Praxis Principle
Praxis. the pursuit of God in our daily practice.
Here’s the problem. How do we practice trusting in Christ’s work without becoming flippant about our sins? And how do we work on our sinful behavior without becoming legalistic like the Pharisees?
Some emphasize believing the gospel without working hard to rid yourself of sin. Some emphasize working on yourself as the main point of their Christian message. It used to be about honor and upright morals. Today, it’s more about the war in your head, getting out of your head, or some other psychological benefit. Which sounds nice, but it’s just a rebranded version of legalism. You are the point rather than God.
Instead of making God the ultimate aim of our lives, it’s that God gives you a better mind. Making your mind the ultimate aim. It’s popular and sells so many books because who doesn’t want to be a better thinker?
The goal of Praxis is to make a simple pursuit of God our primary aim by using the following 3 steps.
Know God through the bible’s message and deep prayer.
Evaluate and correct our values and behaviors, knowing it will take a long time and life is short.
Bring our failures to God, thank Him for any progress, and believe the gospel all over again.
This practice has a beautiful edge. When we make God the ultimate goal, the more God fuels our motivation to practice His way of life. The more we practice His way of life, the more our need for God grows.
There’s one more thing.
You know that depressing gut check of failing for the 1,000th time with that thing that keeps hanging you up. Well, when we understand the rhythm of this practice and trust that Christ’s life has been applied to yours… you have this opportunity to try again without regard for the past. It’s kind of like that song; it feels like the first time, it feels like the very first time… And you start skipping toward putting sin to death with a little hitch in your hips. It’s so much better than feeling defeated by your flaws.
Praxis. The rhythm of knowing God and wise living.
Initially, it’s not about acting more like Jesus but accepting what He accomplished. Even if you managed your vices better, would you still be considered a sinner? Far from perfect if you are like me. If you’ve ever tried to stop complaining for a week, all you see is ungrateful people who are bringing you down. Pride is the ultimate problem that behavior alone cannot correct. This might sound counterintuitive, especially given the performative religious thinking in West Texas, but let’s explore this further.
Consider who Jesus was and what He accomplished. He was born through a miraculous act of the Holy Spirit, taught profound truths by age 12, healed the blind, and made the lame walk. He traveled from town to town, preaching forgiveness of sins through Himself. He faced 40 days of direct temptation from Satan, fulfilled Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah, and underwent a substitutionary death that eradicated our guilty verdict before God. In His sacrifice, He paid the full price for our mistakes and offered us the status of adopted heirs to God.
After His resurrection and ascension, He sent the Holy Spirit to guide and empower us. The Spirit helps us move toward God, live under God’s rule and reign, and practice the principles of His Kingdom until Christ’s return.
Who can model their life after Christ?
By trusting God’s completed work, you shift from a mindset of self-effort to one of divine reliance. This trust transforms what you love and live for, making obedience a reflection of the grace and power God has already provided.
Praxis takes this idea and applies it to our day-to-day. We practice living in God’s nearness and looking for His smile. This takes practice because we look to Christ for this to be accomplished, though we keep trying to help.
It’s about trusting Christ more, rather than creating a life that needs Christ less.