26 The Book Of Galatians – Chapter 6:7-8 - Message 26 – What Is Sown Must Be Reaped – There Are Consequences. What Are You Sowing? Series

26 THE BOOK OF GALATIANS – CHAPTER 6:7-8 - Message 26 – WHAT IS SOWN MUST BE REAPED – THERE ARE CONSEQUENCES. WHAT ARE YOU SOWING?

[1]. INTRODUCTION

These verses follow on from the last message which was all about sharing what we have with those engaged in the work of the Lord. The next set of verses moves us to another area, though I am sure these verses are related to the previous one, verse 6.

In that last message we looked at the financial support of God’s true ministers. I am always sad at the offering monies going to charlatans and to men in positions that have nothing to do with God’s work. I suspect too many are on the gravy train. There is nothing you or I can do about all these hangers-on but we need to be circumspect in the money we give. Some churches in Australia were promoting a well-known charity supporting overseas relief work but around 40% of the money that was given went into Australian administration salaries. The CEO did very well out of it. Good stewardship should not support that.

In our small church group, all our money in offerings goes to genuine Christian ministries – Leprosy, Barnabas, Voice of the Martyrs and a couple of others where none of it is lost in extraneous personnel. I feel that is more in line with what the apostolic age churches were like. All I would do is caution those of you in certain denominational churches to make sure you know where the finances are going. If you are unhappy before the Lord about misuse of offering money, then give independently.

Just before I leave this subject, you remember in Galatians 6:6 - {{“Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with him who teaches.”}}. We concentrated in the last message on money but the verse actually goes deeper than that. The words “all good things” covers time and certainly material things such as donation some necessary item to the family or to the children. It also means taking the full time worker and his family out sometimes. The applications are wide but I leave it there.

[2]. DON’T FOOL YOURSELF FOR WHAT GOES UP MUST COME DOWN

{{Galatians 6:7 Do not be deceived. God is not mocked, for WHATEVER A MAN SOWS, THIS HE WILL ALSO REAP,

Galatians 6:8 for the one who SOWS TO HIS OWN FLESH shall from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who SOWS TO THE SPIRIT shall from the Spirit reap eternal life.”}}

In these two verses there is a general principle but more specific ones. The general principle is “You will reap what you sow.” The world has expressions for this:- “the chickens come home to roost”; “what goes up must come down”; “you need to pay for your actions”; “what goes around comes around”; “your deeds shape your fate”; “you made your bed, now lie in it.”

All the above mean that there are consequences for behaviour. This is just so common to us that we don’t even question it. Drop a glass and it will probably smash; go out in the rain and you will get wet; exceed the speed limit and possibly you get a fine; turn the ignition key in the car and it will start.

A scientific principle is that to every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. That is just a law found in science but it also has application to us. “To every action, there will be an outcome; for every action, there will be consequences. These may be good or bad depending on the action.

That is how sin works. It is also how the leading of the Spirit works. Almost all non-Christians do not consider that sin will have its day of reckoning. They sin without a second thought. In fact most do not count their actions as sin because what they commit is just part of normal life for them. It is as simple as a cat chasing a mouse it spies.

I am sure that a person who sins is most satisfied with him/herself as it has a “natural feel” about it. Some bicycle person stole from my car while it was unattended for just a couple of minutes, about $150 which really annoyed me, and sometimes I think about that and try to reason out what the thief must feel. I concluded that the person has no conscience about what was done, for he is just following the natural instincts of the old sinful nature.

However that person, unless he repents, will have his actions called into account one day for all sin has its penalty. Likewise all good works done by the leading of the Holy Spirit will have their rewards. The universal law of good and evil operates.