Fruit of the Spirit: Temperance

1.   Temperance:

      a.   from the Greek engkrateia (Strong’s # 1466)

      b.   A compound word consisting of:

            i.   en = “in, within”

            ii.  kratos = “power, force, strength, dominion”

            iii. Thus, the dominion of the inner man (passions, lusts, desires)

      c.   Appears 4 times in 3 verses:

            i.   Galatians 5:23; 2 Peter 1:6 - in connection with the fruit of the Spirit and the “Christian graces.”

            ii.  Acts 24:25 - preached in conjunction with righteous and the Judgment to come to the ungodly Felix and Druscilla (see McGarvey’s Original Commentary on Acts, p 273; McGarvey’s New Commentary on Acts, p 239-240).

2.   Other appearances of the principle form of the word:

      a.   Strong’s # 1467 – engkrateuomai:

            i.   1 Corinthians 7:9 – “contain”

            ii.  1 Corinthians 9:25 – “temperate”

      b.   Strong’s # 1468 – engkrates: Titus 1:8 = “temperate”

3.   “Against such there is no law”

      a.   1 Timothy 1:9-10

      b.   Romans 12:18-21

      c.   Romans 14:19