I end The Boiler Room Boys (TBRB, p 153) with: “Together these two verses [Ro 12:2 and 1 Cor 13:2] came together to help me realize that love exists as surely as the physical world exists but that love exists beyond that physical world.” This is the basis for our freedom to change through Jesus. What I don’t specifically address is the need for self-control in walking out that freedom. Dann Farrelly recently commented that we need to pursue a level of self-control sufficient to match our level of influence.
I have experienced several conflicts where responsibility has not matched influence, some within churches (see TBRB p 89-90). The conflicts can be catastrophic. This can occur when individuals aspire to promotion prematurely or step (or are thrust) into leadership vacuums. In my
Dann Farrelly pursues the Biblical basis for the connection between freedom and responsibility in his book Kingdom Culture (see also www.bethel.com/core-values) where he states: “We are responsible for partnering with the Holy Spirit to continually develop the foundation of our character so our character can support our growing influence and anointing.” He references several Biblical passages, for example: “. . . make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love” (2 Peter 1:5-7).
Peter’s sequence from faith back to love is clear. My own growth came when I realized that I had long had an issue with authority that limited my level of responsibility, my self-control; dealing with that in a healing context would be part of me taking responsibility for my freedom (TBRB p 144-6). Can you identify when and how your growth in responsibility came?