Continuous Practice*
Developing the Most Powerful Discipline of the Christian
At times, you may have wondered, “Is there simply a formula or ritual that I perform, and voila, my sin disappears, and godliness takes its place? Furthermore, what if my vengeful anger (or other sin) returns, what then?” These are honest and important questions. The short answer is, of course not. It is not a magical method, but a spiritual discipline. More than that, it is a lifestyle of intentional decision-making and reprioritizing to align our lives with Christ’s will and way. Change and growth take time. Change is gradual, mysterious, and yet, inevitable in the life of a Christian. These questions and responses lead to pondering a critical habit of the repentant believer; namely, continuous practice.
“Change is gradual, mysterious, and yet, inevitable in the life of a Christian.”
This term is derived from Heb 5:14 which asserts, “But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.” This one verse provides tremendous insight into the life of a disciple who has committed to the challenges and effort it takes to see godly change and growth produced in them. The author of Hebrews describes the maturation process using the analogy of the progression of food a person consumes as they grow, from milk (v. 13) to solid food (v. 14). In that process, there are habits that are formed, practice and training that take place. Recognize the phrase constant practice. This phrase is significant to the meaning of the text as well as to understanding the process of growth as a disciple of Jesus. The term connotes the idea of a consistency and regularity in the spiritual diet and digestion of working and walking in the ways of Christ. This phrase and verse clearly imply that discerning good and evil can often be a difficult and complex task. If not, the Christian would not need continuous practice to sharpen their powers of discernment.
“ A follower of Jesus must be determined to consistently and continually train their faculties to discern good and evil, growing in the grace and knowledge of Christ, to live a life pleasing to God.”
A Christian’s powers of discernment, having a clear understanding of right and wrong, good and evil, are developed and honed by continuous practice. As New Testament scholar Donald Guthrie explains, “Spiritual maturity comes neither from isolated events nor from a great spiritual burst. It comes from a steady application of spiritual discipline” (1). In particular, it is the spiritual discipline of reading, meditating, understanding, and applying the word of God. In Heb 5:13 the author describes an immature Christian as one who is on milk and is unskilled in the word of righteousness. In contrast, the mature believer is one who consumes the solid food of God’s word and is thereby a skilled user of it. Growth and maturity in the life of a believer occur, in great part, by saturating your thinking in Scripture on a continual basis.
To mature in Christ, it takes discipline, experience, and time. A follower of Jesus must be determined to consistently and continually train their faculties to discern good and evil, growing in the grace and knowledge of Christ, to live a life pleasing to God. Author Joe Rigney reflects on C. S. Lewis’s perspective regarding this reality: “Every moment of every day, you are confronted with a choice—either place God at the center of your life or place something else there” (2). It is a purposing in your heart to immerse yourself in the truths of Scripture long enough that they become part of who you are and how you live. As a result, the decisions you make and the priorities you set are in alignment with God’s word and will. This consistent conviction and associated behavior are what make up continuous practice in the life of a Christ follower.
*This is the fifth in a series taken from the book The Power of Repentance by Barry Gibson
Guthrie, Hebrews, 139.
Rigney, Lewis on the Christian Life, 29.
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