Self-Control

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

SELF-CONTROL

Matt 15:10-11

10 Jesus called the crowd to him and said, "Listen and understand. 11 What goes into a man's mouth does not make him 'unclean,' but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him 'unclean.'" 

NIV

What Jesus is saying here is sort of a conclusion to his speech on the traditions of man rather than the truth from God. He was talking about that as a response to the charge the Pharisees were making about his disciples not washing before supper. Heck, where have we heard that before? As children did not our parents tell us to wash up before dinner? Did we not tell our children the same thing? Traditions of men has been carried out through hundreds of generations. But here Jesus is continuing to tell them their traditions have gotten in the way of their understanding the truth of God. So he tells them even if the food has a little dirt on it from the hands of the disciples it is not going to make them unclean. However, it is what the Pharisees say with their mouths that makes them unclean. When we bring that truth forward to our time what we see is that some denominations, especially the holiness ones have designed a list of don’ts which have been made from traditional thinking rather than from the truth of God. What this list includes is not smoking and no drinking of adult beverages. Both which enter the body through the mouth and therefor according to Jesus do not make the body, or the person unclean. This would also include all sorts of foods, however the truth of God may have limits on the quantity of consumption as it speaks about gluttony in the scriptures

Prov 23:1-3

When you sit to dine with a ruler, note well what is before you, 2 and put a knife to your throat if you are given to gluttony. 3 Do not crave his delicacies,for that food is deceptive.

NIV

Prov 23:20-21

20 Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat, 21 for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags.

NIV  

Although this is Old Testament, the New Testament speaks about one of the fruit of the Spirit being self-control which could well apply to overeating as well. The fact seems to support that many believers would pay much attention to the no smoking and no drinking but would certainly ignore the truth about overeating. So what it comes down to is traditional thinking rather than scriptural thinking. Jesus tells us that what we eat or drink in all reality is not the important issue, it does not affect our salvation or our relationship with God, and it does not make us unclean. Now having said that we surely should do all things in moderation, including the consumption of food. That would be in truth with having self-control. Yet the self-control also fits well with that which comes out of our mouths, which certainly can make us unclean. The scripture speaks directly to the issue of our tongue. There are so many it would take more than a little devotion to include them all, but here is just one.

1 Peter 3:10

"Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech.

NIV

Our words are very important. The idea of the first Psalm when it speaks about sitting in the seat of mockers, that word means to make lips, or give God lip service with our mouth, but not live as we talk. That would translate as not walking the talk, but only talking the walk. James talks about a stream which cannot produce fresh and salt water which speaks to our tongue not being able to praise God and speak ungodly words as well. The problem is that what comes out of our mouths is a result of what is in our heart. Yet it goes even deeper than that for the truth.

Prov 23:7

7 For as he thinks within himself, so he is.

NASU

Depending on the particular translation this looks a little different, but the original words are clear that it is not just our mouths that make us unclean but that as we think that is who we really are and in most cases we endeavor to deceive others with the words of our mouth which goes back to what James says about the fresh and salt water. Although it may be true that we should exhibit some self-control in our consumption of anything entering our body through our mouths, it would benefit us far greater to have that kind of self-control on our thoughts and our words.