"But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love." (2 Pet. 1:5-7; NKJV)
Continuing with the things that we are to add to our faith, we see that we are to add to our knowledge, self-control. The King James Version uses the word temperance. The literal meaning of the Greek means, "by means of strength." Self-control is not always easily obtained, but it is obtainable. Paul compared living the Christian life to that of running a race and he said in 1 Corinthians 9:25, "and everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things."
In the Old Testament, Daniel exercised temperance (self-control), when he refused to partake of the king's meat and wine (Dan. 1:8). Daniel knew that if he would partake in those things that he would be violating the Old Law.
Paul tells us in Colossians 3:2, "Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth." The more we strive to stay focused on spiritual things, the more we will be able to add to our knowledge, self-control.
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