Blunt Truths on Sowing and Reaping
Galatians 6:6-10
You get what you pay for and you'll get paid for what you go after in life. The wages of sin are real, and so are the rewards for righteousness.
Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things [Gal. 6:6].
This is probably the bluntest verse in the Bible. Paul is really putting it on the line. The Greek word koinoneo, translated "communicate," means sharing, taking part -- sharing the things of Christ together. Paul is bluntly saying this: "Pay your preacher. If someone ministers to your spiritual benefits, minister to him with material benefits." If God has blessed you materially and you are being blessed by someone spiritually, then you ought to minister to that person with material benefits.
This is put on a grace basis of sharing, but believe me, if you go into a grocery store and buy bread and meat and go by the checkout stand without paying for it, you are in trouble. There are many people who are ministered to spiritually, but when they go by the checkout counter, they don't share. No one thinks anything about it. The Word of God says that you are to share with those who minister to you.
Imagine a day very soon when you no longer have a youth pastor for the next generation, or when you can't get a Pastor to come for what you have to offer to him and his family. Imagine a day when there are no decorations, no heat or air, no programs or curriculums. That day is a reality in many places and could quickly come here if we don't do right.
You get what you pay for, in many areas...
Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap [Gal. 6:7].
This is one of those remarkable verses in Scripture. This is an immutable law that operates in every sphere of life. In agriculture and horticulture if you sow corn, you get corn; if you sow cotton, you reap cotton. In the moral sphere you also reap what you sow. In the Book of Matthew, chapter 13, the Lord Jesus Christ told about a sower that went forth to sow. He also told us about a reaper that went forth to reap.
One day a visitor in a penitentiary passed by a cell where a man was patching his prison garb with needle and thread. The visitor, wanting to begin a conversation with the prisoner, said, "What are you doing? Sewing?" The prisoner looked up and replied, "No, reaping!" That is the point of this verse.
The principle stated here is immutable, invariable, unalterable, and cannot be revoked. It cannot be changed one iota, and it is applicable to every sphere and field of life. When you sow wheat, you will get wheat. You will never pick a squash off of a walnut tree. Sometimes a watermelon vine extends out twenty feet in one direction, but it has never been known to make the mistake of putting a pumpkin on the end of it. It always puts a watermelon out there. There is wheat being found in tombs in Egypt that was put there five thousand years ago. They planted it and it came up wheat. In five thousand years the seed did not forget that it was wheat. What you sow you will reap and that will never change.
There are many men in the Bible who illustrate this principle. One of them is Jacob, whose story is told in Genesis 27 -- Genesis 29. Jacob deceived his father, Isaac. He put on a goatskin and pretended to be his brother Esau, who was a hairy outdoorsman, in order to receive the blessing given to the oldest son. After deceiving his father, Jacob ran away and lived with his Uncle Laban for several years. He thought he had gotten away with deceiving his father. But remember, God says that what you sow you will reap. You won't reap something similar; you will reap the identical thing that you sow. What happened to Jacob? He fell in love with Rachel, Laban's youngest daughter. He served seven years for her. They had the wedding, and when he lifted the veil, what did he have? He did not have Rachel, the younger daughter; he had Leah, the older daughter. I have a feeling that Jacob learned a real lesson on his honeymoon. He had deceived his father by pretending to be the older son when he was actually the younger son. Now his uncle gave him the older daughter when he thought he was getting the younger daughter. Believe me, chickens do come home to roost!
In 1 Kings 21 we find the story of Ahab and Jezebel and their murderous plot to take Naboth's vineyard. Ahab coveted Naboth's vineyard, but Naboth did not want to sell his land. But since Ahab and Jezebel were king and queen, they usually took what they wanted. Jezebel had Naboth killed and Ahab took possession of the vineyard. They thought they would get away with their evil deed, but God sent Elijah to them with a message: "...Thus saith the Lord, In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine" (1Kings 21:19).
Later Ahab was wounded in battle. He told his chariot driver to take him out of the battle, and the blood from his wound ran out into his chariot. After the battle, he was brought back to Samaria, and there in the pool of Samaria they washed the chariot, and the dogs licked up the blood.
