Galatians 6:6-10 Sowing and Reaping in the Spirit Brad Briegleb 6 Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches. 7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from his own flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good for everyone, and especially to those who are the household of faith. Overview: Galatians 5:13 to 6:10 describe what living a life in Christ’s liberty means. Paul instructs the Galatians not to use their freedom to indulge in their selfish and sinful nature (5:13) but instead, love your neighbor (5:14) and live by the Spirit (5:16) and keep in step with the Spirit (5:25). This is demonstrated when we are gentle in restoring a fellow believer (6:1) and in bearing each other’s burdens (6:2) while remaining humble (6:3). In 6:6-10, Paul continues his instructions on what it means to live in the liberty of the Sprit, what I have called the Four Ps. Chapter 6 is often titled “Doing Good for Others.” All of this must be done by and through the Sprit, or the results will be of the flesh. (Mark 14:37-38). (1) Provisioning (v.6). We are to share our good blessings with those who share the good news. The laborers deserve their wages (Luke 10:7). Just as the temple priests were fed from the offerings presented to God, so, Paul instructs, those who proclaim the gospel should get their living from the gospel (1 Corinthians 9:13-14) (Note the Mishnah prohibitions against being paid for teaching Scripture; Paul turns this concept around, as does Jesus). (2) Plowing: (vv.7-8). Ever heard the term “sowing your wild oats?” Do not be deceived - God will not be mocked –what does Paul mean by this? To mock – mukterizo (Greek) which means “the nose”, or to turn up one’s nose at, or sneer at, or treat with contempt. People do mock God (Proverbs 1:29-31), so God gives them over to their own devices (Romans 1:24-25) The difference here is that man may be fooled by appearances, but God knows what is in the
heart. (Proverbs 21:2, 24:12). God sees and knows what is in the heart, and will know when our acts of righteousness are in fact for self (Acts 5:1-11, especially v. 4) As Paul says, one will reap what one sows. There may be forgiveness but there will always be consequences. (Jeremiah 12:13; Proverbs 22:8; 2 Samuel 11 and 12 – the ripple effect of David’s sin with Bathsheba, including the death of an innocent man, death of a child, and ultimately chaos within his life and household). There will be an inevitable harvest from what you sow – our activities never have a neutral impact on life; think of the so-called butterfly effect. Reap: – Greek: therizo – in this passage is used twice in comparison (and again in verse 9) of the reaping of corruption which is transient, versus conduct which reaps eternal life – meaning that a person’s characteristics and moral qualities are in view. The key element that creates the contrast – The Holy Spirit. Reaping in and by the Holy Spirit relates to both this life and eternal life. (Romans 8:13; James 5:7-8; 2 Corinthians 9:6). You cannot mock God; you will reap what you sow. You can reap in the flesh, or in the Spirit. The choice is yours, but the results will affect many. (3) Persevering (v.9). There will be seasons of plenty and seasons of little – the key is to stay close to God. (Philippians 4:11-13). The Good News: you don’t have to persevere only by your own flesh! Be strong and courageous and trust that God is at work (Joshua 1:5,6,7,9,18 (b)) Stand fast, as perseverance and trust in God will have a harvest in due time (1 Timothy 4:16; Hebrews 10:26; James 1:12). (4) Prioritizing (v. 10). Watch for opportunities to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace (1 Peter 4:10) Do good to everyone, but especially fellow believers, as in unity and mutual focus, the church will be built up and others see the power of the Lord. (Ephesians 4:11-16; John 13:34-35) The entire process of providing, plowing, persevering and prioritizing, represents not a single act, but a life style. This represents living a life of freedom in Christ and not a slave to the law.