Two Kinds of Self-Control

“I told you,” he said, “that the things God makes come in pairs. Self-control is twofold too: there are things you must hold back from, and things you must not.” “Then tell me, sir,” I said, “which things I must hold back from and which I must not.” “Listen,” he said. “Hold back from what is evil, and do not do it; but do not hold back from what is good — do it. If you hold back from doing good, you commit a great sin; if you hold back from doing evil, you do a great work of righteousness. So hold back from every kind of wickedness, and do what is good.” [a]

“What kinds of wickedness are they, sir,” I said, “that we have to hold back from?” “Listen,” he said. “From adultery and sexual immorality; from lawless drunkenness; from wicked luxury; from many dishes of food and the extravagance of wealth; from boasting, arrogance, and pride; from lying, slander, and hypocrisy; from holding grudges, and from every kind of abusive talk. These deeds are the most wicked of all in human life. So the servant of God must hold back from these deeds, because anyone who does not hold back from them cannot live to God. Now listen to the ones that go along with them.”

“Are there still other evil deeds, sir?” I said. “There are, and plenty of them,” he said, “that the servant of God must hold back from: theft, lying, cheating people out of what is theirs, false testimony, greed, evil craving, deceit, empty pride, boastfulness, and everything else like these. Do these not seem evil to you?” “Extremely evil, for the servants of God,” I said. “Then anyone who serves God must hold back from all of them. Hold back from every one of them, so that you may live to God and be enrolled among those who hold back from these things. These, then, are the things you must hold back from.

“Now listen to the things you must not hold back from, but do,” he said. “Do not hold back from what is good — do it.” “Then make plain to me the power of the good things as well, sir,” I said, “so that I may walk in them and serve them, and by doing them be able to be saved.” “Listen, then,” he said, “to the good works too — the ones you must do and not hold back from. First of all: faith; fear of the Lord; love; harmony; words of righteousness; truth; endurance. Nothing in human life is better than these. If a person keeps them and does not hold back from them, he is blessed in his life.

“Then listen to what follows from these: serving widows; looking after orphans and people in need; ransoming God’s servants out of the straits they are in; being hospitable, since doing good is sometimes found in hospitality; opposing no one; being quiet; becoming needier than anyone else; showing respect to the old; practicing righteousness; keeping the brotherhood together; putting up with insult; being patient; holding no grudge; encouraging those who are worn out in soul; not throwing out those who have been tripped up in the faith, but turning them back and cheering them up; warning those who sin; not pressing debtors and the needy hard; and anything else of this kind. Do these seem good to you?” “What could be better than these, sir?” I said. “Then walk in them,” he said, “and do not hold back from them, and you will live to God. “So keep this command. If you do what is good and do not hold back from it, you will live to God — and everyone who acts this way will live to God. And again, if you do not do what is evil, and hold back from it, you will live to God — and everyone will live to God who keeps these commands and walks in them.”