Again, Practice Matters

Daily Devotions with Pastor Chuck

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Note with me this Scripture text from Paul’s letter to the Galatians,

“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh . . . Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you just as I have forewarned you that those who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” (Galatians 5: 16, 19-21 – NASB)

God is the Creator! And being such He sets the standards for His creation. Man is God’s greatest creation and thus The Creator has the right to say how His creation should act, what they should practice, how their behavior should be, how every facet of their life should be walked out.

But man has turned from his Creator, he has a nature that rebels against God. Sin plagues man’s soul and rather than seeking to do the will of God he seeks to satisfy self, and thus, in his separation from God, he seeks to do that which fulfills “the desire of the flesh,” the dying “flesh.” Thus, man’s practice goes against the holy standards of God’s will for his creation. Seeking not to satisfy God but rather, that which satisfies his flesh, man carries out “the deeds of the flesh.” Paul lists some of these practices here in our text.

Such practices, carried out in separation from God, are evidence of those who “shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” As noted yesterday, they are practices that come from an unregenerate heart.

For the Christian, the disciple of Christ, he or she has a new nature and has been empowered to walk no longer according to the flesh but “by the Spirit.” And such the regenerate person can now walk in a new manner of life on this earth and can now know, through the Word of God, what the will of God is for their practice. Our text is important to us in that it lists practices that are to be avoided, that are not satisfying to our Lord, to our Creator, that are not characteristics of His disciples.

Again, practice matters! Practice gives evidence of those whose inheritance is the “kingdom of God” verses those whose inheritance is eternal damnation.

Have a good day brethren . . . and as you walk may your practice give evidence that you are keeping in step with the Spirit.