Being from deep South Georgia, I have seen many huge fields of corn, peanuts and cotton. It is difficult to describe the size of these fields. One would have to go see them for themselves. One would not be looking at the plains or the prairie where there are miles upon miles of unobstructed vegetation. But, they would be looking at huge fields which have been cleared and developed over the years. Piece by piece, families have bought land and spent huge amounts of effort to turn them into productive farm land.
Now, when those farmers plant a particular crop, that is exactly what they are expecting to reap. No one plants corn and reaps cotton or peanuts. They get exactly what they have planted. Corn seeds make corn. Peanuts produce peanuts. They get exactly what they have sown. It does not take the farmer by surprise when he reaps corn when he planted corn. He is not caught off guard at all. When he goes to harvest cotton, he is not expecting to find out that he should have brought a peanut combine with him. He knows that a cotton picker is what is needed.
The same principle is also true in the spiritual world and we should be wise enough to remember what God says about it. In Galatians 6:7-9, we are given a principle that will remain unbroken as long as time remains. It doesn’t matter if one is a Christian or not. This does not apply just to those of us who trust in Jesus for eternal life. It applies to all humanity no matter what they believe or even if they say they have no faith at all. In our quoted passage, God lays down this law:
“Be not deceived, God is not mocked, for whatever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.”
God knows exactly what a person is doing at any and all times. No one can fool Him or surprise His. If God could be surprised by something that would mean that He is no longer God because one of His attributes is that He is omniscient, that is, He knows everything. Nothing is hidden from Him. So, if a person thinks that they can do something that is a sin before God and get away with it, he will soon find out about this little law that God has put in place….”whatever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” It would be good if everyone remembered this law.
Some people would say the law this way: “what goes around comes around.” Have you ever noticed that this happens to people. In his own life, a person needs to remember that God is watching; always watching and He will put His law into place when we do something that violates God or man. God cannot be caught by surprise on any issue in my life or yours and His justice will be meted out. If a man sows happiness and kindness, he will reap the same. If a person sows discord and hatred, he will reap the same thing. It may take a while but it will happen. If one mistreats another person and takes advantage of them, they will have a time in their life when they realize that what is happening to them was exactly what they did to someone else. When a person lies and deceives, they can rest assured that there will be a time when they will be lied to and deceived as well.
It is also stated in our passage of scripture that what a person sowed, they will reap THAT same thing. This little law is specific. It will be the same thing that they sowed at an earlier time. That should make everyone to be very careful as to how they treat others. God is watching and applying the law just as Gal. 6:7 tells us.
If one sows to the flesh they will reap the corruption of the flesh. If they sow to the spirit they will reap everlasting life. Now which do you want? Corruption or everlasting life with God. The outcome will be dependent upon what you sowed. Don’t be careless about this and dismiss it. You will come upon it again in your life because of the little law we are discussing. If you sow bad, you will reap bad. If you sow good then you will harvest good. It is as simple as that.
If a person is saved, they will have the Holy Spirit guiding them into all righteousness. This is God’s way of seeking for you to sow things that are of the spirit. He gives us the Holy Spirit to guide us and He will lead us to plant good things and reap even better things from the Lord. Lost people, those who have rejected God’s Grace through Jesus Christ, do not have this Holy Spirit guiding them. They are headed for some tragic times in life that can be averted by the presence of the Lord guiding their lives with His Holy Spirit.
Just remember this: God can never break a law of His. It won’t happen.
Want to avoid “what goes around comes around?” Want to reap life everlasting and miss the judgment from our little law in Galatians 6:7-8? Commit yourself to Jesus Christ and God will take care of you and bring completeness to your life by rewarding you with eternal life.
4-6-2024….Wm F. Harrell
