Sowing and reaping: making the right choices

"You reap what you sow" is a well-known idiom, but this principle is also Biblical.

God said to Moses, “I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live.” Deuteronomy 30:19.

Life is full of choices. It is written in Proverbs to “ponder the path of your feet, and … remove your foot from evil.” Proverbs 4:26-27.  We need to think about our choices and what the consequences of our choices are. They can lead to corruption, or to eternal life.

“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to the flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.“ Galatians 6:7-8.

You choose in the time of temptation

Everything in life goes exactly according to what is written in God’s Word. There are no exceptions. This is a law of life that affects everyone, whether a believer or a non-believer. You will reap what you sow. All corruption that is in the world comes from lusts. (2 Peter 1:4) James asks, “Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members?” James 4:1.

All sin begins in the thought life. When a temptation comes up as a thought, if I agree with it, it gives birth to sin: and when sin is full grown (practiced) it brings forth death. (James 1:14-15) This death is reaping the wages of sin; a spiritual death, where one’s conscience becomes hardened and one cannot discern between good and evil. One lives in sin.

Read more about how to resist temptation here.

It’s written about the passing pleasures of sin which Moses rejected. What people don’t reckon with is that after the pleasure of sin passes the reaping of corruption will follow. It’s reaped in marital difficulties and divorce. It’s reaped with financial difficulties. It’s reaped in the thought life with images of past sinful behavior. One can be tormented with thoughts of regret, anxiety, suspicion, unthankfulness, bitterness, discontent and all sorts of bad memories. But Jesus can set us free from all of this and make us free indeed! (John 8:34-36)

God’s Word is the solution

We can overcome even while we have to reap, by taking up a battle in the thought life, taking thoughts captive and bringing them into the obedience of Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:3-5) These thoughts are to be met with a firm and unwavering “no” and then bringing our thoughts, as quickly as possible to God’s Word and in faith obeying the Word. Paul writes in connection with anxiety to meditate on whatever is noble, pure, lovely, of good report, virtue and anything praiseworthy. (Philippians 4:8) Over time one will come to rest from the reaping in the thought life.

It’s written about being hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. (Hebrews 3:13) Sin can be deceptive and Satan can make it appear as something very attractive by appealing to our reasoning. Just look around and you’ll see the fruit of such deception. You will see the wages of sin. Politicians, entertainers, sports stars, and just people in your daily sphere get exposed and reap corruption. They get abased because of pride.

Choose life!

Why not choose life and avoid all this unnecessary suffering and misery? Sow to the Spirit and instead reap eternal life! Paul writes in Romans that to be spiritually minded is life and peace. (Romans 8:6) If we walk in the Spirit, we will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. (Galatians 5:16-17) There is a battle in the thought life. The Spirit lusts against the flesh and the flesh against the Spirit. They are contrary to one another. But through the power of an eternal Spirit we can overcome those lusts of the flesh! Paul writes that if we give in to the works of the flesh we will not inherit the kingdom of God. That kingdom consists of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, which are the fruits of an overcoming life.

Paul also lists the fruits of the Spirit. “… love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control …” Galatians 5:22-23. And he exhorted Timothy to flee the things of the world and fight the fight of faith and lay hold on eternal life. (1 Timothy 6:11-12) Jesus also fought this fight. That battle resulted in perfection as a result of learning obedience in the sufferings. (Hebrews 5:8) All the fullness of God came to dwell in His spirit. He opened that way for us to follow Him on. It’s a fight worth fighting. So, in your daily situations choose life! You won’t regret it.