Between Faith And Practice
Randall Caselman
10/8/97
Between Faith And Practice
Frequently someone will say to me,
your sermon really stepped on my toes. My response is usually,
it is much harder to live it, than it is to preach it. Preaching truth is one of the easiest things I do, living it is the difficult part.
We all know more truth than we practice. Most of us will admit, that it's not more Bible that we need to know, it is more determination to live out what we do know. Now I am not saying we should stop studying the Word. But I am saying we need to be more ambitious to live up to the convictions we already hold as truth. You see, there is a gap between our faith and our practice.
In His omniscience, the Holy Spirit knew this gap existed when He prompted James to write,
he that knows to do right and does it not sins. This verse chills me. Does it you?
I believe this is why Paul admonishes us to,
continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose. Did you catch it? There is a difference between our
will and our
actions. If God lives in us, and He does, if God is working in us and He is, then we will have a
WILL to act according to His truth. But our will and our actions are not always the same.
The Hebrews' writer tells us the word of God has the ability to discern between the
thoughts and the
intent of the heart. Indeed, we all intend to be and do what is right, but our thoughts and actions don't always follow our intentions. Paul says it so well,
those things that I know I should do, I do not... And those things I should not do are the very things I do... What a wretched man I am.
You see, since Genesis chapter three, this struggle has existed in every accountable individual. The struggle:
• Between what we know to be right and what we do,
• Between conviction and action,
• Between will and deeds,
• Between faith and practice.
So, we must work out
our own salvation... How? Allow me to give four simple suggestions on how to close this gap:
First we must determine some goals. What areas in my life do I need to work on? Where is this gap between faith and practice most evident?
• Is it in controlling my emotions,
• Morality,
• Attitudes and actions toward others,
• Evangelism,
• Worship attendance,
• Giving, etc., etc.?
What we need to do is to take time for an honest personal assessment of our own short comings. There is nobody better equipped to do this than you and God.
Just do it
Get started. This is the tough part. Goal setting is easy for me, making a plan is the fun part. Putting it into practice is where I fail. Most of us would like to lose a few pounds, we need to begin an exercise program, so we set the goal. But tomorrow never comes.
• Set the date.
• Mark it on your calendar.
• Tell your spouse, parents, children and friends about your plans. Accountability is an important motivator.
• Ask God to help.
• Make some promises.
• Vow to God.
Over the years, I have written some of these dates in my Bible. God and I know what they're for.
Understand failures will come. We determine the goal, we mark the date, and for a few days we do fine. We feel better about ourselves, then it happens...
Failure. Now this is the most important part of
working out our salvation. We have a choice;
• Ask God's forgiveness,
• Pick up the pieces,
• Go on toward the goal,
• Abandon the project.
Satan has won many a victory because failure has prompted us to abandon our plans to be and do what we know is right. Paul says,
Forget the past... Press toward the goal. The difference between Peter and Judas' failure was Peter didn't abandon the project. He denied knowing Jesus on Passover and was found proclaiming Him as the Christ on Pentecost.
Celebrate your progress. One of the reason for the success of
Wait Watchers is the weekly weigh-in...
Celebrating the progress.
• Rejoice in your accomplishments.
• Tell others.
• Brag on yourself.
Paul says,
rejoice and again I say rejoice. God created us to feel good about doing right things.
I hope you've noticed that in your life before now. So celebrate! Paul rejoiced in his progress, I have
fought the fight, finished the course, kept the faith.
National surveys show that there is an ever widening gap between what we Americans believe and practice in matters of religion. God help us to close that gap. James tells us that the devils believe, but they fail to practice their beliefs.
Just do it!
—
Randall Caselman
