"everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness" 1 John 3:3,4.
"Little children, make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning" 1 John 3:7,8.
"No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother" 1 John 3:9,10.
It's been said that practice makes perfect. That can work two ways, as we see in these verses. The practice of righteousness sets us on the pathway to the perfect kingdom, but the practice of sin perfects wickedness, ultimately resulting in fiery destruction. Thus we should be careful what we practice.
Athletic competition demands practice. No one can excel in any sport without dedicated, repetitive practice. An accomplished athlete makes their performance look easy, but the hidden practice discipline is the key.
No one dare think it possible to see eternal life in the Kingdom of God without the lifestyle practice essential to it. Sure, there will be missteps and mistakes, just as there are in sports practice. No one is perfect this side of the kingdom. The key is the practice. It's not the lapses of sin that are in view in the verses we've considered from 1 John, but rather the practices. Practice becomes lifestyle, so what characterizes my lifestyle? Am I practicing righteousness so that righteousness is my lifestyle, or do I practice sin so that wickedness is my lifestyle? What are the habits I am developing?
Life is made up of little things. The little disciplines and habits set the course for our lives. The quiet practice of quiet times, selfless service, and inner discipline are instrumental in developing kingdom character.
The question, then, that begs to be asked is: what am I practicing? A time study can be revealing in that what we do with our time is an indicator of the habits practiced. In what ways am I practicing the life of the Spirit? Answering this and the other questions posed as specifically as possible are most helpful.
May our day be one of godly practice.
©Steve Taylor, 2022 --Used by permission
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