"A Harvest of Righteousness!"

INTRODUCTION: The universe is under the control of unchangeable laws!

The physical sciences are, in essence, the study of those physical laws. Apart from the consistent operation of absolute laws, life as we know it could not exist!

In Galatians 6:6-10, Paul uses a well-known law of botany—that a given seed can only reproduce its own kind—to illustrate God’s equally absolute laws in the moral & spiritual realms!

After giving instructions for the restoration of “…someone overtaken in any wrongdoing” (6:1), he now focuses on some REALITIES to a life of being, “…in step with the Spirit” (5:25):

1. The DANGER of DECEPTION – (v.7a) – “Don’t be deceived…”

“deceived” is from πλανᾶσθε, which has the primary meaning of leading astray, however, the context seems to indicate that the danger is not from without (false teachers), but rather from within—self-deception!

Jeremiah 17:9 CSB

The heart is more deceitful than anything else, and incurable—who can understand it?

James 1:22 CSB

But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

James 1:26 CSB

If anyone thinks he is religious without controlling his tongue, his religion is useless and he deceives himself.

1 John 1:8 CSB

If we say, “We have no sin,” we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

Added is the further danger from the work of Satan, the Deceiver!

2 Corinthians 11:3 CSB

But I fear that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your minds may be seduced from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.

Paul is saying, “Just because you’re saved, don’t think you can sin without consequence! You are terribly deceived if you think God does not deal with sin in the lives of His children!”

Hebrews 12:10–11 CSB

For they disciplined us for a short time based on what seemed good to them, but he does it for our benefit, so that we can share his holiness. No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

2. GOD IS NOT MOCKED – (v.7b)

You cannot ‘turn your nose up’, ‘to scorn or sneer’ God (which is the literal meaning of the Greek, μυκτηρίζεται)!

A similar dual warning of deception & mocking is given in (1 John 1:8-10)

1 John 1:8–10 CSB

If we say, “We have no sin,” we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say, “We have not sinned,” we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

Stott: “What the apostle is saying is that men may fool themselves, but they cannot fool God! They may think that they can escape this law of seed-time and harvest, but they cannot! They may go on sowing their seeds and closing their eyes to the consequences, but one day God Himself will bring in the harvest.”

If we REAP WHAT WE SOW (and we do), then we must ask: “What do I WANT to reap? What kind of harvest do I want from my life?”

If we desire to “…reap eternal life from the Spirit,” we need to do FOUR THINGS:

I. SOW THE RIGHT SEED! (6:7c)

“…For whatever a person sows he will also reap”

This principle is based on God’s design in creation, AND His promise to Noah – (Genesis 8:22)!

This law is as unchangeable as the law of gravity!

(Job 4:8-9) (Proverbs 11:24-26) (Hosea 8:7; 10:12-13a)

If a farmer wants a harvest, he must sow seed. Moreover, the kind of harvest he will get is determined in advance by the kind of seed he sows!

This is true of its NATURE, its QUALITY, and its QUANTITY!

Sow wheat = reap wheat; sow corn = reap corn!

Sow good seed = good crop; sow bad seed = bad crop!

So generously = reap generously; Sow sparingly = reap sparingly!

2 Corinthians 9:6 CSB

The point is this: The person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously will also reap generously.

In SUMMARY: If a farmer wants a bumper harvest, then he must not only sow the RIGHT seed, but GOOD seed, and that PLENTIFUL!

II. SOW IN THE RIGHT FIELD! (6:8)

According to our text, the believer has two “fields” in which he or she can sow:

1. The FLESH/Sinful Nature! – (v.8a)

The person who “…sows to his flesh” panders to its evil desires instead of letting the spirit subdue it; he submits to its “passions and desires” (5:24), instead of crucifying it!

The RESULT is that he “…will reap destruction”

From, “φθοράν” – refers to degeneration, going from better to worse!

(NKJV) – “corruption”

The deeds of the flesh are corruptive because they make a person progressively worse!

John Stott – “Some Christians sow to the flesh every day and wonder why they do not reap holiness! Holiness is a “harvest”; whether we reap it or not depends almost entirely on what and where we sow!”

2. The Spirit – (v.8b)

The believer who is preoccupied with the things of God rather than the things of the world will produce the “fruit of the Spirit!”

(Galatians 5:16, 24) (Ephesians 5:18-21) (Philippians 4:8-9) (Colossians 3:1-2, 12-17)

III. SOW WITH THE RIGHT ATTITUDE! (6:9)

Just as there are two fields, there are two attitudes that are necessary:

1. PERSEVERANCE! – (v.9) – “Let us not get tired of doing good, […] if we don’t give up.”

J. Brown – “Many Christians are like children; they would sow and reap the same day.”

(2 Thessalonians 3:13) (Hebrews 12:1-3)

2. PATIENCE – (v.9b) – “…for we will reap at the proper time if we don’t give up.”

(James 5:7-11)

IV. SOW TO THE RIGHT PEOPLE! (6:6, 10)

(v.10) – “Therefore…” connects to (v.8b) “…the one who sows to the Spirit,”has a practical expression!

“…as we have opportunity” translates, ‘καιρὸν ἔχομεν’ which is ‘time (singular) we have’ and refers not to occasional opportunities that may arise, but to the total opportunity of this present earthly life!

Your life is a UNIQUE, but LIMITED OPPORTUNITY to serve others in the Lord’s Name!

Our text identifies THREE groups you have an opportunity to serve:

1. TEACHERS of the WORD! – (v.6) (Luke 10:7) (1 Timothy 5:17-18)

2. To ALL PEOPLE – (v.10a) (cf. 5:14) (1 Peter 2:15-17)

3. To the HOUSEHOLD OF FAITH! – (v.10b) (John 13:35)