We are learning what temperance means which is to control the lusts of our flesh! We
can do this with our LOVE of the Lord and with the help of the Holy Spirit teaching us to
RENEW our minds. With the Holy Spirit’s help, we won’t WANT to do the things of
the world anymore, but will WANT to do the things GOD would have us to do!!!
We are going to learn today what the Bible tells us to ABSTAIN from which means to say
"NO" to. Let’s read the definition of ABSTAIN...
(1. To refrain from something by one’s own choice!)
(1. To hold one’s self back; to curb.)
In the first Scripture, what are we to abstain from? (From fornication, which is to
lust after a harlot or any other type of IDOLATRY.)
How are we to possess our vessels, or our bodies? (In sanctification and honour.)
What are we to abstain from in the second Scripture? (We are to abstain from ALL
appearance of evil!)
What does it mean to abstain from the APPEARANCE of evil? (Even if you are not sinning,
but you look like you are, you should not do it. For example, if you go into a bar, and
are not participating in the lasciviousness going on inside, but just went in to rest your
feet, it would LOOK like you were going to that bar! It would APPEAR as if you were just
there taking in the world’s evil entertainment!)
What are some other examples of appearing to be evil, even though they might seem to be
harmless?
How are we to do these things? (Through our KNOWLEDGE of the Word of God. )
How do we know what is GOOD? (Through READING what is good in the
Bible!)
What is a MATURE Christian? (One who through practice has discerned what is good
from what is evil and does what is GOOD! Hebrews 5:14)
READ: James 3:1-13
QUESTIONS
What is the TONGUE likened to in vs. 6? (The tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity.)
What does the tongue defile? (The whole body.)
Can the tongue be tamed like animals? (It says in vs. 8, "But the tongue can no
man tame.")
What is the tongue? (Vs. 8 says it is unruly evil, fully of deadly poison.)
What do we do with our tongues? (We bless God and we curse men.)
What comes out of our mouths? (Both blessings and curses.)
Is this good? (Vs. 10 says this OUGHT NOT to be.)
What are we to show out of our mouths? (Good conversation.)
How are we to speak? (With meekness of wisdom.)
PARENT: One of the most important things we need to have
TEMPERANCE in is in speaking! We need to learn to control our tongue. We argue and fight
with our tongue and say things that BELIEVERS shouldn’t say. According to Scripture,
this is something that we need to bring under the cross of Jesus. We need to put EVIL
conversation from us!
ACTIVITIES
Talk with the children about controlling the TONGUE.
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Lesson Eight
TEMPERANCE
Dying to Ourselves
PARENT: The Bible teaches us many things about no
longer LIVING to sin but being DEAD to it. This is a form of TEMPERANCE, which is bringing
our bodies under control of the Holy Spirit. It is to allow CHRIST to live in us!
This means that we love God more than we love anything else on earth! If we can’t
give up something it is because we REALLY must like it. If this is something of the world,
we REALLY must like doing this thing that the world offers. But God will help us to LOVE
Him more than anything else. He will help us to not LIKE that thing anymore if we ask Him
to help us and repent and turn from that sin. We are to DIE to the cares of this world.
Remember the parable of the seed sown among thorns? It was the CARES of this world and the
PLEASURES of it that choked the seed, and it never was fruitful.
READ: Romans 6:1-10
QUESTIONS
What does baptism show? (Vs. 4, We are buried with Jesus by baptism into death, and
when we are raised up we should walk in the NEWNESS of life.)
What happens to the OLD MAN, which means the person that lives according to the lust of
the flesh? (He is CRUCIFIED with Jesus that his body of sin might be destroyed that
henceforth we should not serve sin.)
What does vs. 8 say we should be? (Dead with Christ.)
Why? (So we will LIVE with Him.)
What did Jesus die to in vs. 10? (He died unto sin once.)
How does He LIVE? (He lives unto GOD!)
READ: Romans 6:11-15
QUESTIONS
What are we to do in vs. 11? (We are to reckon ourselves to be DEAD indeed unto sin.)
What are we to be alive to? (We are to be alive to GOD through Jesus Christ our Lord.)
How are we to view SIN? (It is not to REIGN in our mortal bodies.)
What does reign mean? (To rule! To govern or to have CONTROL!)
Are we to obey our MORTAL BODIES? (Vs. 12 says that we should NOT obey it in the lusts
thereof.)
Will we sin? (1 Jn says yes, but we have an advocate, Jesus Christ, the RIGHTEOUS.)
Do we WANT to sin? (No! We will have no pleasure in it and will hate EVIL. This is the
FEAR of the Lord!)
What are our bodies to be? (Vs. 13, Instruments of righteousness unto God.)
Will a BELIEVER have Jesus reign over them or sin? (Vs. 14 says sin shall not have
dominion over you, for you are not under the law, but under grace.)
Do we go ahead and follow the LUSTS of our bodies because we are under GRACE? (Vs. 15
says GOD FORBID!!!)
READ: Romans 8:1-8
QUESTIONS
In Vs. 1, who is no longer under condemnation? (Those who walk NOT after the flesh.)
What do these people walk after? (The Spirit.)
What are we free from through Jesus? (We are free from the law of SIN and DEATH.)
In vs. 4, what is fulfilled in those who do NOT walk after the flesh? (The
RIGHTEOUSNESS of the law is fulfilled in them.)
What do those that are of the flesh think of? (They that are after the flesh do MIND
the things of the flesh.)
What do those that are after the Spirit MIND? (They mind the things of the Spirit.)
What is it to be carnally or fleshly minded? (Death!)
What is it to be spiritually minded? (Life and peace.)
What is the carnal mind towards God? (It is ENMITY against God.)
Can they that are in the flesh please God? (No.)
Are we to be after the things of the flesh? (No!)
How are WE to walk? (After the ways of God, not letting our fleshly bodies control us.)
PARENT: We are to bring our fleshly bodies under control of the
Spirit of God. It is to even bring our BODIES under OBEDIENCE to the Word of God. For
example, if the Word of God tells us not to be a glutton or a winebibber, we need to not
allow our bodies to be such things! It is LOVING the ways of God more than LOVING the ways
of the flesh. It is in WHOM you serve. Either you will serve the world and your FLESH, or
you will serve God... But you can’t do both!
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