Easter is a time to examine ourselves in the matters of sin, the flesh, and temptation. That’s why many Christians observe Lent, a 40-day season of prayer and fasting leading up to Resurrection Sunday. It emulates Jesus’s 40-day temptation in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11), with the aim of true inner conversion of the heart and following Christ’s will more faithfully.

It’s no surprise, then, that self-control is a popular topic in this period of abstinence. Greek philosophers described self-control as enkrateia (internal power) and sophron (a healthy, balanced, sane mind). In the New Testament, the value of self-control emphasised to Greek and Roman cultures that Christians were responsible citizens of internal self-mastery and special wisdom.

But self-control is not about becoming meek and nondescript, living within the accepted lines. In fact, Christians are to be distinctive and powerful citizens of our time and culture. We are called to be holy (Hebrew, kadash), meaning different and set apart, because God is holy, different and set apart (1 Peter 1:16).

Here, the apostle Peter is not calling us to perfectionism; nor is he setting us up for failure, because who could ever be 100% holy like God? Instead, Peter is telling us to pursue a life that pleases God, that walks with Him faithfully each day, that draws on His strength and wisdom through the trials and circumstances we face in life.

To express this commitment to be holy like God, Easter Sunday is often celebrated with the observance of baptisms. Jesus’s forty days in the wilderness began with His baptism in the Jordan River (Matthew 3:13-17), because water represents the way God cleanses a person’s soul in response to heartfelt repentance.

During Lent, we recall the waters of baptism in which we were baptised into Christ’s death. We died with Christ, we “died to self” and began a new life in Him. We set aside our personal desires to become shining examples of His life-altering power to the world. This is part of our walk with Jesus toward Holy Week: a desire to be cleansed and made new.