Go Practice His Righteousness!

Perhaps you have said or had said to you "Go practice your piano, flute, violin, etc. It is pretty safe to say that those who were coerced or forced to practice probably did not become professional. Those people we see in concerts who play instruments so well they receive standing ovations are those who have loved the instrument. They probably practiced for many, many hours. Practicing was not as much of a chore as it would be for those who are just doing it because they had been told to do so. They did so because they loved what they were doing.

John in his first epistle tells us we are to practice righteousness (1 John 3:10). However, his way of saying it is if we do not practice righteousness we are not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother. In verse 6 John says "Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him." This does not mean we do not sin once we come to faith in Christ because in the first chapter of 1 John he says "if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us (1 John 1: 8)". Paul himself speaks of our wrestling with sin in Romans 7 and this is after coming to faith in Him. I believe what John is saying is that if we are abiding in Him we will not be practicing sin. Instead, we will be practicing righteousness knowing we have forgiveness in Christ even though we still sin.

Just as the musician who loves his instrument will spend more time practicing to be more proficient, the believer who practices righteousness out of love for the Lord will be more proficient with the wrestling of sin in his life. It is interesting that John also says if we do not love our brother we are not of God. Practicing righteousness and loving our brother is the test as to whether or not we are abiding in Him. Keeping His commandments is the key to pleasing Him. How do we keep His commandments? By hiding His word in our hearts that we may not sin against Him (Psalm 119: 11). God gives us the gift of the Holy Spirit to do in us what we cannot do ourselves but we have a responsibility to practice righteousness so that we can be pleasing to Him. Please read 1 John 3 and go practice His righteousness.