Early Christian Beliefs About Temperance and Self-Control

Clement of Rome, First Epistle to the Corinthians Direct teaching

...His glorious and holy Name, faith, fear, peace, patience, long-suffering, self-control, purity, and sobriety, to the well-pleasing of His Name, through our High Priest and Protector, Jesus Christ, by whom be to Him glory, majesty, power, and honor, both now and forevermore. Amen.

Hermas, The Shepherd (Pastor) Direct teaching

After I had completely written down this book, the messenger who had handed me over to the Shepherd came into the house where I was and sat down on a couch, and the Shepherd stood at his right hand. Then he called me and spoke to me as follows: “I have handed you and your household over to the Shepherd, so that you may be protected by him.” “Yes, sir,” I said. “If you wish, then,” he said, “to be protected from every trouble and from all harsh treatment, and to have success in every good work and word, and to possess all the virtues of righteousness, walk in these commandments that he has given you, and you will be able to overcome all wickedness. For if you keep those commandments, every desire and pleasure of the world will be subject to you, and success will go with you in every good work. Accept his experience and self-control for yourself, and tell everyone that he is held in great honor and dignity with God, and that he is a ruler with great power and mighty in his office. To him alone, throughout the whole world, the power of repentance has been assigned. Does he seem powerful to you? Yet you despise his experience and the self-control that he uses toward you.”

Theophilus of Antioch, To Autolycus Direct teaching

... the subject of their dramas. But far be it from Christians even to imagine such deeds. Among them, temperance lives, self-control is practiced, monogamy is observed, chastity is protected, wickedness is destroyed, sin is rooted out, righteousness is practiced, law is administered, worship is performed, and God is acknowledged. Truth rules, grace guards, peace protects them, the holy word guides, wisdom teaches, life leads, and God reigns. Therefore, although we have much to say about our way of life and the commands of God, the maker of all creation, we think that for now we have reminded you enough to lead you to examine these things, especially since you can now read our writings for yourself. So, as you have been eager to gain knowledge, may you also continue to study in this direction.

Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Direct teaching

...rd-working life often collapse into pleasures as soon as they taste them, and the firmness of their temperance is broken. Such people are restrained by law and fear. When they find a good opportunity, they cheat the law by slipping away from what is good. But self-control, which is desirable for its own sake, and is made complete through knowledge, remains always. It makes a person lord and master of himself. So the Gnostic is temperate and free from passions, unable to be dissolved by pleasures and pains, just as they say adamant cannot be dissolved by fire.

Titus 1:8 Supporting witness

but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled,

Titus 2:2 Supporting witness

Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness.

2 Peter 1:6 Supporting witness

And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;

Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Direct teaching

Therefore, human self-control, that is, the kind taught according to the judgment of the Greek philosophers, claims to fight against desire and not to serve it in actions. But the self-control according to our teaching is not to desire at all. It is not merely that a person, while desiring, should act bravely, but that he should hold himself back even from desiring. This self-control cannot be gained in any other way except by the grace of God. And therefore He said, "Ask, and it will be given to you," Matthew 7:7. Moses also received this grace. Though he was clothed with a body that needed food, for forty days he neither hungered nor thirsted. And just as it is better to be healthy than, while sick, to talk about health, so also it is better to be light than to speak about light, and better to have the self-control that comes from truth than the kind taught by philosophers. For where light is, there darkness is not. But where desire alone has settled, even if it rests from bodily action, still in memory it struggles over what is not present. In general, my discussion will proceed about marriage, food, and other matters, so that we may do nothing from desire, but may want only the

Athenagoras, The Resurrection of the Dead Direct teaching

...ted with these, or the suffering that comes from them? And what shall we say about self-control and temperance, when no desire pulls it toward food, sexual relations, or other pleasures and enjoyments, and when nothing else urges it from within or stirs it from without? And what about practical wisdom, when no matters are set before it that may or may not be done, and no things are set before it to be chosen or avoided? Or rather, what about it when there is in it no movement at all, and no natural impulse toward doing anything? And how could fairness in any sense be an attribute of souls, either in relation to one another or to anything else, whether of the same kind or a different kind, when they are not able, from any source, by any means, or in any way, to give what is equal, whether according to merit or according to analogy? The only exception is the honor given to God. Also, they have no impulse or movement toward using what is their own, or toward keeping away from what belongs to others. For the use of things according to nature, or abstaining from them, is considered in relation to beings that are made to use them. But the soul neither needs anything, nor is made to us

Lactantius, The Divine Institutes Direct teaching

...s so hostile to this divine benefit and gift as pleasure. For when lust rules, there is no room for self-control, nor can virtue exist when pleasure reigns supreme. But on the other hand, God gave virtue for this reason: that it might subdue and conquer pleasure, and when pleasure passed the limits assigned to it, virtue might hold it back within the proper bounds. Otherwise, pleasure would soothe and capture man with enjoyments, bring him under its power, and punish him with everlasting death.

