye go into the tent of meeting” (Leviticus 10:1‑7, 8‑11). This suggests that Nadab and Abihu had likely been drinking when offering in the Tabernacle. Those now in training for the Royal Priesthood will do well to take heed and understand that this prohibition encompasses many forbidden areas of life.

Looking back to the first Priesthood provides examples, types and shadows, of how we must develop a modern approach towards our position. Even as Jesus was not a high priest on earth (Hebrews 8:4), neither are we priests here. We are in training for our future in a heavenly priesthood. We are not the high priest; that is Jesus (typified by Aaron). We are to be the consecrated under‑priests, or body members.

We, the modern members, need only look back to the first priesthood to see that there were requirements they had to fulfill to be members of their priesthood. As we grow in our modern development there are steps that we must take. We should understand that our consecrated life must be one of self‑sacrifice, and sanctification, in order to qualify to receive glorification. Glorification can only come to us when we go beyond the second veil into the most holy. This requires us to first be chiseled into shape, to be conformed to the image of Christ, to fit into the true temple. Then, we may do priestly duties to bless the people of the world.

Requirements and Helps

If our heart’s desire is out in the sin‑filled world, or the camp condition, we are not being sanctified and stand to lose all that we have been promised. “Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice” (Psalm 50:5). This covenant requires self control, or subjection as defined above: submitting to God’s authority and surrendering one’s own will to His divine plan and purpose.

We must also continue wearing the modern equivalent of priestly garments, representing the robe of Christ’s righteousness. Interacting with the world without his protection can lead to second death, much like offering strange fire. There is no guarantee, if we abandon our priestly position and duties. “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15).

Chastening and correcting ourselves requires discipline, self‑discipline. And if we do not exercise it, the Father, in his loving care, with allow us to receive experiences to teach us these lessons. By such, we can yet make our calling and election sure. “I BESEECH you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world” (Romans 12:1, 2).

We can develop self control as modern priests in training. Just think of all the support available to us from the Father, his son Jesus, unseen holy angels, and our brothers and sisters in Christ. We also have the power of prayer and the word of God at our fingertips. Today, we have an advantage over the world of mankind, as God has revealed his plan of redemption to his Priesthood in training. He has invited us to be members in it. Let us each take full advantage of these unmerited privileges.

Fill Up What is Lacking

The Apostle Paul wrote that we are to fill up “that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ” (Colossians 1:24 RVIC). While afflictions help to develop a Christian’s character, it does not mean that anything needs to be added to the ransom price Jesus provided at Calvary. Jesus Christ died “once for all” (Hebrews 7:27). But Jesus alone could not share in every sorrowful experience of mankind. However, the 144,000 body members in training could experience practically every conceivable “affliction” of mankind, while yet remaining faithful.

As a result, each person in the regeneration of Christ’s Kingdom will know that someone who had been faithful had had a similar experience that he himself will then have to overcome. The example has been set for him. He will hear of the self control of his forerunners, and so he will know that he too can learn to overcome — to retrain himself. That will be the road to eternal life.