What is Self-Government and What is its Foundation?

What is Self-Government?

Websters 1828 dictionary defines Self-Control as "restraint exercised over one's own impulses, emotions, or desires..."

Let's look at Reuben and Joseph, two of Israel’s sons, as an example. Joseph was sold into slavery, as a slave he had many temptations in the house of a rich man. But one temptation in particular he fled, he had self-control and did not give in to the temptation. He suffered many cruelties for what he did but God was with him all through it. Later on in Gen.41:38 "Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the Spirit of God?” ^39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Inasmuch as God has shown you all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you.”

Joseph was discerning and wise, he had self-control. He was stable and fled temptations. Whereas Reuben was called “unstable as water” (gen.49:4a). Joseph excelled greatly and Reuben did not, one had self-control and stableness and the other didn’t.

Self-government is something that one possess and when possessed they are able to flee temptations, control their anger be stable etc..

What is the Foundation of Self-Government?

Back in Genesis where Pharaoh is praising Joseph he says “Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the Spirit of God” The spirit of God dwelled in Joseph and it is because of that that Joseph was great.

The Fruit of the Spirit (Gal.5) is a great virtue and a self-governed person would possess these.
Notice thought they are called the fruits of the Spirit. Only when the Holy Spirit is working through us can we produce theses fruits.

As human beings, descendents of Adam we are born in sin (Rom.5:12), our hearts are wicked (Jer.17:9), we are born sinful (Ps.51:5). Being such we do not desire to do good, and are not good (Ecc.7:20, Rom.3:12, Matt.19:17). Therefore we cannot have self-government without Christ or the Holy Spirit working through us, doing those good works through us.

As is said in Matt.15:4-5 “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. ^5“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”

To bear the Fruits of the Spirit the Holy Spirit must dwell in us and this is the foundation of self-control.