Our Liberty In Christ by Philip Mauro

deceived for a single season, and should sow the seeds of worthless plants!

The error might not be manifested for a long time. But the harvest-time would bring to view the serious consequences when too late to correct the mistake.

Let us then yield our best attention to this solemn Scripture. Let it search and expose all our ways. And if we sec, in its clear light, that we have been sowing to our own flesh, let us condemn ourselves now; and seek grace, in the little time that remains, to sow to the Spirit by keeping the commandments of Christ. It is by grace alone that we can labour abundantly in God’s harvest field; but we may, like Paul, find grace to employ our time and opportunities in such way as to be sure of some returns whereof we shall not be ashamed in the day of reaping. Let us then be “not weary in well doing; for in due season”—the time of harvest—“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.”

The importance of using the seed-time profitably in view of the reaping-time that is fast approaching, is brought before us in other Scriptures. “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy”—for the harvesting season is a time of rejoicing. “He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him” (Psa. 126:5, 6). This last verse speaks very distinctly of Christ, the “Sower Who went forth to sow,” and Who sowed the “precious seed” with sorrow and pain. But He had ever in view “the joy that was set before Him”—the joy of the coming “harvest of the earth.”

In Hosea 10:12 is a stirring exhortation to God’s peopie of old when they were in a state of departure from His ways. “Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the Lord until He come and rain righteousness upon you.” The righteous acts of the Lord’s people, that is to say, the things they do in obedience to His commands— doing good unto all men, especially to them who are of the household of faith—are so many seeds cast into the ground, over which God watches though they are covered from the view of men and forgotten; and which, through the rain of His blessing, will in due time yield a rich harvest.

To the same effect the apostle James was inspired to write: “And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of (or for) them that make peace” (James 3: 18). The context warns (3:16), as does Galatians 5:15, against envying and strife, and exhorts us to act as a wise man, showing his works out of a good manner of life with meekness of wisdom—the wisdom