Sowing a Good Harvest?
Galatians 6:7-10
Online Sermon: http://www.mckeesfamily.com/?page_id=3567
Are you born again? If so then you are a new creation, eternally adopted and sealed by the Holy Spirit as an heir in God’s family! But is your decision to make Jesus the Lord of your life all that God wants from you as His child? If that were the case, then salvation would not only be an eternal security blanket but a license to indulge in the self-seeking pleasures of this world! While our decision to accept Jesus into our heart is infinitely important, are not our daily decisions to live to either please ourselves or to please the Spirit important as well? The prophet Jeremiah states the “heart above all things is deceitful” (17:9), especially in the way we treat our Lord, Savior, and King. Is it possible to deceive God into believing that our pretensions of holiness by occasionally reading the Bible, praying, attending church while spending most of our time imitating those who follow the god of this age is anything more than mere filthy rags? If it were possible to receive the benefits of believing without adhering to the truth in which they reside then why did Christ state to be His disciple one must deny oneself, take up one’s cross and follow Him? Where in the Bible does Christ say, ‘make Me the Lord of your life to be saved and then afterwards live anyway you please?’ Apostle Paul answers these questions with the emphatic statement that a person reaps what they sow! While choosing to live one’s life to please the Holy Spirit rather than to please one’s fleshly desires does not affect one’s salvation, it affects one’s current relationship with God, others, and one’s eternal rewards.
Please open your Bibles to Galatians 6:7-10 and while you read the passage over a few times invite the Spirit of God to convict you as to what field, the flesh, or the Spirit, you are currently planting in?
Do not be Deceived!
“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows” (7)
Paul warns the church of Galatia that one cannot “turn one’s nostrils up,” “scorn, sneer, laugh, show great disdain or scoff at” God’s command that we are to be holy as He is holy (1 Peter 1:16). Earlier Paul called the Galatians “foolish” and accused them of being “bewitched by some evil deceiver” (3:1) and now he is reminding them that scorning or mocking God’s commands has some very serious, long-term consequences (Proverbs 1:30-31; Ezekiel 8:17). While the world would have one think that sins such as idolatry, adultery, homosexuality and other forms of worldly living (1 Corinthians 6:9, 15:33) are compatible with the kingdom of God this is not only false but such sowing of evil will lead to divine punishment. While it is tempted to live as if our actions do not matter, the divine law is clear: a person reaps what they sow. The “agricultural cycle with its sowing and reaping provided a natural metaphor for the conjunction of moral and eschatological teaching (Job 4:8; Proverbs 22:8; Hosea 10:12; Matthew 13:39). One cannot have the benefits of believing without adhering to the truth in which they reside nor can one escape being disciplined by God for breaking His commands! One mocks God not only when one does not provide for the minister who teaches God’s word (6:6) but also when one refuses to take responsibility and live a holy life “in light of Christ’s return.” “While it would be unwise to test the law of gravity by driving a car off the top of a parking garage, so too it would be unwise to test the law of the divine harvest by living a life centered upon ourselves!” Since the heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure” (Jeremiah 17:9) our “capacity for self-deception is quite frightening.” Due to our outward signs of supposed righteousness Christians can be deceived into thinking their relationship with God is holy, even when the heart is far from Him! Therefore, Paul warns believers to not merely let life happen but instead to take every word, thought, and deed captive (2 Corinthians 10:3-5) for they will one day be judged and rewarded or punished accordingly.
Two Fields to Sow
“Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.”
Paul “urges his converts” to carefully choose which field they are going to plant in: either the flesh or the Spirit! “The old adage is true: ‘Sow a thought, reap an act; sow an act, reap a habit; sow a habit, reap a character; sow a character, reap a destiny!’ From the flesh Paul states one reaps a harvest of corruption and from the Spirit a harvest of eternal life. Good works, even those done to please the Spirit, do not lead to salvation but are proof that one is saved (Ephesians 2:8-9). While Paul is likely referring to one’s eternal destiny, hell or heaven, in these verses; since this letter is addressed to the converts of the church of Galatia it is likely that he is also referring to the quality of one’s harvest. “From Paul’s perspective, Christians have already been delivered from the present evil age (1:4) and are therefore already in the new creation (6:15). But the battle between the Spirit and the sinful nature is not yet over (5:17)!” The field that we plant in has eternal consequences for Christians for we will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ and will be held accountable for the things done in the body, whether good or evil (2 Corinthians 5:10). Sowing to please the fleshly nature will reap a “harvest of destruction, a destruction of relationships with others and with God,” and one that upon death will pass away and be destroyed. Sowing to please the Spirit will not only reap in the present the blessings of walking in holiness that comes with living a Spirit-controlled life but also eternal crowns of righteousness (2 Timothy 4:8) that do not rust and cannot be destroyed for all of eternity (Matthew 6:19-21).
