March 24, 2024
“The one who is taught the word is to share all good things with the one who teaches him. Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.” Galatians 6:6-8 (NASB)
“Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for you reap whatever you sow.
If you sow to your own flesh, you will reap corruption from the flesh; but if you sow to the Spirit, you will reap eternal life from the Spirit.” Galatians 6:7-8 (NRSV)
“Don’t be misled: No one makes a fool of God. What a person plants, he will harvest. The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others—ignoring God!” Galatians 6:7 (MSG)
“Don’t be misled, you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit.” Galatians 6:7-8 (NLT)
On this Palm Sunday, have you ever looked back over your life and found yourself viewing each choice you made as a representative of a “seed” that was sown that shaped the trajectory of your life? You viewed each choice as being caught in the cycle of cause and effect, where the choices you made carry weight and consequences. Were you reminded of what the Apostle Paul penned to the churches in Galatia and to us today in Galatians chapter 6 that God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap?
In this life journey of faith, we often encounter the enduring wisdom of scripture, guiding us through life’s challenges and triumphs. This is what the Apostle Paul was saying in Galatians 6:7-8. He offers a profound insight into the principle of “sowing and reaping,” reminding us of the consequences of our actions and the importance of aligning our lives with the Spirit of God. He was writing to Believers, and he stressed the fact that Believers in Christ should not be misled. He was reminding them that you cannot ignore God and get away with it. He also reminded them that what they sow, they will reap. Sow means “spread, utilize, invest and it will determine the course of your life. In other words, your actions have repercussions, whether for better or for worse.
Galatians 6:7 is very clear! It says “Whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.” This is a timeless truth, and we can explore its relevance to our everyday lives and the transformative power it holds. God is a just God and has instituted throughout human experience the concept of sowing and reaping. Reading the Word of God, the Bible, we see that it was originally written to those living in an agrarian or agricultural society, people were familiar with working the land, managing livestock, and raising crops. Many of Jesus’ parables involve the farming life. The Bible contains many references to sowing and reaping, and we can learn much from its principles. For example, when a farmer plants seeds and cares for those seeds, they will usually sprout and produce growth. In the same way, whatever a person “plants” in his own thinking and behavior will later bear fruit, whether good or bad. If a person is focused on fulfilling the desires of the flesh, and that is what he invests in, then that person will reap the fruit of that investment.
Sowing and reaping constitute unchangeable laws of seedtime and harvest. To sow is to cultivate, as in planting seeds for growth. The farmer will always reap the same kind of plant or fruit as the seed sown. If we scatter cherry seeds, a cherry tree will grow and produce cherries.
Paul writes in describes this fruit of the flesh in Galatians 5:19–21, which says, “When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.” (NLT)
On the other hand, if you invest in spiritual things, then the “fruit” in his life will be spiritual and wholesome noted in Galatians 6:8 which says, “Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit.” (NLT) Paul explains how the Holy Spirit produces fruit in people and what it looks like in Galatians 5:22-23 “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!” (NLT)
We can apply the principle of reaping what we sow to the matter of salvation. If we do not know Jesus Christ as our Savior, then we are still dead in our sin or separated from having a right relationship with God. Ephesians 2:1-5 says, “Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil, the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature, we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else. But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!” (NLT)
If we are in that state, then even our righteous deeds are as unclean rags in comparison with God’s standard of righteousness noted in Isaiah 64:6. I relate to the NLT version because it says it as a nurse would say it. It says, “We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags. Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall, and our sins sweep us away like the wind.” If we are in that condition, then the truth is that whatever a man sows he also reaps! Galatians 6:7 is actually terrifying because we are sowing according to sin and death, and the fruit will reflect that. Conversely, if in His mercy God has made us alive together with Christ by grace through faith referenced in Ephesians 2:8–10, then we have the opportunity to sow according to the newness of life. Because of His grace, we can now invest in things that have eternal value and see fruit that also has eternal value. The fact remains that whatever a man sows that he also reaps is not only about justice but about God’s magnificent mercy. God hasn’t given us what we deserved and in His amazing grace, He has given us what we did not deserve. We have the opportunity to sow the seed of righteousness so that we can see the fruit of His righteousness in our lives.
HEART 
CHALLENGE: Colossians 3:1-2 says Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. (NLT). Take time to examine your thoughts, words, and deeds. Are they in line with God’s will, or are they driven by selfish ambition? Surrender your desires to God, asking Him to help you sow seeds of righteousness and bear fruit that glorifies Him.
Be mindful that we will reap more than what we sow. In other words, the law of sowing and reaping is also related to the law of multiplication. Matthew 13:8 says Jesus spoke of seed that brought forth “a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” One grain of wheat produces a whole head of grain. In the same way, one fabrication can produce an out-of-control rush of falsehoods, myths, and lies. Hosea 8:7a reminds us of what is sown into the wind and reap the whirlwind. On the positive side, one kind deed can result in a blessing to last a lifetime.
A FRUITFUL 
HEART: When we sow to our flesh, indulging in selfish desires and worldly pursuits, we inevitably harvest a life of corruption. Th
e pleasures of the flesh may provide temporary satisfaction but ultimately lead to decay and destruction. Our selfish pursuits only serve to distance us from God and His eternal purposes for our lives.
On the other hand, when we sow to the Spirit, nurturing our relationship with God, and align ourselves with His will, we reap eternal life. Galatians 5:22-23 reminds us that the Spirit cultivates within us virtues such as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. These are the fruits of a life surrendered to God, bearing witness to His transformative power!
What seeds are you sowing? 
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for Your Word that provides us with clear instructions on how to live fruitful lives. Father forgive us for the times we have sown seeds of selfishness disobedience and greed. Help us align our lives with Your Spirit, so we may reap a harvest of eternal worth. Guide us in sowing seeds of righteousness and bearing fruit that brings glory to Your name, in the Precious, Powerful, and Preeminent name of Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord, Amen.