Another example is the apostle Paul. He was a leader in the stoning of Stephen, and after his conversion, when he was over in the Galatian country, he was stoned. You may think that, because he was converted and his sins were forgiven, he would not reap what he had sown. But it is a law of God that "whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap."
How about Haman being hanged on the gallows he planned for Mordecai? Other examples?
I wish young people would realize the truth of this principle. Many of them are taking drugs. Many are trying to satisfy themselves by indulging in easy sex. Some of them are already beginning to reap the results of what they have sown. Disease has reached epidemic proportions in America, and there is an alarming rise in mental disorders.
Why? God says that you will not get by with sin -- regardless of how many pills you take. God says you will reap what you sow. God will not be mocked. When you sow corn, you reap corn. When you sow sin, that is what you will reap. Someone may say, "I got converted." That is wonderful, but you are still going to have a payday someday. You will still reap what you have sown.
For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting [Gal. 6:8].
Reaping "life everlasting" includes the fruit of the Spirit in this life and the glorious prospect of the future.
I think many Christians really ought to be fearful of the return of Christ for His own, because it is then that we shall go before the judgment seat of Christ to give an account of the things done in the flesh. You may be saved, but it may still be very embarrassing for you in that day when you give an account of your life to Him. John mentions the fact that it is possible to be ashamed at His appearing (see 1 John 2:28). If you are going to live in the flesh, you will produce the things of the flesh. That does not, however, mean that you will lose your salvation, but it does mean that you will lose your reward, which will make it a day of shame and regret when you stand before Him.
God has put up a red light; now He puts up a green light. Here are words for your comfort and encouragement.
And let us not be weary in well-doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not [Gal. 6:9].
We want our kids to turn out right, so we are striving to sow the right seed. Be patient, and you will reap what you have sown. It may not be on your timetable, but Proverbs says if we train them up right then by the time they are old they will return to it. But we must be patient. In Ohio you can't go out and cut grain in January. You have to wait until the time of reaping comes. So just keep sowing. You may have problems and difficulties today, but just keep sowing the Word of God. The Lord has promised: "For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it" (Isa. 55:10-11).
Remember that Abraham believed God and walked with Him in the land of Canaan. At that time the Canaanite -- wicked and idolatrous -- was in the land. A son, Isaac, was born to Abraham. When Isaac became a young man, Abraham took him to the top of Mount Moriah. In obedience to God's command, Abraham prepared to offer his son as a sacrifice. God, however, did not let him go through with it. Abraham sowed to the Spirit and he reaped life everlasting.
Jochebed was the mother of Moses. Because of the terrible times in which they lived, she devised a plan to save his life, and he was adopted by Pharaoh's daughter. By God's wonderful arrangement, Jochebed was able to be his nursemaid while he was young. Undoubtedly she taught Moses about God and His call to Abraham and about His purpose for Israel. Then she saw her boy grow up like an Egyptian. All Egypt was against her -- the culture of Egypt, the pleasures of Egypt, the philosophy of Egypt, and the religion of Egypt. But there came a day when Moses forsook the pleasures and sins of Egypt and went out to take his place with God's people. Jochebed reaped what she had sown.
We also have an illustration of this principle in the life of David. His sin was glaring, and many think of him as being a cruel, sinful man. But sin did not characterize David's life. It is interesting that a drop of black ink on a white tablecloth can be seen from a long distance, but a drop of black ink on a black suit would never be noticed. Other kings during that period of time were so bad that, when they committed a sin such as David did, it would not be noticed. But in David's life it stands out like a horrible blot. David had a heart for God. Even in his confession, he reveals his hunger and thirst for God. But David sowed sin and reaped a terrible harvest in the lives of his own children.
We reap what we sow. "And let us not be weary in well-doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."
As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith [Gal. 6:10].
Now Paul moves on. He says that we ought to be do-gooders. Now I recognize that the entire religion of liberalism is one of "doing good." I believe in doing good, but you have to have the right foundation under the good deeds.
Good works don’t lead to salvation, but salvation will lead to good works!
The right foundation is the gospel of the grace of God and walking in the Spirit of God. When you walk in the Spirit, the fruit of the Spirit is produced. Then, you are going to do good. You will do good for all men, especially for other believers.
You get what you pay for and you'll get paid for what you go after in life. The wages of sin are real, and so are the rewards for righteousness.