Practice (1838) (hexis from écho = have) describes a habit, whether of body or of mind. It describes a condition of the body or mind acquired through custom, use or practice. The idea is doing something again and again. It refers to a habit of the body or mind, not the process but the result: The condition produced by past exercise and now the habitual or normal condition, disposition or character. Plato referred to a habit of body, especially a good habit. Because of practice - This can also be rendered because of habit. Use of one's powers of spiritual discernment are to be the practice for those who seek to be mature. The old saying is "Use or lose it". Failure to nourish and exercise our spiritual faculties of discernment is like a leg that is placed in a cast for months with resultant "disuse atrophy" of the muscles to the point that the person can hardly walk on it when he is first taken out of the cast. Truth practiced and obeyed becomes internalized truth that transforms Wuest writes that hexis refers to a habit of the body or mind. It speaks here of the habitual use of the perceptive faculties (senses) which are being vigorously exercised. This results in the ability to discriminate between good and evil, and in this context, good and evil teaching. But these Hebrews had abused their perceptive faculties in rejecting the new light given and turning again to the First Testament (Old Covenant) sacrifices. Light rejected, blinds. Jesus alluded to this dynamic when He declared If any man is willing to do His will, he shall know of the teaching, whether it is of God, or whether I speak from Myself. (Jn 7:17) Comment: Jesus lays down a basic, vital principle that the first prerequisite to ascertaining God's leading in some matter or the truth about some doctrinal question, is a genuine willingness to believe the truth and obey God's will. Wuest comments that hexis is... translated from a Greek word which refers to a habit of the body or mind. It speaks here of the habitual use of the perceptive faculties (senses) which are being vigorously exercised. This results in the ability to discriminate between good and evil, and in this context, good and evil teaching. But these Hebrews had abused their perceptive faculties in rejecting the new light given and turning again to the First Testament sacrifices. Light rejected, blinds. (Wuest, K. S. Wuest's Word Studies from the Greek New Testament: Eerdmans or Logos) F B Meyer... By reason of use you get keener. I go with the savage through the wilds, and notice that he looks at that bent twig, at that grass brushed down across the path. He starts and says: “A man has been along here.” I don’t see any trace, I can’t find any footmark; but in that snapped twig, in the impression on that grass the savage, by reason of use, has had his senses exercised to discern where man has gone. Now, most of us never use our spiritual sense. God has given us a nose to smell with, eyes to see with, hands to feel with, and a tongue to taste with. We are made in three parts—body, soul and spirit. The soul has senses equivalent to those of the body, and the spirit behind that has a third set of senses which an unregenerate man has not commenced to use. But if you are a spiritual man you will use these spiritual senses to discriminate the thoughts as they come to your heart. “By reason of use” you will have your senses exercised to discern both good and evil. (Back to Bethel: Separation from Sin, and Fellowship with God) Bob DeWaay offers some insights on how "practice" is related to modern Christianity... Practice at anything is hard work. Perhaps this is what causes so much resistance to the Biblical command to become students of Scripture. Be diligent (NET Bible = Make every effort) ( in the aorist imperative = command to do this now. Don't delay. Do it effectively. ''Do your utmost for His highest'!) to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, handling accurately the word of truth (2Timothy 2:15-note). Paul also told Timothy, Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching (1Timothy 5:17). To become teachers as Hebrews 5:12 says we ought we must first be diligent in study, which is hard work. The call to hard work probably will never be popular in the age of television where everything is done for us and we are passive spectators. Modern Christianity has produced a generation of spiritual consumers, many who are from the "baby boomer" generation whose wants and needs dictate which churches will be successful. This generation is repulsed by the idea of a lifetime of hard work with little recognition or immediate pay off. As consumers we want to be the center of attention and if a waiter or waitress does not attend to our needs now, we make a fuss and move on. This is sadly how many from our modern generation approach church life. We want the church administration to hire professionals to do everything for us, including teaching our children. We want to be comfortable, happy, entertained, never put upon, never made to feel guilty, and certainly never commanded to do anything that would be more work and responsibility. If the author of Hebrews was concerned that his admonitions could not be heard by his first century, Jewish audience, how much more difficult is it for twentieth century, pampered, "baby boomers"? God's Word is changeless and we will be judged by it even if it seems incompatible with our modern priorities. We must allow God's Word to speak to us and not be content to compare ourselves with others of our own ilk. We could stay babies and never notice it or stand out because we live in a culture of babies. However, what a sad waste of a spiritual life! (See John Piper's - Don't Waste Your Life) Practice is necessary for spiritual sensibility and discernment. The type of practice referenced here is the study of Scripture and its application to the issues of life. Faith and obedience are the envisioned outcomes of this process (Related Resource: Relationship of faith and obedience). (The Danger of Perpetual Infancy - The Need To Study Scripture) "Copy and paste the address below into your web browser in order to go to the original page which will allow you to access live links related to the material on this page - these links include Scriptures (which can be read in context), Scripture pop-ups on mouse over, and a variety of related resources such as Bible dictionary articles, commentaries, sermon notes and theological journal articles related to the topic under discussion." http://www.preceptaustin.org/hebrews_513-14.htm#practice