THE KING’ S BUSINESS
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mary application, the principle has far wider applications than this: in all our actions we shall reap just what we sow ; if we sow honor we shall reap honor; if we sow truth we shall reap truth; if we sow deceit we shall reap deceit; if we sow love we shall reap love. This principle is as true o f nations as it is o f individuals: the nation that grossly wrongs another will in turn be grossly wronged. W e see the applica tion o f the principle today in Belgium in the light o f the gross wrongs they inflicted on the natives on the Congo. W e see another application today in Russia in the light o f the gross wrongs that they have inflicted upon the Jews. Indeed we see the application o f the principle everywhere today. Each one o f us, if we will study the matter, will find some application o f the principle in our own lives. Every act is a sowing, and therefore every act neces sitates a reaping. v. 8 . “For he that soweth to his (unto his own) flesh shall o f the flesh reap cor ruption: but he that soweth to the spirit (unto the Spirit ) shall of the spirit (Spirit) reap life everlasting (eternal life).” If we act with the gratification o f our appetites and ambitions in view, we are sowing to our “own flesh,” and o f the flesh (which is corrupt) we “shall reap corruption” (cf. Phil. 3:19). The loss we suffer is not an arbitrary punishment, but the natural fruit o f carnal mindedness. I f on the other hand we act under the leading o f the Spirit (cf. ch. 5:16, 25), we are sowing to the Spirit and “o f the Spirit” (who is Himself Life, cf. John 6:63; 2 Cor. 3:6) we shall reap “life eternal.” There are two paths before each one o f us and the choice o f tfie path lies with ourselves. In one path is “-cor ruption,” i. e., moral, spiritual and eternal destruction; in the other path is “life eter nal,” i. e., life endless in duration, and Divine in its quality. The figure o f sowing and reaping is a favorite one in the Bible (Ps. 126:6; Prov. 11:18; 22:8; Hosea. 8 :7 ; 10:12; Jas. 5:7) but there is nowhere at more convincing and impressive use made o f it than here. In verses 7 and 8 on the
entirely different from the word so trans lated in verse 2. There 4s a seeming, but not real contradiction between the two Verses. The teaching o f verse 2 is that we are to help our brother bear his burden o f temptation, weakness, and failure and sin, but we are to bear our own load of responsibility before God, and so should have our eyes upon our own work, scru tinizing it carefully; for we have to answer for our own work; and we are not to have our eye upon the work o f others; for they,, not we, are to answer for that. v. 6 .' “ (Add, But) let him that is taught in the Word communicate unto him that teacheth, in all good things." While each is to bear his own burden o f responsibility to God, the one who is taught the truth should help the teacher to bear his burden by contributing unto his need “ in all good things” (cf. Rom. 15:27; 1 Cor. 9:11, 14). The duty o f those who are taught contrib uting to the support o f the teacher, is set forth over and over again in the New Tes tament. v. 7. “Be not deceived, God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” Paul here warns those who are not willing to contribute to the support o f their teachers, against being deceived into thinking that they will gain anything- by their selfishness. God rules the world and through it all has established a law that a man will reap just what he sows. Men may try to “mock” (i. e., sneer at) God, and fancy they will escape the operation o f His laws, but they will find in the final issue that they mock at themselves, not God. In spite o f all their contempt o f Him, His laws will work and they will reap just what they sow. The primary application o f this principle sug gested by the context is its application to giving (cf. 2 Cor. 9:5, 6 ). This fact is usually lost sight o f in quoting this verse and in preaching upon it. -W e hear it- applied to a multitude o f other things, but very seldom to the matter o f giving, and yet that is its primary application. But while the application to giving is the pri
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