Reflection: Are you ready to be held accountable for the things done in the body, good or bad? Will you hear the words “good and faithful servant” or will Christ tell you that “much of your life was wasted on self-indulgence or outright defiance against Him”?
The inescapable truth is that the believer’s words, thoughts, and deeds have eternal consequences and as such must be chosen with great care! Every time one predominantly seeks to embrace the worldly goal of “maximizing pleasure while minimizing pain” one is planting seeds in the field of the flesh. Every time one is harboring a grudge, entertaining an impure fantasy, keeping council with the ungodly (Psalms 1), being jealous and coveting what others have (Exodus 20:17), creating dissension in the body of Christ (Proverbs 6:16-19), reading a book or watching a movie that glorifies the god of this age, having pre-marital sex, lying and cheating to obtain a career advancement; one is planting seeds in the field of the flesh (5:19-21). “Some Christians sow to the flesh every day and wonder why they do not reap a harvest of holiness and victory and blessing!” Conversely, every time one walks by faith not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7), seeks first the kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33), serves one another in love (5:13), restores another caught in sin (6:1), gives generously to those in need as if to Christ Himself (Matthew 25:37-40), reads the Bible with the intent of change (James 1:22-25), prays without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17), and submits to the Lord’s right to direct one’s paths; one is planting seeds in the field of the Holy Spirit. Those who “keep sowing in the Spirit” not only receive the fruits of the Spirit, love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (5:22) but “by the power of the Spirit will ultimately experience the fullness of eternal life – perfect harmony in relationship with God and others.”
Since “self-seeking drives and impulses turn out, ironically, to be the most self-destructive drives and impulses,” to obey the command to be holy as God is holy means it is imperative that believers take every thought, word, and deed captive and make it obedient to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5)!
Reflection: Do you take time evaluate your every word, thought, and deed to see which field you are planting in, the flesh or the Spirit? Do you hold up to the light your daily activities to God’s holy word to see if they are right in His sight? Will your earthly deeds outlast your bodily life?
Do not Grow Weary Doing Good
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
To sow seeds in the field of the Spirit requires hard work that can lead to fatigue and exhaustion. Like the farmer who “invests a lot of hard work and care into the crop” before the harvest can happen, so too must believers invest much effort to live a Spirit-led life to yield a crop of righteousness. Let’s be real, it is not easy to deny oneself the pleasures of the flesh and all its “self-serving desires!” When it comes to walking in the steps of our Lord, we are not to become like the church of Laodicea and obtain a lukewarm attitude towards our Lord and become lazy in living for Him (6:12)! “Do not give in to evil” in your weariness but instead press on and continue doing good. While the “good Paul mentions here primarily deals with sharing of our resources with the body of Christ so that there would “be no needy persons amongst them” (Acts 4:32, 34), it also relates to expressing one’s love towards God by embracing the laws written upon one’s heart. In the same way that Christ constantly did the will of His Father in heaven, even in the face of “the cross and a myriad of others hardships and sacrifices,” James states we are not to let our trials and tribulations defeat our desire to do good that points to God the Father in heaven but are to persevere knowing that it will lead not only to spiritual maturity (1:2-4) but also at the proper time a great harvest! The “proper time” is both a present and future reality! In the present let us rejoice when God “sends us the rain of His gracious mercies when we need it,” and let us not forget to thank Him for His loving presence, protection, love, and the daily blessings we receive from His hands which are merely “first-fruits of what is to come!” Do not grow weary doing good for no deed is too small that it will not be rewarded in the eschatological future in far greater portions than we have sown! Know that “the sacrifices we’ve made in this life might appear small, even to the point of insignificance, but great on that majestic day!”
Reflection. Are you living considering the eternity God has placed in your heart? Are your eyes fixed on Jesus or have discouragement and fatigue led you down the path of self-indulgence and a lukewarm attitude towards your Savior? Do you count your blessings name them one by one to see the mercy and grace you have been given? Are you able to see that while ministry work is incredibly difficult it is also richly rewarding?
