5 Ways to Practice What You Preach
Although most of us are not actually pastors, many of us have a tendency to preach to others. While this should involve sharing the Gospel and the love of Christ, most of the time it turns into judging or condemning others. Whenever we are tempted to do this, we must remember that there is only one Judge, and He is God (James 4:12). He is our righteous God who judges without bias.
However, as fallen humans, we have a habit of judging others for any and every little thing. We even try to declare one sin as somehow worse than another. As believers, we must remember that all sin is sin, and it is all detestable to God (Proverbs 8:13). There is not one sin that is worse than another in the sense that all sin separates us from Him.
I believe we sometimes condemn one sin as worse than another because we are trying to justify the sin in our own lives. If this is something we are doing, we need to repent and turn to the Lord (1 John 1:9). God will forgive us and restore our feet to level ground. However, we do not need to continue living a life marked by judgment, hostility, and hatred. All of us will stand before the judgment seat of Christ, and we will each be repaid for what we have done (2 Corinthians 5:10).
1. Expose the Sin in Your Own Life
“Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?” (2 Corinthians 13:5).
Before we can share the truth of the Bible with others, we need to examine ourselves. Part of this involves exposing sin in our own lives. The Holy Spirit lives inside us from the moment of salvation, and He remains with us forever. If we assess our actions, behaviors, and words and find that the Holy Spirit has not been convicting or challenging us, we may need to reconsider whether we are truly walking in dedication to the Lord. Every believer has the Holy Spirit within them, and He instructs, guides, and directs us (John 14:26).
If we discover that we do not have the Holy Spirit within us, then we need to ask the Lord Jesus Christ to be our Savior. If we believe in our hearts that He died for our sins and confess with our mouths that He is Lord, we are saved (Romans 10:9-11). Even if you have not truly placed your faith in Jesus before, you can accept Him today and receive a new beginning. From that moment on, you will have the indwelling Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit will help expose sin in your life. Are you lying, stealing, or placing something above God? The Holy Spirit will reveal it. He will convict your heart and draw you back to the Lord. This may involve challenges and hardships, but this is necessary in order to truly repent and return to the Lord in full obedience. If we believe we are sinless and doing nothing wrong, we are already starting off on the wrong foot (1 John 1:8). Speak with the Holy Spirit in prayer. Ask Him to reveal any sin in your life, and be willing to accept His instruction.
Questions to challenge you:
Are you examining yourself throughout the day? What have you discovered?
If you have realized that you are not yet truly a believer, do you want to place your faith in Jesus today?
The Holy Spirit convicts believers of their sin. Have you seen this happening in your own life?
2. Assess the Need to Feel “More Righteous” Than Others
“Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:10-11).
Many Christians struggle with the idea that they need to be “holier” or “more righteous” than others. The phrase, “At least I didn’t do that,” is often used to downplay the sin in our own lives. As mentioned before, all sin is sin, and all sin deserves death (James 1:15). Rather than trying to present ourselves as somehow more “Christian” than others, we need to honestly examine our hearts and evaluate what we are preaching.
The Apostle Paul tells us, “You, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?” (Romans 2:21-22). We need to ask ourselves, “Am I committing these same sins and simply blind to them?”
Answering this question will transform our walk with Christ. We must do everything we can to make our calling and election sure, which means walking as Jesus did (1 John 2:6). The Lord did not condemn or show hatred toward others. Instead, He extended unconditional love to all people—including you and me (Romans 5:8). This truth must take root in our hearts and be applied to our lives because it will change how we approach the world, other people, and God Himself.
Questions to challenge you:
Do you struggle with the need to feel “more righteous” than others? Why do you think that is?
How might you begin asking yourself the questions found in Romans 2:21-22?
How can you show unconditional love to others rather than responding with hatred?
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Martin Barraud
3. Be Honest with Ourselves
“For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you” (Romans 12:3).
