Study for the Month of March 2010
Temperance
(The Physical and Natural Laws, Part II)
By Nathaniel Fajardo
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Temperance is the last but far from being the least important in the list drawn up by Apostle Paul of the eight “fruits of the Spirit” in Galatians 5: 22, 23. If these fruits actually being manifested in the life of the person, it is the unmistakable proof the Holy Spirit is being allowed to do its appointed work in the plan of salvation.
The popular idea of temperance is “a little of everything won’t hurt” or the abstinence from alcohol and tobacco, and now, drugs. Webster has long defined temperance as “habitual moderation in the indulgence of the appetite or passions; moderation, specifically moderation in, or narrowly, abstinence from, the use of intoxicants.” Temperate is “moderate; not excessive; as a moderate in the indulgence of appetite or passions; abstemiousness in the use of intoxicating liquors.”-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 1942 (emphasis mine).
Two words stand out in these definitions, namely, moderation and intoxicating liquors.” Moderate, according to the same source means “kept within due bounds; observing reasonable limits; not excessive; restrained; sparing; temperate; abstemiousness; reasonable; calm; tempered.” As to what and who determines what “due bounds” and “reasonable limits” means are as varied in degrees and range as there as many sets of values in all dimensions of the human society but always tending towards permissiveness, a few on the fanatical but narrow interpretation.