A few years ago, one of the students at the Bible Institute wrote about Kenneson’s approach to self-control. Instead of putting it in my words, it seemed best for all of us to learn from his words.

The paradox of self-control is clearly stated; self-control is about being master over self by making self the servant (224). In both cases, the master, and subject are both self. Self-control should not be focused on self. While this at first seems to be confusing, Kenneson does a great job of explaining what he means in the rest of the chapter. 

Most people read the fruit of the Spirit as things to be done outward, towards other people, then come to self-control and see this as being focused inwardly. This is an incorrect assumption. Self-control, like the rest, is to be focused on others, or as Kenneson puts it “others-directed” (237). 

It should stand to reason that if we are others-directed we would cultivate the self-control we need, not with self as the focus but with the focus on others. Kenneson does an amazing job at answering as to how we are to have self-control and not be self-centered.