Biblical Self Control: What Christians Can Learn from Martial Artists

Image: Thao LEE via Unsplash

"But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified" 1 Corinthians 9:27 (NKJV).

Martial artists learn from an early age of training (whether they are young or old) how vital self-control is in their development.

They are taught how to discipline their mind to remain focused on a task at hand, regardless of “feelings.” They learn how to train their body to do things many see as impossible or impractical.

Why? Because at some point, the martial artist will be expected to show what they know. And, regardless of the setting, they want to demonstrate they are qualified, not disqualified. They want to reflect that what they do as a martial artist is an extension of who they are as a person.

Like many of us, I trained in martial arts while in the military and later as a civilian. And, anyone who has ever studied any style of martial art understands the saying, “between simple knowledge and mastery is a wide gap.”

A Grand Master makes it look easy as we observe from the outside. It’s not. It takes years of dedicated practice to move from the white belt to the black belt and beyond, when the black belt becomes frayed and bleached from washings to appear white again.

If you visit any martial arts school, you’ll have no problem distinguishing the “teacher” from their students. Yes, I realize the color of one’s belt (or sash) identifies one’s rank within the school, but take off the gi, the uniform, and colored belts, and the “masters” are still obvious.

Can we say the same about contemporary “Christians”?

Let’s consider what Christians can learn from martial artists in relation to Biblical self-control, one of the characteristics of the Fruit of the Spirit.

Biblical Self-Control

Before we continue with our martial arts analogy, let’s agree that Christians have one undisputed “Master,” and that is Jesus. He alone is at the front of His followers.

Perhaps we could also agree that the Apostle Paul, author of 1 Corinthians, is one of Christ’s senior instructors, himself wearing a black belt that is torn from beatings, bleached from his travels in the “Son,” and washed nearly white from three shipwrecks in the Adriatic Sea.

However, just as the original white belt reflects a humble beginning, the bleaching of the black belt symbolizes perpetual humility and submission to something transcendent. Humility and self-control are distinguishing qualities of experienced martial artists, and they should be even more so of mature Christians.

The most mild-mannered, humble, and self-controlled person in the room may be the “master.” We should never perceive these overt qualities as signs of weakness. Sometimes the lamb becomes a lion.

Paul tells the Corinthians that he has “disciplined his body” so that it is brought into “subjection” (see 1 Corinthians 9:27). He doesn’t say he’ll show self-control when he feels strong, but cut himself slack when he feels weak. Emotions have derailed the disciplines of many aspiring martial artists and Christians alike.

Paul also doesn’t say, “I’ll demonstrate self-control–hold my tongue–when the audience accepts what I have to say, but not when they disagree.” Paul spoke the truth regardless of his audience and the reception of his message.

He knew, and so should we, that sparring with the world will test a believer’s self-control. Paul spoke the truth, and then let the truth speak for itself in the hearts of the hearers.

He didn’t need to lose his moral compass and start throwing wild punches at “the enemy.” That’s what white belts do when an opponent is winning. Why was this important?

Paul knows his “Master” is always watching his instruction and his life. He doesn’t want to do or say anything that would disqualify him as an ambassador of Christ. He is a reflection of the One who trained and qualified him for his role in both the earthly and heavenly “dojo.”

So, whether we wear a white gi or a white robe, we all show our true colors. Let’s eavesdrop on a conversation between two people at a Chamber of Commerce mixer. What would we think?

Sam: “I’m a martial artist!”

Sue: “That’s great…how long have you been training?”

Sam: “I’ve been training 25 years, seven months, and 14 days.”

Sue: “That’s a long time! You must be a black belt!”

Sam: “Well, uh, actually, I’ve just earned my yellow belt.”

Sue: “Isn’t the yellow belt just one rank above the white belt?”

Sam: “Ya, I quit 25 years and seven months ago. I just went back two weeks ago.”

We applaud Sam for coming clean after initially making a deceptive overstatement about his training. Technically, he is a martial artist, but practically, if he gets into a fight, he reverts to a common street fighter. He has no more self-control as a “martial artist” because he hasn’t trained for long enough as one.

Don’t we see this in “other” professing Christians? We ask them how long they’ve been a believer, and they say what Sam said. They remember the exact day they accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior — the day they were “saved.”

But for all those years, the “Sams” among “us” kicked their feet up on the coffee table, lived la vida loca, and then awakened to the need to get back into shape. It’s as easy to spot a wannabe martial artist as it is a lukewarm Christian.

But for most of “us,” we are “Sam.”

Ambassadors of Christ: Check Your “Belt Color”

As Ambassadors of Christ, we understand that there is nothing we can “do” to earn a spot in the heavenly dojo. No matter how hard we train or for how long, we will always fall short of God’s Gold Standard.

That’s the bad news and reason enough for some to quit training altogether, to fall away and never return to a life of humility and biblical self-control. But if they would just hang in a bit longer…

The good news is that Jesus said, “They are mine. I’ve given them their white robe and white belt. Now their training begins.”

