His times got worse, and he missed making the varsity team for the state finals. But I saw one that was especially weird. However carelessly men may go on while they live, they secretly cling to the hope that they shall be found among the saints when they die. 6:8). That is what I am and what I mean to be, in the hope that he may repent of his great transgressions, and looking to Jesus upon the cross, may receive forgiveness of his sins ere it is too late. Daily Walking with God - April 3, Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. (6) In Gal 5:21-note Paul warns that the person who continually practices ("practice" = present tense) the deeds of the flesh (compare "sows to the flesh") will not inherit the kingdom of God (synonym for salvation, "eternal life"). Our lot after death depends, humanly speaking, That bell maker’s death reminds me of the words of Psalm 7:16, “His trouble shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down on his own crown.” If we continue to indulge in the works of the flesh, moving deeper and deeper into the pit of depravity, then we can be certain of the harvest we will receive—corruption. The Continual Burnt Offering: Daily meditations on the Word of God). Perhaps you have no idea of the extent to which the black plague has grown in this country. One might argue that a reference to rewards at the judgment Seat is implicit, but it is not specifically stated and thus it is a suppositional statement which is always tenuous when seeking the most accurate interpretation. KJV, Open Bible, Red Letter Edition, Comfort Print: Complete Reference System . The farmer who waits for the most opportune moment to plant when there is no wind to blow away the seed, and to reap when there is no rain to ruin a ripe harvest, will never do anything but sit around waiting for the right moment. There couldn’t be a better argument for hell. Eternal life speaks of the whole of life, both of body and soul, the glorified life of the resurrection on the new earth. Galatians 6:8 Context. All went well until he misjudged a jump and ended up with his leg under a Yamaha. There is a grand saying recorded of the martyred Reformer, Bishop Hooper, when one urged him to recant before he was burned, saying, "Life is sweet and death is bitter." It follows that essentially all of our life (sleep might be an exception) is characterized by continual sowing -- every moment of every day we are either sowing to the flesh or the Spirit. (Commentary on the Greek text of the epistle of Galatians). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House), Yet in view of the Pauline use of pneuma (Ro 8:21, 1Co 15:42, 50), the reference to the flesh in the immediate context, and the antithesis of eternal life in the second member of the sentence, it seems probable that by phthoran Paul means that corruption and death of the body, from which, for those who have not lived according to the spirit, there is no rising to eternal life. For (hoti) ("confirmatory" = Eadie) - Paul now explains why God absolutely cannot be mocked (despite men thinking they can in fact mock Him!) Unscrupulous, dishonest, God-denying people are often the ones who prosper the most. When the work was completed, he presented the bell to the Emperor, who had it suspended in the church tower. Most cases of blindness in infants is caused by disease in their fathers. Today’s poor choices are a down payment on tomorrow’s problems. I asked where your water came from and they told me from the old muddy Missouri. 30: Galatians The New American Commentary. Now is the time to turn from darkness unto light, and to make our calling and election sure. David traded his reputation for a night of passion (2Sa 11:1, 2, 3,4, 5, 6ff). Phthora pictures a departure from the original or from what is pure or correct and aptly depicts the moral filth and pollution of the world without God! (Cole, R. A. Vol. The seeds we sow today The fishing trip cost him many years of freedom. This is no doubt a truth, but we do not apprehend that the words of the apostle so much embody that truth as the more general one (Ed: as emphasized in these notes) (An exposition of the Epistle of Paul to the Galatians), To help us accurately interpret Galatians 6:8, let us keep in mind several specific observations that are undeniable…. (New Living Translation Study Bible. Remembering that pelicans zoom headfirst from a considerable height into schools of fish to obtain their meals, I wondered if this particular bird had seen such a tempting catch that he dove into water that was too shallow for him and hit bottom. No, it’s more likely that we’ve become what we’ve been becoming all along. The devil doesn’t let a man stop to think what he is doing, that in every added indulgence in a drink he grows weaker. In the present context, Paul uses flesh in its moral/ethical or spiritual sense which is typified by an outlook orientated toward self, a propensity/predilection to commit sin, an active adversity/opposition to God and a relentless pursuit of one's own ends in self-sufficient, independence from God. I have seen more drunken men since I came to Omaha, more drunken men in the tabernacle than I have seen in any other city in seven years. (3.) But Galatians 6:9 says, "Let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due