Hermas, The Shepherd (Pastor) Direct teaching

"I told you," he said, "that God's creatures are double, because self-restraint is also double. In some cases, self-restraint must be used, and in other cases there is no need for it." "Tell me, sir," I said, "in what cases must self-restraint be used, and in what cases must it not be used?" "Restrain yourself from evil, and do not do it. But do not hold back from doing good; do it. For if you hold back from doing good, you will commit a great sin. But if you restrain yourself so that you do not do what is evil, you are practicing great righteousness. Therefore, restrain yourself from all wickedness, and do what is good." "What, sir," I said, "are the evil deeds from which we must restrain ourselves?" "Listen," he says: "from adultery and sexual immorality, from unlawful feasting, from wicked luxury, from indulging in many kinds of food and the extravagance of riches, and from boastfulness, haughtiness, insolence, lies, backbiting, hypocrisy, remembering wrongs, and every kind of slander. These are the deeds that are most wicked in human life. Therefore, the servant of God must restrain himself from all these deeds. For he who does not restrain himself from these cannot live to God

Hermas, The Shepherd (Pastor) Direct teaching

...ect of God are saved. Another one, who has her garments tucked up and acts with strength, is called Self-restraint. She is the daughter of Faith. Whoever follows her will become happy in his life, because he will restrain himself from all evil works, believing that if he restrains himself from every evil desire, he will inherit eternal life." But I said, "And the others, Lady, who are they?" She said to me, "They are daughters of each other. One of them is called Simplicity, another Guilelessness, another Chastity, another Intelligence, and another Love. When you do all the works of their mother, you will be able to live." I said, "I would like to know, Lady, what power each one of them has." She said, "Hear what power they have. Their powers are arranged by each other, and they follow each other in the order of their birth. For from Faith comes Self-restraint; from Self-restraint, Simplicity; from Simplicity, Guilelessness; from Guilelessness, Chastity; from Chastity, Intelligence; and from Intelligence, Love. So the deeds of these are pure, chaste, and divine. Whoever gives himself to these, and is able to hold firmly to their works, will have his dwelling in the tower with th

Gregory Thaumaturgus, Oration to Origen Supporting witness

...sible method for attaining a kind of apotheosis. And with this there also correspond the virtues of temperance and fortitude. Temperance preserves this very prudence, which must be in the soul that knows itself, if that is ever its lot. For this temperance surely means simply sound prudence. And fortitude means holding firmly to all the duties that have been spoken of, without falling away from them either willingly or under any force, and keeping and holding fast to everything that has been laid down. For he teaches that this virtue also acts as a kind of preserver, maintainer, and guardian.

Origen, De Principiis (On First Principles) Direct teaching

...e case required, or more than reason allowed? If that were so, then people, keeping due measure and moderation in eating, would never go wrong. I do not think that such great moderation could be found in people, even if there were no urging from the devil, so that no one in eating would go beyond proper limits and self-control, until he had learned this by long practice and experience. What then is the case? In eating and drinking, it was possible for us to go wrong even without any urging from the devil, if we happened to be less temperate or less careful than we ought to be. And should we suppose, then, that in our desire for sexual intercourse, or in restraining our natural desires, our condition is not similar? I think the same line of reasoning must also be understood to apply to other natural movements, such as covetousness, anger, sorrow, and generally all those things that, through the vice of intemperance, go beyond the natural bounds of moderation. There are therefore clear reasons for holding that, just as in good things the human will is too weak by itself to accomplish any good, for it is brought to perfection in everything by divine help, so also in things of the o

