The last few weeks we have been in a series in Galatians talking about faith and grace verses works. We’ve been talking about how our salvation is not dependent upon our works, but it is the free gift of God through Jesus Christ his son who died on a cross so that we could have eternal life. Today I wanted to give you some practical advice on how to try to live the Christian life so that you can say it is “not I but Christ,” it is not by the flesh but by the Spirit that we live. We’ll use the acronym APTAT as provided by Pastor John Piper of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, MN. Begin your day with this, and follow it when it takes some effort to do the right thing in your life. The goal is that this way of thinking and feeling will become so much a part of you that you will approach all of life in this way.
“A” -
I acknowledge that apart from Christ I can do nothing of eternal value (John 15:5). I acknowledge with Paul in Romans 7:18, “In me, that is, in my flesh, dwells no good thing.” I acknowledge that the old “I” which loved to deny this fact was crucified with Christ.
“P” -
I pray. I pray with Paul in 1 Thessalonians 3:12 that Christ would make me abound in love. I pray that grace might reign in my life through righteousness (Romans 5:21). I pray that God would produce in me the obedience he demands (Hebrews 13:21; 2 Thessalonians 1:11).
“T” -
I trust. This is the key because Galatians 3:5 says, “Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith?” In other words, the ongoing work of the Spirit to enable us to love as we ought happens only as we trust the promises of God (Galatians 5:6). So by faith I lay hold on a promise like Isaiah 41:10: “Fear not, for I am with you, be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.” I trust that as I act, it will not be I but the power of Christ in me and me only clinging to him in faith.
“A” -
I act in obedience to God’s Word. But, O, what a world of difference now between such an act and what Paul calls works of law. The acknowledgment that I am helpless, the prayer for divine enablement, the trust that Christ himself is my help and strength—these transform the act so that it is a fruit of the Spirit, not a work of the flesh.
“T” -
Finally, when the deed is done and the day is over, I thank God for whatever good may have come of my life (Colossians 1:3–5). I thank him for conquering, at least in some measure, my selfishness and pride. I give him the glory (1 Peter 4:11).
APTAT: A—Acknowledge your inability to do good on your own. P—Pray for divine enablement. T—Trust the promises of God for help and strength and guidance. A—Act in obedience to God’s Word. T—Thank God for whatever good comes. If you feel that this makes too little of you and too much of God, then I urge you to check your testimony against that of Paul who said in 1 Corinthians 15:10, “I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God which was with me.” And in Romans 15:18, “I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has wrought through me.” So we are back to the main point of 3:1–5 stated in 5:5. Through the Spirit (not the flesh), by faith (not works), we wait for the hope of righteousness. Only when that is true can we say, “I am sure that the one who began a good work in me, he (and he alone!) will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6).
(excerpt from John Piper’s sermon “Can You Begin By the Spirit and be Completed by the Flesh?”)
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