season we shall reap, if we do not lose heart." I did the saloon route for a time handing out invitations to men’s meetings in Farwell Hall. That’s easy. Adam was the federal head of God's creation. But be ashamed of your harvest Because of the fierce anger of the LORD.". If we planted corn and got pumpkins, we would be greatly surprised. When King David committed adultery, he tried to cover his sin, but God chastened him severely. And I understand some of you old married rakes are at it, too. 9:15. You drink because there is alcohol in it, and if the alcohol was taken out you might as well drink water. Mt. (Phillips: Touchstone). Ecclesiastes 11:4 He who watches the wind will not sow and he who looks at the clouds will not reap. God has promised that it shall terminate in glory. Regard it as the stuff of which life is made, and never waste it or throw it away. Why? Every bone in the ball of his hand was broken; you never saw a hand like Frank had. Cling to Jesus. If we permit the old sin nature to mount the throne of our life, we dishonour the Lord and will reap the bitter fruit of sinfulness, but if we keep the Old Man nailed to the cross and live for Christ alone.. we will reap the everlasting fruit of righteousness, for he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life. Nature writes in one’s body the penalty of sin as every doctor knows. There in another obvious rewards context Jesus links faithfulness in serving Him with experiencing an abundant eternal life. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. He was a pathetic sight! Aionios is an epithet of quantity, not of quality. Now—Or Later- The principle that we reap what we sow is taught and illustrated throughout the Bible. But once we are born from above, we became part of a new, perfect creation, with a new nature and a new life in Christ. When I played baseball and was serving the devil, I circled the bases in fourteen seconds from a standing point, and I believe I can do it now. 8:7). It will remain to be contemplated through eternity… the same may be said of each day. Having stated the general sentiment, he now divides it into parts. Nashville: Thomas Nelson or Logos). The new nature of the regenerate affects also spiritual objects and employments. (Octavius Winslow. It takes time to grow a spiritual harvest. From the flesh, or as that which indulgence in fleshly appetites properly produces. I haven’t a word to say against the rich man who got his wealth honestly and is trying to do good with it. Those who live a carnal sensual life, who instead of employing themselves to the honour of God and the good of others, spend all their thoughts, and care, and time, about the flesh, must expect no other fruit of such a course than corruption—a mean and short-lived satisfaction at present, and ruin and misery at the end of it. "For every idle word that men speak they shall give account in the day of judgment." The best reason for doing what's right today is tomorrow. Sometimes we try to keep parts of our lives separate from our faith in Christ. THE FLESH or THE SPIRIT! The Holy Spirit invariably inclines men to the love of God, and of holiness. When I was with the Chicago Y.M.C.A. Young's Literal: because he who is sowing to his own flesh, of the flesh shall reap corruption; and he who is sowing to the Spirit, of the Spirit shall reap life age-during; FOR THE ONE WHO SOWS TO HIS OWN FLESH WILL FROM THE FLESH REAP CORRUPTION: hoti o speiron (PAPMSN) eis ten sarka heautou ek tes sarkos therisei (3SFAI) phthoran: EVERY THOUGHT, WORD, DEED With what seed, again I ask, are you sowing for the future? But short as our life is here, and endless as it will be hereafter, it is a tremendous thought that eternity hinges upon time. Father, I want to live my life in spirit and truth and keep the old sin nature out of commission and nailed to the cross. What extreme folly is it to live regardless of God and our own souls! Many a time I have found poor old Frank asleep on a beer table. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc, George, T. Vol. But then the tables were turned. I say they are interlopers in decent society. 2 Corinthians 9:6 Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Jude records that mockers will sow their corrupt seeds of ungodliness…, In the last time there will be mockers, following after their own ungodly lusts. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press), George Clark comments that "shall of the flesh reap corruption" speaks of "moral corruption, eternal death, the opposite of eternal life. No. There is not a law in the United States which prohibits. (Vine, W. Collected writings of W. E. Vine. a Christian may argue. What a man sows follows the universal law of "kind reproduces kind." In everything we do and say, In this context, these words refer to the Galatians who in following the teachings of the Judaizers, catered to the desires of the evil nature. Israel could never be vanquished by foes from the outside. But it is all a delusion. In the Bible, we see some examples. Do as you please until the undertaker comes and puts you in a coffin and then the Lord will have his say. When he fled to Ahimelech, the priest, David resorted to an untruth. How much longer are we going to stand it? That was true of a 30-year-old Mississippi resident. In that world time shall be no more. (Ps 90:9. If, on the contrary, it be done in obedience to the spirit, it quickens spiritual growth, and issues eventually in a harvest of eternal life. Some of the diseases from drinking are locomotor ataxia, stammering, jaundice, Bright’s disease. Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books, Octavius Winslow. If you want to make swill barrels out of your stomachs, go ahead. Sows (4687) (speiro from spao = draw out, pull) literally means to scatter (seed) and the opposite of reaping or gathering. By faith and obedience we can put every divine law to work for us. Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, Hendriksen, W., & Kistemaker, S. J. NT Commentary Set. And we will surely reap the fruit Rather, I ask that in the power of the Holy Spirit, I may sow to the Spirit, and live my life in humble submission.. and unto the Lord, for His praise and glory, in Jesus name I pray, AMEN. Like those that our hands have planted, Nashville: Thomas Nelson, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, McKnight, S. The NIV Application Commentary: Galatians. The most "popular" interpretation seems to be #1 but there are some excellent expositors of Scripture who hold interpretation #2. Ga) Christian Bible Study Resources, Dictionary, Concordance and Search Tools For a man to preach and practice the gospel of Jesus Christ makes him trustworthy. When Adam sinned, man died spiritually, leaving every member of humanity dead in trespasses and sin. And the law of sowing and reaping may be brought to our service and made to toil for our everlasting good. [⇑ See verse text ⇑] Paul has just written in Galatians 6:2 that we are to bear each other's burdens. Instead they will think only of their own desires and ambitions, and the pursuit of these desires and ambitions will likely ruin their lives here, and will surely ruin their hopes of life in eternity. Sarx as used in this manner denotes the entire fallen human being—not just the sinful body but the entire being, including the soul and mind, as affected by sin. When it is once past, it is gone forever. Galatians 6:8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life (NASB: Lockman). They who do this will gather fruit corresponding to the seed which they have sown, — will heap up that which shall miserably perish… And what else does this mean, but to be so entirely devoted to the flesh, as to direct all our thoughts to its interests or convenience? Amplified: For he who sows to his own flesh (lower nature, sensuality) will from the flesh reap decay and ruin and destruction, but he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. determine the kind of fruit we’ll reap tomorrow. Some men say they drink because it makes them cool in summer and warm in winter. (Mt 12:36.) (MacArthur, J. Galatians. Everything in hell is debased and. All rights reserved), We're always sowing seeds in life The future recompense will be everlasting destruction. Some of you let 1,000 gallons of beer slop drain through you to get the value of one and three-quarter pounds of beefsteak. (The Epistle to the Galatians Commentary), In like manner, he that sows to the flesh-who indulges his sensual and animal appetites, shall have corruption as the crop: you cannot expect to lead a bad life and go to heaven at last. How can we possibly expect a righteous and holy God to bless unrighteousness? The apostle now encourages to the second kind of sowing in Gal 6:9f (“But in well-doing") (Galatians 6 Commentary Online). To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. The people, however, were unable to ring it. (The Epistle of Paul to the Churches of Galatia), “Sowing to the flesh” means living for the flesh, investing time and money on things that will not last; “sowing to the Spirit” means spending time and money on things eternal. He laughed and said he would never be a drunkard. At salvation we were removed from the old creation in Adam and placed into the new creation in Christ. The one who does the latter is walking by the Spirit (5:16), and is being led by the Spirit (5:18). Obey His commands. They who sow tares cannot reap wheat. Reprinted by permission. It is as if every thought, word and deed is "depositing" funds in one of two investment accounts… either the flesh or the Spirit! If it springs from selfish desire, it stimulates the growth of evil lusts, and issues in a harvest of inward corruption. The Bible teaches plainly, that as we die, whether converted or unconverted, whether believers or unbelievers, whether godly or ungodly, so shall we rise again when the last trumpet sounds. Use them all as one who remembers eternity. Never be careless about them. She leaned over and whispered: “Frank, the doctors say it won’t be very long now.” Frank looked up and said: “Send for Bill.” I hurried over to the house, and as I stood beside his bed he reached up his left hand and put it around my neck and drew me down to him. