In Japanese culture, there is an ancient group of warriors known as the Samurai. These distinct warriors lived their lives by the ethic code of bushido that required them to be loyal to their masters, have a respectful behavior, and be self-disciplined. The Samurai were fatal, highly skilled soldiers in the art of war that were recognized primarily for their rigorous, daily application of their “way of the warrior.” It comes as no surprise that these strict, self-disciplined warriors were feared and respected by everyone and particularly recognized for their masterful skill in the use of the katana (a curved, slender, single edged sword). In accordance to their bushido, this deadly weapon would only be handed to those Samurai who had proven themselves masterful with the weapon in their hands, and were fully capable of having self-restraint in not drawing it unnecessarily. Due to the katana’s very sharp and dangerous edge, drawing it in a moment of blind fury and unrestraint could prove fatal to their opponent, but even worse, to the Samurai himself. Therefore, carrying this unique blade in Japan quickly became a symbol of the Samurai’s strength of character and self-discipline. Our God teaches us that His word is “quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword” (Hebrews 4:12). The way our God describes His word must prompt us to emulate the Samurai warrior’s respect and fear of their mighty katana. The apostle Peter has taught us the importance of understanding God’s wisdom. However, he does not ignore that knowledge in the wrong hands can be disastrous for everybody; especially for the inexperienced wielder of God’s “two edged sword.” Taking a page from the Japanese warrior’s code of ethics, it is good to apply the same concept with God’s mighty two edged sword. Knowledge that has been obtained by those who are spiritual is important, but it is equally important to have the self control to wield it properly. These are warriors who understand the dire consequences of drawing their sword in a moment of unrestrained emotion, using it irresponsibly. In teaching us to add temperance to our knowledge, Peter is emphasizing the importance of self-discipline in a disciple of Christ. Temperance is the ability of a person to hold firm control over his emotions and thoughts so that they do not interfere with that person’s sound judgment. The Greek word egkratēs is described as a strong or robust hold; having power over, possessed of [a thing] (Thayer, G1468). This word is the root for egkrateia which simply means self control (Strong, G1466). As a disciple of Christ matures in his Christianity, he will be faced with many difficult challenges and decisions to make in his life. It is a well known fact that any decision made based on pure emotion is not wise. A reflection of decisions influenced by emotion is illustrated by James when he states “the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God” (James 1:20). The children of God are commanded to walk in righteousness, and James teaches us that to be able to do so we must have sound judgment. If a man is angry and cannot control his wrath, the actions that follow will make the situation worse. Even if that person has the truth, the key to success is in knowing how to reveal the truth. Consider the counsel of King Solomon in his proverb: A soft answer turneth away wrath; but grievous words stir up anger (Proverbs 15:1). Observe that it is a “soft” answer that quenches any possibility of a heated argument or perhaps even violence. Similar to the advice given by the apostle Peter, the proverb in essence is teaching that it is not what we say, but rather how we say it. Because God’s word is “piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit” we must understand that its power, when not used properly, can stir up anger. In understanding God’s wisdom we must never forget that His word was left with the purpose of saving souls and not condemning them. Remember the Pharisees? They were in fact doctors of the Law of Moses and had great understanding when it came to its interpretation. However, the knowledge that they were blessed in attaining became their very curse because it made them lovers of vainglory that nullified their compassion for the spiritually sick (John 8:1-11). Because they knew not how to responsibly use such great power, it became the very weapon that fatally wounded them. Self control is an important factor in the life of the Christian, especially when he is found in temptation. It was the powerful resolve of Joseph that came to his aid when he found himself in the clutches of Potiphar’s wife (Genesis 39:7-12). We see the magnificence of temperance in this young man because he was able to make a sound judgment in regards to the illicit offer from his master’s wife. This becomes a true testament to Peter’s wise instruction when the following proverbial question is used to emphasize the level of difficulty of Joseph’s temptation: Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned (Proverbs 6:27)? Joseph’s initial response to the lascivious approach of his master’s wife is to acknowledge all Potiphar had done for him while being fully aware of God’s omnipresence. In recalling this information, Joseph was able to remain firmly steadfast in his integrity and therefore did not fall prey to her advances. The strength of his self control fed his knowledge of God’s righteousness. As James would put it, he was “swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath” (James 1:19). Joseph was quick to hear the voice of God’s sound judgment resonate in his ears, but was also wise in carefully choosing his words and actions with Potiphar’s wife. Because he was able to control all his emotions during this intense and emotional rollercoaster, he was favored by God and ultimately blessed to be honored higher than even Potiphar himself (Genesis 41:38-39). A wise man once said, “He who conquers others is strong, but he who conquers himself is mighty” (Lao Tzu). It is interesting to note that in Peter’s instructions on how to climb this spiritual mountain, the first set of instructions are all commands given in relation to ourselves. When he reaches temperance, the apostle reaches a midway point in our journey. The backend of the lessons are all involved in our relationship with our peers. The concept that we learn from the apostle is in essence described by the Chinese philosopher we have just quoted. Because we have been called to be fishers of men, it is important that we learn what our strengths and weaknesses are so that we are then fully capable to go out to sea and cast out the net of the gospel and bring forth souls to our Lord. After rescuing those souls from the kingdom of darkness, it becomes our responsibility to train them in how to survive the treacherous seas that is the world. In other words, what Peter is ultimately saying is that it is our duty to eventually make the transformation from disciples to teachers (Hebrews 5:12-14). Because this is an inevitable truth, it is wise to recognize that temperance, or self control, is the perfect transition point from governing ourselves to governing the Lord’s church. To be continued…
