On Pentecost, a Chinese pastor preached about self-control, which is the ninth fruit of the Holy Spirit.
Jinsha Church in Tongzhou District, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, hosted a communion service on Sunday, June 5, the day of Pentecost. During the service, Rev. Qiu Cheng delivered a sermon on the topic of "the Ninth Fruit of the Holy Spirit – Temperance".
After the epidemic prevention and control verification and registration, the congregation entered the church. Rev. Qiu started to preach the sermon, citing Galatians 5:22-23 and other scriptures.
Mentioning Pentecost first, Rev. Qiu followed with a brief review of the first eight chapters of the sermon series titled "Nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit" shared earlier. He told participants that this sermon on temperance or self-control was the last of the series which was preached coincidentally on Pentecost Sunday, hoping that the congregation could receive the anointing from the Holy Spirit on that special day.
Focusing on temperance, the pastor first explained its definition and the necessity and significance that Christians should live self-controlled, healthy lives (Titus 2:12), so much so that they should be known to the world by their “moderation” in all things (Philippians 4:5). Not only should there be constant temperance in what was not spiritually edifying, but in what seemed "right" as well. In daily life, we should not just act according to our own preferences, but to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, which was taught in the Bible.
At the same time, the pastor emphasized that in our religious life, in addition to "the things that should be tempered", we should also have a good knowledge of “what Jehovah forbids".
As to the "forbidden things", beginning with "the seven things that the LORD hates" in Proverbs 6:16-19, Rev. Qiu elaborated on sins, such as "haughty eyes" and “a lying tongue”, that caused serious damage to personal spiritual growth, church development, the relationship between God and believers, and between church members.
Next, Qiu exhorted all believers to maintain a clear cognition and an attitude of prudent self-control at all times regarding what God forbids, so as not to “overstep the God-imposed boundaries”.
After sharing the things that should be resolutely forbidden, Rev. Qiu revisited the topic of "self-control" to explain that the "things requiring temperance" taught by God referred to what could be done within limits. More specifically, he talked about the subtle aspects of diet, staying up late, spending money, entertainment, and recreation, presenting the key and solution to living a temperate life.
Later, the pastor stressed that although Christians were not saved by their behaviors, they would be wrong by thinking that "actions were not important". As God required His every child to live out the life of Christ, churchgoers were requested to “exercise” themselves unto godliness, which included obeying the guidance of the Holy Spirit and bearing the fruit of self-control.
In the last part of his sermon, the senior pastor of the church summarized the topic of "Self-Control" of the day, as well as the entire "Fruits of the Holy Spirit" series of sermons.
He pointed out that self-control is one and the last of the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit. Despite every Christian having different gifts and spiritual conditions, they should bear the fruits of the Holy Spirit. Only a life that bore fruits could be powerful enough to impact other people, society, and even the world.
In the end, the pastor advised that believers always ask themselves, how many of the nine fruits had been borne in their lives? If no fruits were borne as they should, they must always return to God to repent earnestly with a contrite heart. For without repentance, we couldn’t be reborn, let alone reach the kingdom of God.
After the sermon, Rev. Qiu hosted the communion service.
- Translated by Shuya Wang
6月5日，是圣灵降临节，同时也是江苏南通通州区金沙基督教堂按照惯例举行主日圣餐礼拜的日子。当日，金沙堂邱成牧师以“圣灵的果子之九——节制”为题，进行了证道分享。
在经过疫情防控核验以及登记之后，信徒进入教堂。邱成牧师围绕加拉太书5章22-23节等经文进行了证道。
邱牧师首先以圣灵降临节为引子，向大家简要回顾介绍了先前分享的“圣灵九果”系列证道的前八章内容，并向大家表明，此次关于节制的证道为该系列的最后一章内容，也借此五旬节契机，希望大家能在这特殊的日子领受到从圣灵降下的恩膏。
围绕节制，牧师首先向大家阐释了节制的定义以及在基督徒生活中持守节制的必要性与重要意义，即基督徒在凡事上都要有节制。不仅是在不造就灵命的事上应当时刻保持节制，而且也要在看似“正确”的事上保持节制。在日常生活中，不应仅凭自己的喜好行事，乃是要照着圣灵的引导，就是圣经上所教导我们的。
同时，牧师向大家强调，在信仰生活中，除了要对“当节制的事”有所了解以外，更应当对于“耶和华所禁止的事”了然于心。
围绕“禁止的事”这一内容，邱牧师从箴言书6章16节至19节中“耶和华所恨恶的七样事”讲起，向大家分别详细地阐述了诸如“高傲的眼”“撒谎的舌”等不同罪行对个人灵命成长、教会发展乃至人与神、与人之间关系带来的严重损害。
借此，邱牧师向大家发出劝勉，对于神所禁止的事，应当时刻保持清醒的认知与审慎自守的态度，以“不跨越雷池半步”的
