What Is Temperance in the Bible — Meaning Explained

Temperance, more commonly called self-control in modern translations, is one of the most practical and necessary virtues in the Christian life — the ability to govern one's desires, appetites, emotions, and actions rather than being governed by them. The Greek word egkrateia means 'self-mastery' or 'inner strength,' and it is listed by Paul as the final fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5: 'But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.' The placement is significant: temperance comes last in the list not because it is least important but because it is the virtue that enables all the others. Without self-control, love becomes manipulation, joy becomes recklessness, peace becomes apathy, and patience becomes indifference. Temperance is the governing virtue that keeps the others in balance. The Greek philosophers valued self-control as the mark of the virtuous person, but biblical temperance is different. It is not produced by willpower, Stoic discipline, or ascetic denial. It is produced by the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer who walks in dependence upon God. 'Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.' The Spirit gives the desire and the power to say no to sinful impulses and yes to godly choices. Temperance operates across every area of life. In the realm of the body, it governs eating, drinking, sleeping, and sexual expression. Paul warned that 'every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things,' comparing the Christian life to an athlete's training. In the realm of the emotions, it controls anger, fear, jealousy, and despair. In the realm of the will, it enables perseverance through difficulty and resistance to temptation. In the realm of speech, it guards the tongue from gossip, lies, and harsh words. The apostle Peter listed temperance as a virtue to be added to faith, knowledge, and self-control, leading to patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love. The person who lacks these qualities, he warned, is 'blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.' Paul's own life exemplified temperance. 'But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.' He disciplined himself not out of hatred for his body but out of devotion to Christ. He knew that even an apostle could be disqualified through lack of self-control. Temperance is also essential for leadership. Elders and bishops must be 'temperate' — not given to excess in anything. Deacons must not be 'double-tongued' or greedy. Young women must be taught to be 'sober' and 'discreet.' The church cannot function with integrity if its leaders lack self-control. The ultimate motivation for temperance is not fear of consequences but love for Christ and confidence in His promises. The temperate person knows that 'sin shall not have dominion over' him because he is 'not under the law, but under grace.' He knows that the Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in him and is able to govern every impulse for God's glory. Temperance, then, is not the suppression of desire but the redirection of desire — from selfish gratification to God-glorifying service, from momentary pleasure to eternal reward, from the flesh's bondage to the Spirit's freedom.