THE KING’ S BUSINESS
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ing, the principle has far wider application than this. In all our actions we will reap what we sow. I f we sow honor we will reap honor. If we sow truth we will reap truth. I f we sow deceit we will reap deceit, i. e., if we deceive others, others in turn will deceive us (note for example the case o f Jacob’s receiving Isaac and in turn being deceived by Laban). I f we sow love we will reap love. Every one o f our actions is a sowing, and every one o f our actions will bring a reaping according to. our sowing. The solemn thing about it is that just as the farmer reaps more than he sows, so we will reap far more than we sow. And another solemn thing about ■ it is that from a seed that it takes us only a moment to sow we may reap for many long years, or even for eternity. Thursday, May 30 . Gal. 6 : 8 . Paul now makes a very solemn applica tion o f the principle that “Whatsoever a man soweth, this shall he also reap,” “ he that soweth unto his own flesh (i. e., he who acts with the gratification o f his appetites and ambitions in view) shall o f (out o f) the flesh (which is corrupt) reap corruption” (cf. Phil. 3:19). The loss that we suffer from sowing-to the flesh is not an arbitrary punishment, but the fruit o f carnal mindedness. On the other hand, “he that soweth unto the Spirit (i. e., acts under the leading o f the Spirit, is guided in all his actions by the Spirit—cf, ch. 5:16, 25), shall o f the Spirit reap eternal life.” Here again" the reward o f sowing to the Spirit is not arbitrary, the Spirit is Himself life (cf. John 6:63; 2 Cor. 3:6 ), so n'aturally and inevitably if we sow to Him we shall reap life eternal. Are you sowing “unto your own flesh ?” or 'are you sowing “unto the Spirit?” (i. e., are you acting as the flesh prompts, or as the Spirit o f God directs?) Do not answer the question too hastily. Be sure that you answer it correctly. In the one path is “corruption” (moral, spiritual, eternal decay and destruction) ; in the other path is life eternal (life that is endless in its
den” in verse 5 is an entirely different word from the word so translated in verse 2. The word so translated in verse 2 means “weight” : the word so translated in verse 5 means “load.” So there is no contradiction whatever in the seeming contradiction between verses 2 and 5. The teaching is that we are to help our brother bear his “burden” o f temptation, weakness, failure and sin, but we are each to bear our own “load” o f responsibility before God, and therefore should have our eyes upon our own 'work, for which we are to answer, and not upon that o f others, for which they are to answer. Wednesday, May 29 . Gal\ 6 : 6 ; 7 . While each one is to bear, his own bur den, Jhfe one who is \ taught should help the one who teaches him to bear his bur den by contributing unto his need “ in all good things” (cf. Rom. 15:27; 1 Cor. 9:11, 14). There were some, in Galatia who were not willing to thus contribute to the support o f their teachers. Paul warns them not to be deceived into thinking that they will gain anything by their selfishness. God rules the world and through it all he has established the law that a man will reap just what he sows. “ God is not mocked” (or sneered at). Men may try to sneer at God and fancy that by some cunning or stratagem they can escape the operation o f His laws, but they will find in the ulti mate, issue that they mock themselves, not God. God’s laws will work for all their ' contempt o f Him, and they will reap just what they sow. The principle that Paul here states that “whatsoever a man soweth, that (rather, this ) shall he also reap,” is a principle o f the deepest significance. Thé primary thought is not if a man sows sin he will reap misery, though that is true, but that he will reap exactly what he sows. The immediate application o f this princi ple suggested by the context is its applica tion to giving (cf. 2 Cor. 9:5, 6 where the same figure of sowing and reaping is used, see also Luke 6 :38). But while the immédi ate application in the context is to giv
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