在介绍了应坚决禁止的事之后，邱牧师又将话题引回“节制”，并向大家表明，神所教导的“节制的事”是针对那些可以行的，但不可越过范围的事。基于这一内容，牧师从饮食、熬夜、花钱、娱乐、休闲等细微方面切入，向大家分别介绍了如何在日常生活中活出节制行为的要点与方法。
接着，牧师向大家强调道，虽然基督徒并非靠着行为得救，但是不能产生“行为毫不重要”的错误观点，神希望每个神的儿女都能活出基督的生命，因此要求我们要努力的操练自己，而这“操练”的内容则正是包括：应当顺从圣灵引导，结出节制的果子。
在最后部分的分享中，邱牧师结合当天的“节制”主题，并围绕整个“圣灵的果子”系列证道进行了总述性的阐释：
他指出，节制是圣灵的九种果子之一，也是最后一个果子。尽管每位基督徒的恩赐、灵命状况各不相同，但是，每个人的生命都应当结出圣灵的果子。只有结出果实的生命，才能成为影响他人、影响社会乃至影响世界的有力生命。
最后，牧师向大家劝勉道：每个人应当常常扪心自问，查看自己的生命究竟结出了九种果子中的几个？如果没有结出应有的果子的话，就应当怀着忧伤痛悔的心，常常回到神的面前恳切地悔改。因为，若不悔改就无法实现重生，更无法得见神的国。
在证道结束后，邱牧师又主持进行了圣餐礼。
江苏南通通州区金沙基督教堂五旬节暨主日圣餐敬拜小记
On Pentecost, a Chinese pastor preached about self-control, which is the ninth fruit of the Holy Spirit.
Jinsha Church in Tongzhou District, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, hosted a communion service on Sunday, June 5, the day of Pentecost. During the service, Rev. Qiu Cheng delivered a sermon on the topic of "the Ninth Fruit of the Holy Spirit – Temperance".
After the epidemic prevention and control verification and registration, the congregation entered the church. Rev. Qiu started to preach the sermon, citing Galatians 5:22-23 and other scriptures.
Mentioning Pentecost first, Rev. Qiu followed with a brief review of the first eight chapters of the sermon series titled "Nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit" shared earlier. He told participants that this sermon on temperance or self-control was the last of the series which was preached coincidentally on Pentecost Sunday, hoping that the congregation could receive the anointing from the Holy Spirit on that special day.
Focusing on temperance, the pastor first explained its definition and the necessity and significance that Christians should live self-controlled, healthy lives (Titus 2:12), so much so that they should be known to the world by their “moderation” in all things (Philippians 4:5). Not only should there be constant temperance in what was not spiritually edifying, but in what seemed "right" as well. In daily life, we should not just act according to our own preferences, but to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, which was taught in the Bible.
At the same time, the pastor emphasized that in our religious life, in addition to "the things that should be tempered", we should also have a good knowledge of “what Jehovah forbids".
As to the "forbidden things", beginning with "the seven things that the LORD hates" in Proverbs 6:16-19, Rev. Qiu elaborated on sins, such as "haughty eyes" and “a lying tongue”, that caused serious damage to personal spiritual growth, church development, the relationship between God and believers, and between church members.
Next, Qiu exhorted all believers to maintain a clear cognition and an attitude of prudent self-control at all times regarding what God forbids, so as not to “overstep the God-imposed boundaries”.
After sharing the things that should be resolutely forbidden, Rev. Qiu revisited the topic of "self-control" to explain that the "things requiring temperance" taught by God referred to what could be done within limits. More specifically, he talked about the subtle aspects of diet, staying up late, spending money, entertainment, and recreation, presenting the key and solution to living a temperate life.
Later, the pastor stressed that although Christians were not saved by their behaviors, they would be wrong by thinking that "actions were not important". As God required His every child to live out the life of Christ, churchgoers were requested to “exercise” themselves unto godliness, which included obeying the guidance of the Holy Spirit and bearing the fruit of self-control.
In the last part of his sermon, the senior pastor of the church summarized the topic of "Self-Control" of the day, as well as the entire "Fruits of the Holy Spirit" series of sermons.
He pointed out that self-control is one and the last of the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit. Despite every Christian having different gifts and spiritual conditions, they should bear the fruits of the Holy Spirit. Only a life that bore fruits could be powerful enough to impact other people, society, and even the world.
In the end, the pastor advised that believers always ask themselves, how many of the nine fruits had been borne in their lives? If no fruits were borne as they should, they must always return to God to repent earnestly with a contrite heart. For without repentance, we couldn’t be reborn, let alone reach the kingdom of God.
After the sermon, Rev. Qiu hosted the communion service.
- Translated by Shuya Wang
Jiangsu Pastor Preaches on Self-Control as Fruit of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost Sunday