So my brothers and sisters in Christ, when we look down and contemplate our naval, what color is our belt?

Are we telling the world we’ve been a Christian for 20 years, 30 years, 40 years, or more, yet the world says, “Hey, shouldn’t you be a black belt by now? Your white belt isn’t even dirty!”

It’s true. If “the world” looks at us and sees a spotless white belt, they know we are one of them. What!? Think about it. First, if we are new believers, then we should have been taught that we are filthy sinners. Our white belt should appear filthy like a mechanic's t-shirt.

What do we do? We wash it. We repent. We take our testimony to others. We get into sparring matches with the world. Our white belt gets dirty again. We wash it again. We participate in new sparring matches, maintain self-control, and earn a new colored belt. The progression continues and, if we don’t quit, we become more humble and biblically self-controlled as we mature as believers.

So, if God were to ask us to account for the discrepancy between how long we’ve professed to be His ambassadors and what we have to show for it in terms of spiritual fruit, how do we answer?

Now, I must confess, I missed this question in a previous quiz. When God asks, “What do you have to show…” He does NOT mean how many tournament trophies do you have on the fireplace mantel. He is NOT looking for how many fights you “won” or how many damsels in distress you saved. He is asking us about what we have to show as evidence of His character…His Fruit of the Spirit.

Because self-control is one of the nine fruit of the Spirit, we know this is going to be one of the “test” questions. How prepared are we to answer God? Fortunately, as long as we are alive, we have the opportunity to match the color of our spiritual fruit with our level of maturity as believers. We don’t want to be disqualified, but qualified in the sight of Jesus.

What are we being qualified for? Taking His good news to the world. Shining the Light of Christ in the darkness. God isn’t expecting us to win every fight; only He can save a soul. But He needs us, His ambassadors, His warriors, to stand fast as one prepared for battle.

The question is, are we ready? Do we first acknowledge that between simple knowledge of Christianity and “mastery” of Christian living, there is a wide gap?

If so, do we take the necessary steps in training and experience to ensure that who we were as individuals becomes an extension of Christ Himself?

Is that where we are now? If so, what can we do to continue learning like a martial artist? Here are a few suggestions.

Practicing Biblical Self-Control: The Ninth Fruit of the Spirit

With the recent assassination of Charlie Kirk, “the gloves are off” between the left and the right. The drums sound a call to civil war on both sides in America. Many Christians are among the drum-beaters.

The rhetoric and posture evoke the Old Testament, with the phrase “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth” (for example, see Leviticus 24:20) serving as the mantra. However, even that was intended for judges, not the general public.

But regardless of one’s feelings, self-control, as a quality of Christ that is latent within all believers, must become manifest. Paul himself reminds us of this when he quotes Deuteronomy 32:33 when he said:

“Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord” Romans 12:19 (NKJV).

Paul reminds us that self-control is expected, even when every fiber of a Christian’s being says, 'Reap the whirlwind.'

Further, Jesus Himself told us in the Sermon on the Mount,

“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also” Matthew 5:38-39 (NKJV).

Jesus and Paul are speaking the same language regarding self-control. But the kind of self-control that’s required of believers today isn’t psycho-emotional, it’s spiritual. It must come from the Holy Spirit.

In fact, Paul writes about the lack of self-control in the last days. Are we Christians to be included in the list of those who are lovers of themselves, brutal, proud, disobedient, and the rest of the laundry list of white belt attributes of the world?

I don’t think so. I believe this is precisely the time when we are called upon to be ambassadors of Christ to bear all of the Fruit of the Spirit, especially self-control.

Your Training Starts Now

The dojo doors are open. Your Master is waiting. The world is watching.

Today, you have a choice that every martial artist faces when they first tie on their white belt: Will you commit to the daily discipline of training, or will you remain a spectator?

Biblical self-control isn't developed in a crisis—it's forged in the countless small moments when no one is looking, when the cashier is rude, when the political post makes your blood boil, when your spouse says that thing again. When your boss takes credit for your work, these are your sparring matches, your opportunities to let Christ's character show through your restraint.

This week, I challenge you to identify one area where you've been "throwing wild punches" instead of exercising the self-control of a mature believer. Maybe it's your tongue on social media. Perhaps it's your temper in traffic. Or your appetite for gossip, entertainment, or material things.

Choose one. Train daily. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you respond as Christ's ambassador, not as the world does.

Remember: God isn't keeping score of your wins and losses. He's looking for evidence of His character in your life. Every time you choose His way over your feelings, every time you turn the other cheek instead of striking back, every time you speak truth in love rather than anger, your belt gets a little more worn, a little more authentic.

The world desperately needs to see Christians who look different, who respond differently, who love differently. They need to see the Master in His students.

So tie on your belt, step into the spiritual dojo, and begin training like the ambassador you were called to be. Your witness depends on it. The world is waiting to see if we're the real deal.

What color will your belt be a year from now?