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers), Corruption is not the cessation of human existence, but is the positive existence of grief and woe, temporal and eternal. And a lot of you young bucks walk around with a pistol in your hip pockets, and if it would explode it would blow your brains out. The wicked scoundrel, though, had enough sense to admit that God was causing him to reap what he had sown (v.7). In this passage 'flesh' refers to the old sinful self - 'the Old Man' as the Bible calls it. But here in Galatians 6 the Christian’s life is likened to a country estate, and the flesh and the Spirit are two fields in which we may sow seed. Eternal life - Speaks of both the present possession and the future hope (absolute certainty of future good) of all believers. Its beak was crisscrossed, as if someone had pulled the upper and lower parts in opposite directions. (McKnight, S. The NIV Application Commentary: Galatians. (Stott, J. R. W. The message of Galatians: Only one way. Page 287. All some men have is money. No. In this context, these words refer to the Galatians who in following the teachings of the Judaizers, catered to the desires of the evil nature. When you’re tempted to sin, remember the pelican with the mangled beak. The punishment of licentiousness and intemperance in this life is commonly loathsome and offensive disease; and, when long indulged, the sensualist becomes haggard, and bloated, and corrupted, and sinks into the grave. An artist named Tancho was employed by the church to make it. Just remember, however, that it will not be long before you and I go to the beyond. One day I met a young man I had known in Iowa. No. ", The final harvest that comes from our sowing—is in our own character. A conviction for felony drunk driving resulted in his getting a 15-year prison sentence. Therizo - 24x in 23v in the Septuagint (LXX). In the grave--the home to which the sensualist rapidly travels. Apart from eternal separation from God, the most horrible thing about hell is the incorrigibility of those who go there. Steve learned an important lesson: All of our actions are connected. Corruption - Speaks of decay and degeneration, of going from "better to worse"! No virtue will linger and live on the plains of ruin, but all shah be depravity and woe. All rights reserved). So kind is God and so thoughtful of His creatures. Nothing was broken, but having a banged-up calf muscle took a toll on his cross-country season. He caught before they had chest protectors and masks and gloves. They care for nothing else, but I believe they are in the minority. Sowing to the flesh means to allow the old nature to have its way. It is immortal from its living union with Him who “only hath immortality.”, The continued and wilful indulgence of our unrenewed nature becomes its own penalty, as it does not realize the end of its being, and unfitting itself for blessedness, sinks and darkens into ruin; but the work of the Spirit of God, fostered within us and consciously elevated into predominant and regulative influence, ripens surely into blessedness. The Apostle spoke of himself thus (Ro 7:18-note). Works of the flesh are totally rejected by the Lord. All other things shall perish- the world with its loveliness and love, the "lust, of the flesh, and the lust of the eye, and the pride of life," all shall pass away and vanish; but not one seed of grace implanted in the heart of man by the Holy Spirit shall ever perish. Let us be convinced of our folly, and learn wisdom even from the children of this world. (Ryle ends with a series of questions, the one most related to our subject at hand being the following). (NLT - Tyndale House), Phillips: If he sows for his own lower nature his harvest will be the decay and death of his own nature. 3, 4]. Octavius Winslow has the following devotional on Gal 6:7-8…. Shooting is too good for him. Whatever we do in religion must be done now. Of what we're planting every day. A fool is one who'd stay; Comment: This proverb criticizes those who are overly cautious. He said: “Bill, there is nothing that gives me so much comfort as to have you come down on an occasion like this. Frank Flint, our old catcher, who caught for nineteen years, drew $3,500 a year on an average. For the Spirit is the grand life-giver and preserver operating through an inner law of life laid down by God. This sounds harsh but it is absolutely Scriptural. Let all go forward, “sowing in tears that they may reap in joy.” (Galatians 6:7, 8 The Ground of God's Final Decision), The point of the warnings in 6:7 becomes clear in 6:8 as Paul relates these verses with word links involving sowing and reaping. Only those in Christ have a choice of sowing either to the flesh or Spirit. Such people harvest decay and death. Speiro is used figuratively to describe the sowing of the "seed" of the Word of God, the Gospel (="the word of the kingdom" - Mt13:19, cp Mk 4:14 15, 16, 18), "the ideas and precepts that have been implanted like seed in their hearts, ie, received in their hearts (Mk 4:18)." He that soweth to his flesh - In like manner, he that sows to the flesh - who indulges his sensual and animal appetites, shall have corruption as the crop: you cannot expect to lead a bad life and go to heaven at last. If it springs from selfish desire, it stimulates the growth of evil lusts, and issues in a harvest of inward corruption. There is a law against murder, but does it prohibit? The yield will be like the seed. Some “works of the flesh,” such as “hatred” are wholly unrelated to the body. The One! But just in that way do the liver and kidneys filter your blood and when you fill your system with alcohol you stop the filtering process. How absurd would it be to be diverted from our duty by any difficulties we may meet with in the discharge of it! If what I hear about you young bucks is true, when you come back home from trips, no decent girl ought to speak to you, allow you in their homes or even to look at you. The umpire had leaned over him and said: “You’re out.”, Frank Flint sat on the street corner with me twenty-nine years ago, when I said, “Boys, I am through.”