Be Not Deceived!

Text:  Galatians 6:7-10  Body:

I.            You Reap What You Sow  Galatians 6:7 “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.” NKJV  “This principle is so true that Paul begins by telling us not to question its validity!  He says, ‘Be not deceived; God is not mocked. . .’  The word deceived comes from the Greek word planao, which means to lead astray; to wander; to stagger; to be led off course; or to be affected by someone’s outside influence and led in a wrong direction.  The planao is typically in the New Testament to depict the activity of false teachers who deliberately lead people from liberty into teaching that enslaves them in some kind of spiritual bondage.  When Paul wrote this verse, the language he used was a command coupled with a very strong prohibition.  This means he was forbidding his readers from participating in something that seemed to have already been initiated.  Because he spoke so prohibitively, it could correctly be translated, ‘Stop being deceived.’  Stop being misled!  He was rebuking a weakness that was already developing among the Galatians and that he wanted to halt!  Could it be that false teachers were trying to tell the Galatians that the law of sowing and reaping didn’t really work?  It seems so.  Paul stands firm on the principle of sowing and reaping and lets his voice be heard as he states, ‘. . . God is not mocked. . .’  The word mocked is the Greek word mukteridzo, and it means to turn up one’s nose at someone, as if mocking or laughing at the person.  The idea is of someone who arrogantly says, ‘Come on, you surely don’t believe this stupid principle of sowing and reaping.  How dumb can you be to believe that God will multiply what you sow!’  Don’t treat God with contempt!  He’s not to be trifled with.  Don’t ridicule Him!  Paul doesn’t want this negativism and unbelief to worm its way into the thinking of the Galatian church, so he speaks loudly, firmly, and prohibitively, commanding the Galatian believers to disassociate themselves with anyone who dares to turn up his nose at the law of sowing and reaping.  Then Paul boldly declares what he believes: ‘. . . Whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap.’  The word soweth is the word speiro, which refers to any seed that is sown.  Notice the emphasis on any seed that is sown.  This immediately alerts us to the fact that this law is not applicable only to finances, but to anything in life.  It applies to love, to work, to time, to patience, to kindness, to forgiveness, to bitterness, to selfishness – and, of course, to money.  All of these are potential ‘seeds’ that we sow.”  Unknown Source  Note I Corinthians 9:11.  This verse has a similar thought.  “If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it a great thing if we reap your material things?” NKJV  “Making the definition of soweth even broader is the word whatsoever, which in Greek is the word ean.  This word literally throws open the door, for it means whatever, whatever thing, or no matter what a man sows.  Again, Paul lets us know that this is a law of God that applies to every sphere of life with no exceptions.  It is simply a fact:  Whatever you sow, regardless of what it is, you will reap it.  The Greek tense does not denote a single, one-time sowing; rather, it pictures a person who continually, habitually sows.  Therefore, it could be translated, ‘Whatsoever a man sows, sows, sows, and sows and keeps on habitually sowing and sowing and sowing. . .’  In other words, this describes a constant, steady, perpetual sowing of seed.  And if you sow this seed steadily and faithfully, God’s promise is that you will reap a harvest.  The word for reap is in the same Greek tense, meaning that it could be translated, ‘You will reap, reap, reap, and reap – and keep on habitually reaping and reaping and reaping.’ ”  Unknown Source  (II Corinthians 9:6-10) “But this I say:  He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.  So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.  And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.  As it is written:  ‘He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever.’  Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness,” NKJV  The level at which you sow determines the level you will reap.  Sow a little, and you’ll reap a little.  Sow a lot, and you’ll reap a lot.  Sow inconsistently, and you’ll reap inconsistently.  Sow regularly and you will reap regularly. 

II.          Sowing to the Flesh/ Sowing to the Spirit  Galatians 6:8 “For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.” NKJV 

·       Sowing to the flesh – fleshly indulgence  (Galatians 5:15-21, 24) “But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!  I say then: ‘Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.  For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.  But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.  Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are:  adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.  24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” NKJV  Alcohol, drugs, sexual immorality. . .  Will reap corruption, rot.  (II Peter 1:4) “by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the living nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” NKJV  See also Romans 8:5-10. “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.  For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.  Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.  So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.  But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you.  Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.  And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.” NKJV

·       Sowing to the Spirit  The Spirit is the guiding animating influence in the Christian’s life. (Romans 8:11) “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.” NKJV  Walking in the Spirit produces fruit of the Spirit.  (Galatians 5:22-25) “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.  Against such there is no law.  And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” NKJV  Sowing to the Spirit reaps eternal life.  (Romans 8:5-6) “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.  For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” NKJV 

III.        Don’t Grow Tired of Sowing Good  Galatians 6:9-10 “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.  Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.” NKJV  

·       Don’t get discouraged if the harvest doesn’t come quickly.  (James 5:7) “Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord.  See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain.” NKJV

·       Don’t give up and give in.  Don’t faint from exhaustion.  (II Thessalonians 3:13) “But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good.” NKJV

·       Maintain diligence.  Be consistent, be faithful in doing good, doing what’s right.  Use the opportunities that arise.  (Titus 3:8) “This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works.  These things are good and profitable to men.” NKJV

Conclusion:

What have you been sowing?  Have you been sowing to the flesh or the Spirit? 

Bobby Stafford 

September 11, 2016