Novatian, On the Jewish Meats Direct teaching

...essons in lack of self-control. Their vices have even reached this point: while fasting, they drink early in the morning. They do not think it Christian to drink after food, unless the wine poured into their empty and idle veins has gone down immediately after sleep. For they seem to enjoy what they drink less if food is mixed with the wine. So you may see such people in a new condition: still fasting, yet already drunk; not running to the tavern, but carrying the tavern around with them. And if one of them offers a greeting, he does not give a kiss, but drinks a health. What can they do after food, when food finds them intoxicated? Or in what condition does the sun at its setting leave them, when at its rising it sees them already dull with wine? But things that are detestable are not to be taken as our examples. Only those things are to be followed by which our soul may be made better. And although in the Gospel the use of foods is given to us generally, it is still understood to be given to us only with the law of frugality and self-control. For these things are especially fitting for the faithful, that is, for those who are about to pray to God and give Him thanks, not only

Dionysius of Alexandria, Miscellaneous Fragments Direct teaching

... the dead. We rebuke those who are too hasty and stop even before midnight, as careless and lacking self-control, as if they were almost leaving the course too quickly. For it is a wise saying: "What is within a little is not little in life." But those who continue and endure a very long time, and persevere even until the fourth watch, which is also the time when our Savior showed Himself walking on the sea to those who were then out on the deep, we receive as noble and hard-working disciples. As for those who stop and refresh themselves on the way, as they are moved to do or as they are able, let us not press them too hard. For not all keep the six days of fasting equally or in the same way. Some spend all the days fasting, remaining without food the whole time. Others keep only two days, others three, others four, and others not even one. And those who have struggled painfully through these long fasts, and afterward have become worn out and nearly undone, should be pardoned if they are somewhat hasty in taking food. But if there are any who not only avoid such long fasting, but refuse from the beginning to fast at all, and instead live luxuriously during the first four days, a

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Direct teaching

...avoritism. He must not honor or flatter a rich man against what is right, and he must not ignore or rule harshly over a poor man. For God says to Moses, "You shall not accept the person of the rich, nor shall you pity a poor man in his cause; for the judgment is the Lord's." Leviticus 19:15; Exodus 23:3 And again: "You shall follow with exact justice what is right." A bishop should be frugal and content with little in food and drink, so that he may always be sober-minded and ready to instruct and warn the ignorant. He must not be extravagant in his diet, pampering himself, given to pleasure, or fond of delicacies. Let him be patient and gentle in his warnings, well taught himself, meditating on and carefully studying the Lord's books, and reading them often. Then he will be able to interpret the Scriptures carefully, explaining the Gospel in agreement with the prophets and with the law; and let the explanations from the law and the prophets agree with the Gospel. For the Lord Jesus says, "Search the Scriptures; for they are those which testify of me." John 5:39 And again: "For Moses wrote of me." John 5:46 But above all, let him carefully distinguish between the original law and

Victorinus, On the Creation of the World Supporting witness

But even though we are allowed freedom in foods, there is no permission for luxury, and continence and fasting are not taken away. For these things are very fitting for the faithful: that they should pray to God and give Him thanks, not only by day, but also by night.

Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Direct teaching

But marriage, when by agreement it gives time to prayer, is a teaching of self-control. For he added the words “by agreement,” so that no one might dissolve a marriage. And he added “for a time,” in 1 Corinthians 7:5, so that a man who has taken a wife, if he practices self-control by necessity, may not slip into sin, and while sparing his own marriage, may desire another’s. For this reason, in the case of the man who thinks he is behaving improperly because he keeps his virgin unmarried, he rightly says that if she marries, he does not sin. But each person, whether he has chosen chastity, or whether he has joined himself in marriage for the begetting of children, must firmly remain in his own purpose and not turn aside to what is worse. For if he is able to increase and intensify the pattern of life he has chosen, he gains greater honor with God because of pure self-control that comes from reason. But if he goes beyond the rule he chose, he will then fall back into a lesser hope of glory. For just as chastity has its own duties and ministries, marriage also has its own duties and ministries that belong to the Lord. I mean the care of children and of a wife. For what properly occup

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Direct teaching

...bout, or roam around at improper times. Let her not be double-minded, but serious, self-controlled, sober, and pure, avoiding the company of many people, and especially of those who have a bad reputation.

Ignatius, The Epistle of Ignatius to the Ephesians (Short Version) Direct teaching

...demned?), so that no plant of the devil may be found in you, but you may remain in all holiness and sobriety in Jesus Christ, both with respect to the flesh and spirit.

1 Thessalonians 4:4 Supporting witness

that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor,

1 Corinthians 7:9 Supporting witness

but if they cannot exercise self-control, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

1 Peter 1:13 Supporting witness

Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.