“No, I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.” – 1 Corinthians 9:27 (BSB)
“Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who does not control his temper.” – Proverbs 25:28 (BSB)
“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men. It instructs us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live sensible, upright, and godly lives in the present age.” – Titus 2:11–12 (BSB)
“But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision to gratify the desires of the flesh.” – Romans 13:14 (BSB)
Prayer and fasting are powerful tools for cultivating temperance. Fr. Matthew Munn (ACNA, Church of the Redeemer, NC) writes, “Fasting retrains the body to serve the soul, and prayer reorders our affections toward heaven. These disciplines are not harsh—they are healing.” (Formed by Hunger and Grace, 2022)
Temperance requires watchfulness—ongoing self-examination, confession, and accountability. Fr. Caleb Evans (Anglican Orthodox Church, St. Stephen’s Mission, GA) observes, “We grow in temperance when we name our excesses and choose restraint. Each time we say no to impulse and yes to Christ, our hearts are strengthened in virtue.” (Training the Christian Will, 2021)
This virtue matures over time, especially through life in the Church. Bishop Charlie Masters (ANiC, Diocese of the Living Word) notes, “The Church teaches temperance not by shaming desire but by sanctifying it. We learn restraint not as repression, but as freedom—freedom to love rightly and to live wisely.” (The Joy of Self-Control, 2023)
Fr. Thomas Buchan (Anglican Union, St. Mark’s Anglican Church, VA) adds, “Temperance is learned in the ordinary. It grows in how we eat, speak, rest, and spend. Small daily choices form the soul more deeply than occasional heroic acts.” (The Practice of the Christian Virtues, 2020)
“He who would grow in temperance must watch over his heart and bridle his tongue. For the beginning of mastery is silence and prayer.” – Basil the Great, Ascetical Discourse, c. 375 AD
“Let the Christian rule his appetites as a king his kingdom. Disorder in the body brings disorder in the soul.” – John Chrysostom, Homily on Philippians, c. 390 AD
“Temperance is the training of the body and soul for godliness. Without it, virtue stumbles; with it, holiness is made strong.” – Cyprian of Carthage, On the Discipline of the Christian Life, c. 250 AD
An Anglican Catechism (Expanded) offers over 350+ Scripture-based answers to the core truths of the Christian faith. Each entry includes biblical texts, theological insight, and reflections from historic and contemporary Anglican voices. Rooted in the classical tradition, it is designed for teaching, discipleship, and spiritual formation.
An Ancient Worship Movement invites readers into the rich, historic worship of the early Church rediscovered through the Anglican tradition. This book calls believers into a deeper, Spirit-filled encounter with Christ through timeless practices.
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