. That which might have brought reward by being invested in the Lord’s work will be nothing but a decayed mass, a complete loss in terms of eternity. I’ll not pump you full of hot air, and what I preach I’ll practice. --Dave Branon (Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Nothing but corruption. Listen! ), "What is our life? Spaulding said: “Meet us in England, and play with us through England, Scotland and Wales.”. If sin wasn’t so deceitful it would not be so attractive. Mike Kelley was sold to Boston for $10,000. Christianity is capital and capital is character. Baker Book, MacArthur, J. Galatians. How are you using your TIME? But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. Han Lobert and some of the rest may have equaled it, but none has ever beaten it. To think that we can expect God to bless that which is of the flesh is an insult and an offense to God (Ed: And a vain attempt to "mock" Him). corrupt; and the whole harvest of sensuality, in this world and the world to come, is degradation and defilement. Now, after saying that we should take honest stock of the effectiveness of our work in Christ, instead of merely comparing ourselves to each other, Paul writes that each of us will, in fact, have to bear our own load. ASV: For he that soweth unto his own flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth unto the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap eternal life. The process in both cases is a certain one—therisie (will reap)—as certain as that between sowing and reaping; and the identity of the harvest with the seed sown is emphatically marked—ek tes sarkos… ek tou pneumatos. Reprinted by permission. Thus, not our pleas and pretences, but our life and conduct, will determine our eternal state—Our harvest will accord with the seed we sow. —DJD Sow good seed and you will reap good fruit. 2/19/20 7:46 AM: The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Yet he was a godly man. : College Press), A selfish Christian soweth to his flesh, spending his resources to gratify his own personal desires. Shall we then be discouraged, whose seed-time is so precarious, and whose harvest is so important? The way to deal with a law of God is to work along with it. What terrible misery there will be for you there; yet it will only be your own sin in its ripeness, your own transgression fully developed; and that awful harvesting will be infinitely more than you will be able to bear. I don’t know if this is what happened, but it made me think about the consequences and sometimes permanent effects of bad choices. The white of the egg will harden. The Bible says, “I marvel that you are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ to another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. A person’s final standing before God will be determined by that person’s relationship to Jesus Christ as revealed in his or her works. All rights reserved), It's wise to flee when tempted— So the question we need to ask ourselves is: Which way am I growing? Flesh is opposed to God and godliness. Are you preparing to meet God? Those who live by the Spirit’s power and trust in God will harvest everlasting life. (George, T. Vol. Mike sat there on the corner with me twenty-nine years ago when I said, “I bid you good-by.”. The effects of our choices may be in the here and now, or they may be experienced in the hereafter, when we stand before God. Clarke's Galatians 6:8 Bible Commentary. Reprinted by permission. Leicester, England; Downer's Grove, Ill., U.S.A.: Inter-Varsity Press, Commentary on the Greek text of the epistle of Galatians, Vine, W. Collected writings of W. E. Vine. One of the first indications of a crushed strawberry stomach is a crushed strawberry nose. What happens to these contrasted representative individuals? You cannot measure a man’s success by the rattle of the cash register. There all shall be corrupt. What we envision here is a divisiveness that was leading to shunning sinning brothers and sisters, to arrogant leadership, to comparing one’s righteousness with another’s, and to outright ugly treatment of teachers. I was converted in Chicago and forsook the old crowd. This was a sad chapter in David's life, but he was not forsaken. The trade-off was simple: Stay home and out of trouble for 1 year instead of going to prison for 15. Men cannot mock God because they can deceive themselves. (1) Some commentators feel that the descriptions of sowing to the flesh and sowing to the Spirit describe genuine believers. The night comes when no man can work. God abated the storm and the ship went into the harbor safely. One year later he was down and out, his job gone and his home wrecked. In other words, natural cause and effect still applies, both to the Christian and to the …