Controlling my emotions versus godly temperance is different. Temperance is love and grace based without fear. The fruit of temperance is born in great liberty because “against such things there is no law.” Controlled emotions is not trusting, honoring or loving self. When emotions are controlled the motive is to “not cross the line”. The motive to control the emotions is not a motive of willingness, but because “I am supposed to.” Controlling emotions does not work because usually I blow up or it will manifest in my body physically, body language, tone of voice, actions and true motive. Godly temperance does not try to be temperate. It emotes because love IS. It does not hesitate to emote or bear itself because its motive is not self-seeking. Controlling emotions can be or rather is deceptive because the true emotions are not being honored.
Religion at its core is about external image, appearance, value based on man’s opinion and self-will.
Jesus said in Matthew 23:27, “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean.”
If I am controlling my appearance in public then my witness is falsehood and hypocritical, Col. 2:23. This does not reflect Christ, but may look godly on the outside, but isn’t to the discernment of the Spirit of holiness and truth, 2 Tim. 3:5.
Jesus said, “You will know them by their fruit.” Sincere, righteous fruit that freely gives.
Controlling emotions cannot and does not protect the pain or hurt of the heart. Why? The pain and hurt is still there. Our heart should be covered by the breastplate of righteousness. Christ is our righteousness. If I control my emotions I will eventually betray myself and end up getting hurt anyways. In Christ, I will still get persecuted and hurt, but it does not have to be self-inflicted. The old nature or man is out of the way and we have a High Priest who is able to sympathize with our needs because He was tempted just like us, but was without sin. He imparts and freely gives grace and mercy from the throne of grace.
Controlling emotions does not make me strong, but very fearful and vulnerable for more hurt. To think if I control my emotions makes me stronger is a deception. I really can’t control my emotions. If so, then Christ died for nothing and I don’t need Him. I cannot keep myself. He keeps me.
Our identity is hid in Him. Our righteousness is not according to controlling our lives, but according to His righteousness and headship, Col. 1:18, Gal. 5:18, Rom. 8:14. Our identity is to BE in Him. The Lord told Moses, “I AM THAT I AM.” Jesus the firstborn among many brethren.
Rom. 6:21, “What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things [is] death.”
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