Benefits of Quick Temper Control in Christian Living
The control of one's temper is a significant aspect of Christian living, reflecting a disciplined and sanctified life. Early Christian thinkers, such as Clement of Alexandria, emphasized temperance as a habit that ensures pure conduct, free from excess and superfluity [3]. This aligns with a broader understanding of Christian conduct, which includes living soberly, righteously, and godly [1].
Augustine, in City of God, noted that even philosophers recognized anger and lust as "vicious mental emotions" that require the "regulation of mind and reason" [7]. This perspective highlights that while these emotions are natural, their ungoverned expression is problematic. The Christian life, therefore, involves a conscious effort to manage such impulses.
John Calvin, in his Institutes of the Christian Religion, discusses the importance of self-denial and equanimity, particularly in relation to God [5]. He warns against intemperance and luxury, noting that while corporeal goods are to be used, they should not be abused [6]. This principle extends to emotional responses, suggesting that believers should aim to curb excessive desires and avoid turning helpful things into hindrances [10]. Calvin also points out that many become so engrossed in luxury that their minds become "buried" or "marble-hearted," losing their recognition of God [9]. This illustrates how uncontrolled passions, including anger, can distract from spiritual focus.
The concept of being "quickened" or made alive in Christ is central to this transformation [8, 11]. This spiritual quickening, which involves the infusion of life and the exercise of spiritual senses, enables believers to discern sin and embrace God's goodness [4, 8]. This spiritual renewal empowers individuals to exercise greater control over their emotions and actions, aligning them with divine will. The ability to control one's temper is thus not merely a matter of self-discipline but a fruit of spiritual growth and sanctification through the Holy Spirit [2].
Sources
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Conduct, Christian — Believing God -- Mr 11:22; Joh 14:11,12. Fearing God -- Ec 12:13; 1Pe 2:17. Loving God -- De 6:5; Mt 22:37. Following God -- Eph 5:1; 1Pe 1:15,16. Obeying God -- Lu 1:6; 1Jo 5:3. Rejoicing in God -- Ps 33:1; Hab 3:18. Believing in Christ -- Joh 6:29; 1Jo 3:23. Loving Christ -- Joh 21:15; 1Pe 1:7,8. Following the example of Christ -- Joh 13:15; 1Pe 2:21-24. Obeying Christ -- Joh 14:21; 15:14. Living To Christ. -- Ro 14:8; 2Co 5:15. To righteousness. -- Mic 6:8; Ro 6:18; 1Pe 2:24. Soberly, righteously, and godly. -- Tit 2:12. Walking Honestly. -- 1”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 52: may quicken us to spiritual life, sanctify us by his Spirit, and adorn his Church with various graces, by his protection preserve it safe from all harm, and by the strength of his hand curb the enemies raging against his cross and our salvation; in fine, that he may possess all power in heaven and earth, until he have utterly routed all his foes, who are also ours and completed the structure of his Church. Such is the true nature of the kingdom, such the power which the Father has conferred upon him, until he arrive to complete the”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 2: Hermas, Tatian, Theophilus, Athenagoras, Clement of Alexandria — CHAP. XI.--A COMPENDIOUS VIEW OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. (part 2): result; as smoke is the sign of fire, and a good complexion and a regular pulse of health; so also clothing of this description shows the character of our habits. Temperance is pure and simple; since purity is a habit which ensures pure conduct unmixed with what is base. Simplicity is a habit which does away with super-fluities. 285 Substantial clothing also, and chiefly what is unfulled, protects the heat which is in the body; not that the clothing has hea”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 58: is. Moreover, when he is touched with some sense of the divine justice (for the one conviction immediately follows the other), he lies terrorstruck and amazed, humbled and dejected, desponds and despairs. This, which they regarded as the first part of repentance, they usually termed contrition . By quickening they mean, the comfort which is produced by faith, as when a man prostrated by a consciousness of sin, and smitten with the fear of God, afterwards beholding his goodness, and the mercy, grace, and salvation obtained through C”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 62: refuted. 7. Christian life cannot exist without charity. Remedies for the vices opposed to charity. 1. Mercy. 2. Humility. 3. Modesty. 4. Diligence. 5. Perseverance. 8. Self-denial, in respect of God, should lead to equanimity and tolerance. 1. We are always subject to God. 2. We should shun avarice and ambition. 3. We should expect all prosperity from the blessing of God, and entirely depend on him. 9. We ought not to desire wealth or honours without the divine blessing, nor follow the arts of the wicked. We ought to cast all our ”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 65: us to use this world without abusing it, and to buy possessions as if we were selling them ( 1 Cor. 7:30, 31 ). But as this is a slippery place, and there is great danger of falling on either side, let us fix our feet where we can stand safely. There have been some good and holy men who, when they saw intemperance and luxury perpetually carried to excess, if not strictly curbed, and were desirous to correct so pernicious an evil, imagined that there was no other method than to allow man to use corporeal goods 2032 only in so far as”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 2: Augustine — City of God, Christian Doctrine — CHAP. 19.--THAT IT IS NOW NECESSARY, AS IT WAS NOT BEFORE MAN SINNED, TO BRIDLE ANGER AND LUST BY THE RESTRAINING INFLUENCE OF WISDOM. (part 1): Hence it is that even the philosophers who have approximated to the truth have avowed that anger and lust are vicious mental emotions, because, even when exercised towards objects which wisdom does not prohibit, they are moved in an ungoverned and inordinate manner, and consequently need the regulation of mind and reason. And they assert that this third part of the mind is posted as it were in”
- Ephesians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Ephesians 2:5: Even when we were dead in sins,.... See Gill on Eph 2:1. Hath quickened us together with Christ: which may be understood either of regeneration, when a soul that is dead in a moral or spiritual sense, is quickened and made alive; a principle of life is infused, and acts of life are put forth; such have their spiritual senses, and these in exercise; they can feel the load and weight of sin; see their lost state and condition, the odiousness of sin, and the beauty of a Saviour, the insufficiency of their own righteousness, and the fulness and suitableness of Christ'”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 65: discernment of honour and rectitude? Where thankfulness to God for clothing, if on account of sumptuous raiment we both admire ourselves and disdain others? if, from a love of show and splendour, we pave the way for immodesty? Where our recognition of God, if the glare of these things captivates our minds? For many are so devoted to luxury in all their senses that their mind lies buried: many are so delighted with marble, gold, and pictures, that they become marble-hearted—are changed as it were into metal, and made like painted fi”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 65: must indulge as little as possible; on the other hand, 2034 it must be his constant aims not only to curb luxury, but to cut off all show of superfluous abundance, and carefully beware of converting a help into an hinderance. 5. Another rule is, that those in narrow and slender circumstances should learn to bear their wants patiently, that they may not become immoderately desirous of things, the moderate use of which implies no small progress in the school of Christ. For in addition to the many other vices which accompany a longing”
- Colossians (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Colossians 2:13: The apostle here represents the privileges we Christians have above the Jews, which are very great. I. Christ's death is our life: And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, Col 2:13. A state of sin is a state of spiritual death. Those who are in sin are dead in sin. As the death of the body consists in its separation from the soul, so the death of the soul consists in its separation from God and the divine favour. As the death of the body is the corruption and putrefaction of it, so sin is the c”