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Self-control is one of the most necessary ingredients of the Christian life. It is one of the nine fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22-23. Another word we often use for self-control is self-discipline. It is as necessary to the flame of our love and faith as oxygen is to a burning candle. There can be no doubt that many cases of spiritual weakness are due to the fact that believers have begun to take the easy way and to avoid the way of the cross. This pampering and pleasing of self always leads to a condition of spiritual staleness, boredom and restlessness.

The Race - ”Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us” (Hebrews 12:1). It is interesting how the apostle Paul illustrated the benefits brought by self-control in Hebrew 12:1-2 and 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 where he compares the Christian life to a race. This would have been well understood by the people of Corinth where every three years the Isthmian games were held. They got their name from the isthmus on which Corinth stood. Huge crowd gathered to watch the athletic contests. The contestants had to provide proof that for 10 months before the contest they had participated in the necessary preliminary training, as well as spending the last 30 days in exercises in the gymnasium. The winner and his family were honored and when he returned to his native city, a breach was made in the city walls to allow him to enter, indicating that with such a man they had no need of walls of defense.

The Training - “Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training” (1 Corinthians 9:25). Paul uses some very strong words about disciplining his body: “I beat my body and make it my slave” (v. 27). The word beat literally means “to strike under the eye” or as we might say “give someone a black eye.” Does this mean that we should practice self-torture to earn religious merit? Not at all! We can never obtain God’s favor and forgiveness by our own efforts; it is through His grace alone. Paul is actually speaking of the habits of self-control and self-denial. Instead of being a slave to his bodily appetites and desires, he is a master of his body. I rule my body; I do not let it rule me.

The Goal - “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus” (Hebrews 12:2).

To win, a runner must be going in the right direction. To do that his eyes must be fixed on the goal. Paul is very emphatic about our goal as believers: “Fix your eyes on Jesus!” Many believers have failed in their race because they fixed their eyes on their feelings instead of on Jesus. Others have failed because they fixed their eyes on people, or pleasure, or money. Anything which distracts your total concentration away from the goal can lead to failure in the race of life.

 The Prize - “We do it to get a crown that will last forever” (1 Corinthians 9:25) Why was Paul so anxious to be master of his own body? Because there is a crown to be won! In the Greek games only one person won the prize. In the Christian race the prize is open to all. The crown won at the games was the most coveted honor in the Greek world, though it was just a wreath made of leaves. If those athletes would strive and discipline themselves for something so unenduring as a leafy wreath, how much harder should Christians be willing to strive for a prize that is “incorruptible” or lasts forever. The emphasis is on the disciplined, purposeful, hard-running winner. The Christian should run as the winner runs—with self-control, purpose and determination.

Self-control and self-discipline alone can bring the truest happiness, the strongest character and the highest approval of our Lord.