Rev. A. Linford
SELF – CONTROL
“He that hath no rule over his own spirit…” - Proverbs 25:28
Ancient cities were surrounded by walls. At night these were patrolled by watchmen who closed the gates, manned the towers and periodically called out the hour, with a cry of, “And all’s well!”. Such vigilance was essential to the peace and safety of their fellow-citizens.
The city of mansoul, for so Bunyan designated the typical human being, is surrounded by foes of many kinds, that seek to possess or plunder him. The world of evil around us seeks to traffic its wares, bartering pleasure for principle, deceit for honesty and selfish gain for moral integrity. Satan tempts us with thoughts of baneful ambition, hurtful avarice and lustful appetite. He batters our walls with deadly fear or deceitful favour. It takes strong defences to keep him out.
The character of mansoul. Man has a “spirit”, that is, moral sense to recognise evil and moral strength to resist evil. No one can enter the gate of his personality until he raises the portcullis of his will. Even God himself, who made man, will not coerce him into subjection or pressure him to unwilling response. Even the Gospel is called “A persuasion”. In this sense God has given man control of his own destiny. This must be so: there can be no morality without freedom, no freedom without power of choice, no choice without an inner ability to decide.
The care of mansoul. Man is a responsible being, he can choose evil or good, he can rule his own spirit. When he loses control he becomes a moral wreck; breeches appear in those strong walls of resistance to evil, the gates of the will are flung open to admit a host of sinful activities, his soul becomes a mart of decadent wares, a higgledy-piggledy of shameful lusts. But he lets them in. Can he drive them out? Yes! When a man sickens of his sins and turns to the God who made him, the Lord will abundantly pardon him and restore his broken-down life. This is the Gospel of Christ.
PRAYER:
Help me to rule my spirit in holy discipline, O Lord!
