Wrestling with myself
Self-Discipline
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but I beat my body and bring it into submission, lest by any means, after I have preached to others, I myself should be disqualified.
1 Corinthians 9:27 (WEB)
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Sometimes I pick out a verse because it just jumps right out of the page in my quiet time and I think, “Fantastic! I need to share this one.”
…
Sometimes I pick out a verse because it kicks me in the tail end.
This one is the latter.
Personally, I’m not so great at disciplining my body and bringing it into submission.
Submission, of course, is a wrestling term. Something the Greeks of Corinth would have instantly been familiar with.
The picture here is wrestling against my body, pinning it down, and forcing it into submission.
Why?
So Paul won’t be a hypocrite.
No matter what subject you’re speaking on, hypocrisy undermines your credibility.
Paul is careful to know that in order for the lost to have the best chance possible of seeing and believing the Gospel, they need to see consistent demonstration in his own life.
The people cannot see Jesus, but they can see Paul.
So they judge the merits of Jesus’ Gospel on the sample they can see: Paul.
That’s as true for us today as it was two thousand years ago. People cannot see Jesus, but they can see you and me.
What kind of Jesus do they see when they look at your life?
If that’s bad news, here’s some good news:
Self-control is a fruit of the Spirit. You’re not on your own to discipline your body; God will help.
Thus, I can pray this prayer: “Lord, grow your fruit of self-control in me today.”
I bet He says “yes” to that request.
— Ricky Ketchum
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