Digging Deeper: Practice Makes You More Like Jesus
9 “What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”
Philippians 4:9 (ESV)
PRACTICE MAKES YOU MORE LIKE JESUS
It is said that “practice makes perfect.” Most coaches I have ever encountered will say, “perfect practice makes perfect.” Just going through the motions in practice will not sharpen your skills for the actual performance. The same can be said of the Christian walk. There are days in my life when I feel as though my faith is running on muscle memory. I can “fake it till I make it,” but that offers little value to me—or, more importantly, to those within my sphere of influence. Paul reminds his readers that their faith is an active faith. They must take all that they have learned, received, and heard from him, and take the time to practice what they have been taught, given, and heard.
The word learned in Greek is related to the word for disciple. A disciple is one who adheres to the teachings of another and follows in their footsteps. Paul is telling the church to practice what he taught them while he was with them. Not all of us are gifted teachers or theologians—shout out to those who are—but we can all give a basic account of the story of Jesus. Teaching the Gospel consists of extolling the foundational truths of Jesus’ birth, life, death, and resurrection.
The word received in Greek means “to take to oneself.” The church at Philippi needed to understand, accept, give assent to, and live out what they received from Paul. They were to accept his teachings as truth, conform themselves to those teachings, and ultimately become more Christlike (sanctification). This exemplifies the crucial head-to-heart connection. It does not benefit us merely to learn the Word of God—we must also live the Word of God.
Paul tells his readers to remember and practice what they heard from him when he was with them. Not only that, the Philippians were to remember their conversations with Paul and with one another. They were to listen to his written words and stay aware of any news regarding his present actions and teachings.
I think Paul saves the best for last: Practice what you saw in me. In my own experience, the way we live our lives can be a powerful witness to our faith—sometimes even more effective than the spoken word. This is especially true when engaging with those who do not want to hear what you are preaching. Paul not only taught the Gospel truth but also shared how Jesus had transformed his life. This can be a powerful tool to invite others to listen further to the truth of the Gospel.
Warren Wiersbe eloquently elaborates on the promise Paul leaves with the Philippians at the end of this verse:
“The peace of God is one test of whether or not we are in the will of God. If we are walking with the Lord, then the peace of God and the God of peace exercise their influence over our hearts.”
Discover God’s Will – Experience His Peace!
Digging Deeper (er):
Rom 10:14-15; 1 Thess 5:23; Phil 4:7.
Phil Meade is a father of 3, and grandfather of 5. He has a Masters Degree in Theological Studies from Liberty University, and lives in Acworth. He has led various small groups throughout his more than 20 years attending NS. He retired after 8 years as an Air Force pilot, and 33 years as a Delta pilot.