Temperance; Temperate
Defining Biblical Temperance
The English word 'temperance' in older Bible translations represents the Greek word egkrateia, which literally means "self-mastery" or "self-control." Modern translations generally render it as "self-control," which better captures its meaning for contemporary readers. Unlike the narrow modern association of temperance with abstaining from alcohol, the biblical concept encompasses mastery over all desires, impulses, and passions — including speech, emotions, physical appetites, and mental discipline.
Self-control is not about suppressing life but about directing it. It is the power to choose what is best over what is merely pleasurable, to subordinate immediate impulses to lasting purposes.
Self-Control as a Fruit of the Spirit
Paul lists self-control as one of the nine qualities produced by the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control" (Galatians 5:22-23). Its placement at the end of the list is significant — it is the virtue that guards and governs all the others. Without self-control, even good qualities can become disordered.
This is not mere willpower but a spiritual grace. The believer does not generate self-control through sheer effort but receives it as a gift of the Spirit, cultivated through ongoing relationship with God. Paul contrasts the fruit of the Spirit with "the works of the flesh" (Galatians 5:19-21), which include the very excesses that self-control restrains.
The Athletic Metaphor
Paul vividly illustrates temperance using the image of an athlete in training: "Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable" (1 Corinthians 9:25). Ancient athletes underwent rigorous regimens of diet, exercise, and discipline in preparation for competition. Paul's point is that if athletes willingly submit to such discipline for a temporary prize, how much more should believers discipline themselves for an eternal reward.
Paul applies this personally: "I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified" (1 Corinthians 9:27). Self-control is not optional for spiritual leaders; it is the foundation of credible ministry.
Self-Control in Apostolic Teaching
The importance of self-control echoes throughout the New Testament. Peter presents it as an essential step in spiritual growth: "Make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control" (2 Peter 1:5-6). Self-control stands between knowledge and steadfastness, suggesting that understanding must be governed by discipline before it can produce endurance.
When Paul stood before the Roman governor Felix and "reasoned about righteousness and self-control and the coming judgment, Felix was alarmed" (Acts 24:25). The juxtaposition of self-control with divine judgment suggests that the lack of self-mastery is not trivial but has eternal consequences.
Paul also required that church leaders be "self-controlled" (Titus 1:8) and "temperate" (1 Timothy 3:2), and instructed older men to be "sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled" (Titus 2:2).
Old Testament Foundations
Though the specific Greek vocabulary belongs to the New Testament, the concept of self-mastery runs throughout the Old Testament. Joseph's resistance of Potiphar's wife (Genesis 39:7-12) is a classic example of self-control under intense pressure. The restraint Joseph showed when his brothers appeared before him in Egypt (Genesis 43:31) uses language that suggests mastering powerful emotions. Proverbs teaches that "a man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls" (Proverbs 25:28), depicting the uncontrolled life as defenseless and vulnerable.
The Comprehensive Nature of Self-Control
Biblical self-control is not limited to a single area of life. It governs speech (James 1:26; 3:2), sexual desire (1 Corinthians 7:5, 9), anger (Proverbs 16:32), eating and drinking (Proverbs 23:20-21), and the pursuit of wealth (1 Timothy 6:9-10). It is, as the early church fathers recognized, the concentration of all human powers upon the single purpose of doing God's will. The principle is stated by Paul: "Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God" (1 Corinthians 10:31).
Biblical Context
Self-control (temperance) appears as a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), a requirement for spiritual growth (2 Peter 1:5-6), a qualification for church leadership (Titus 1:8; 1 Timothy 3:2), and a topic of Paul's preaching before Felix (Acts 24:25). Paul illustrates it with athletic imagery (1 Corinthians 9:25-27). Old Testament examples include Joseph's restraint (Genesis 39; 43:31) and Proverbs' warnings against lack of self-control (Proverbs 25:28).
Theological Significance
Self-control is not mere human willpower but a fruit of the Holy Spirit, produced in believers through their union with Christ. It is the virtue that governs all other virtues, enabling believers to align their desires with God's purposes. Its absence leaves a person spiritually defenseless (Proverbs 25:28), while its presence enables faithful endurance. The biblical teaching affirms both divine enabling and human responsibility in the pursuit of disciplined godliness.
Historical Background
The Greek concept of self-mastery (egkrateia) was highly valued in classical philosophy, particularly by Socrates, Plato, and the Stoics. The New Testament writers adopted this vocabulary but transformed it by grounding self-control in the work of the Holy Spirit rather than unaided human reason. The early church fathers, including Clement of Alexandria, Basil, and Chrysostom, taught that temperance meant balanced mastery rather than extreme asceticism, a distinction the Reformation affirmed against medieval monastic excess.