Practicing what we preach means truly following the very things we tell others to do. If we are not, then we are placing ourselves in a position of judgment. This is why honesty with ourselves is essential. A simple question will do: “Am I practicing what I preach?” Most of us would likely answer “no” because it is easier to point out the sins of others than to confront our own. This is dangerous, as it can slowly blind us to the sin in our own hearts.
We must remember that all of us sin and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Our good will never outweigh our bad, and we will never be sinless on this earth. Only God is sinless because He is God (1 Peter 1:16; James 1:13; Habakkuk 1:13; Hebrews 4:15). There is no sin, evil, darkness, or wickedness in Him. In us, however, there is much sin, evil, darkness, and wickedness. Believing we are “perfect as we are” will only lead us further away from God.
In order to move forward, we sometimes need to look back. Even reflecting on this past week can reveal how we are truly living. Were we kind and willing to help when someone was in need? Or did we gossip behind someone’s back and criticize their church attendance? Reflect on these things. Talk with the Lord in prayer, and ask Him to shape your heart to reflect His.
Questions to challenge you:
Are you being honest with yourself about your sins? Are you trying to hide any of them?
Only God is good and sinless. How does this truth humble your soul?
Think over this past week. Were you living in a way that honored God, or were you sitting in judgment of others?
4. Turn to Jesus and Have Hope for the Future
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13).
When we begin examining ourselves and looking closely at our actions, we may start to feel discouraged. We realize we have not been walking in step with the Lord and may have hurt others in the process. Yet this kind of sorrow can be good. It is godly sorrow, and it leads to repentance (2 Corinthians 7:10). It brings our hearts back to Jesus and restores us to the path of obedience.
If you find yourself in this place today, know that it is actually a gift. Those who persist in a life of judgment will face a stricter judgment from God. Scripture tells us to humble ourselves before the Lord, and He will lift us up (James 4:10). This is exactly what happens when we turn from sin and return to Him. Jesus sees your heart. He sees how godly sorrow has drawn you back into His loving grace.
Hope is coming. The sorrow may linger for a time, but it will give way to joy. Turning from sin and returning to the Lord can be one of the hardest steps we take, yet it is also one of the most rewarding. God will steady your heart and continue filling your soul with hope. He may even use your story to help others move away from judgment and toward faithful obedience.
Questions to challenge you:
Are you ready to turn back to Jesus in repentance today? Why or why not?
Do you sense godly sorrow in your heart? If not, why do you think that is?
Jesus loves us despite our failures. How does that truth make you feel?
5. Share the Gospel with Love and Kindness, Not Judgment
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity” (Colossians 3:12-14).
As we begin to change our perspective and walk in obedience, we will better understand the importance of sharing the Gospel instead of passing judgment. Even if we believe we are helping someone by speaking truth, we are not honoring God if our words are rooted in condemnation and harshness.
The Gospel must be shared out of genuine love for the other person. We should never proclaim it with an underlying motive to judge, shame, or wound. By now, we understand that this is not what God desires (John 13:34-35). We may stir fear in someone’s heart, but fear fades. Love endures. That is why we must share the Gospel with hearts full of love and kindness.
This means telling others about Jesus and the great lengths He went to in order to save us (1 Peter 3:18). As His love and kindness fill our hearts, they will overflow into our actions and prepare us for service.
If you are still struggling to choose love over judgment, spend more time with the Lord in prayer. Talk to Him honestly about your heart. Ask Him to soften it. Change can be difficult, but nothing is impossible with God (Luke 1:37). Rely on Him. Place your hope in Him. Rest in the truth that He will help you walk as He walked.
Questions to challenge you:
Now that you have reached the end of this Bible study, do you feel ready to share the Gospel instead of judgment? Why or why not?
If judgment still creeps into your heart, how can you confront and remove it?
Who is one person you can share the Gospel with this week? How can you ensure you are sharing it with a heart of love and kindness rather than judgment?
Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/ollinka
Originally published February 23, 2026.