Let us do Good to all People
“Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially those who belong to the family of believers.” (10)
Since the harvest is quickly coming, Paul implores the believers at the church of Galatia to take advantage of every opportunity that presents itself to do good! Paul is not contradicting the predominant teaching in his letter that “faith alone is the basis of righteousness in the eyes of God,” but merely that “doing good” is a fruit of the Spirit (5:22) and as such is a natural outworking of having a right relationship with God! Also, doing good for Paul is not to be seen as “some kind of legal obligation” but merely as an extension of the love and mercy one has received from God. To thank God for the love received we are to reciprocally offer our love to our neighbors. “Paul draws two concentric circles of care and benevolence.” First, like Jesus we are to do good to all “people without distinction or discrimination.” Whether a person be male or female, Jew, or Gentile, Greek or barbarian, slave or free” (Galatians 3:28) we are to do good to them for Christ died once and for all (Romans 6:10)! Second, because they are “children with the same Abba/Father (4:6)” and therefore belong to the same family they are strive to do good especially to the brothers and sisters of the faith both within the universal (1 Peter 5:9) and specifically the local church. Sowing seeds to please the Spirit means providing for both the material as well as the spiritual needs of others. Apostle John states, “if anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person” (1 John 3:17)? When we give unto the least we are giving unto Christ (Matthew 25:31-40) and are storing up eternal rewards in heaven far more valuable than our earthly, temporal trinkets and toys! Also, to live to please the Spirit means caring “deeply for spiritual well-being of our “family” within the body of Christ. This means not only providing for their material wellbeing but also restoring a broken brother or sister, bearing burdens, and building up one another up in the faith. Even though it goes against our western, individualistic focus, to please the Spirit Paul says believers must “constantly seek to nurture a church culture of mutual burden bearing,” love, kindness, compassion, and mercy!
The motivation of doing good to others is not primarily to receive an eternal harvest but to express our love to God and one another that inwardly flows from the love, grace, and mercy we have received!
Conclusion
Even though a person is born again, eternally adopted, and sealed by the Holy Spirit, does not mean one can live as one pleases. Paul warned the church of Galatia and us today that God cannot be mocked, a person reaps what they sow. There are two fields one can plant in, the flesh or the Spirit. Which field one chooses to plant in has eternal consequences for one day Christians will stand before the judgment seat of Christ and be held accountable for the things done in the body, whether good or bad. Since one cannot have the benefits of believing without adhering to the truth in which they reside nor can one escape being disciplined by God for breaking His commands, planting to please the flesh will reap a harvest that no matter how rewarding in the present will upon death be destroyed. In contrast those who sow to please the Spirit will not only reap in the present a harvest of love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, but eternal crowns of righteousness. To obtain such a glorious, eternal harvest is only possible by taking every thought, word, and deed captive and make it obedient to Christ. Though it requires hard work that often leads to fatigue and exhaustion, Paul warns believers to not become lukewarm in their desire to do good or worse yet give up altogether and return to planting seeds of evil to please one’s flesh. Believers are not to merely let life happen but instead take every opportunity to do good to all people without distinction or discrimination, and especially to those belonging to the family of God. We are to not only provide for the material needs of others but also are to constantly seek to nurture a church culture of mutual burden-bearing. Above let us not forget that the seeds that please the Spirit are not one’s done out of a sense of legal obligation, but good deeds done as an extension of the love, grace, and mercy received by God the Father in heaven!
Sources Cited
Daniel C. Arichea and Eugene Albert Nida, A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to the Galatians, UBS Handbook Series (New York: United Bible Societies, 1976).
H. D. M. Spence-Jones, ed., Galatians, The Pulpit Commentary (London; New York: Funk & Wagnalls Company, 1909).
Timothy George, Galatians, vol. 30, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1994).
Todd Wilson, Galatians: Gospel-Rooted Living, ed. R. Kent Hughes, Preaching the Word (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2013).
A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, 1933), Ga 6:7.
David Platt and Tony Merida, Exalting Jesus in Galatians (Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2014), Ga 6:7–8.
Roy E. Ciampa, “Galatians,” in The Baker Illustrated Bible Background Commentary, ed. J. Scott Duvall and J. Daniel Hays (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2020).
David A. deSilva, The Letter to the Galatians, ed. Ned B. Stonehouse et al., The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2018).
Grant R. Osborne, Galatians: Verse by Verse, Osborne New Testament Commentaries (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2017).
G. Walter Hansen, Galatians, The IVP New Testament Commentary Series (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1994), Ga 6:7–8.
Scot McKnight, Galatians, The NIV Application Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1995).
Paul Barnett, Galatians: Defending the Truth, ed. Paul Barnett, Reading the Bible Today Series (Sydney, South NSW: Aquila Press, 2012).
James Montgomery Boice, “Galatians,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Romans through Galatians, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 10 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1976).
