“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”
but he who sows to the Spirit
Those who live for spiritual things will reap eternal things. This is the person who “walks in the Spirit” (5:16). This person allows the Holy Spirit to control him so that he produces the fruit of the Spirit.
“And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit…” (Ephesians 5:18).
will of the Spirit reap everlasting life
“Everlasting life” corresponds to benefits in eternity. The person who walks in the Spirit will produce a quality of life that reflects everlasting life, not temporal life.
“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10).
If the Galatians continue in legalism, they will lose out on eternal rewards. Legalism always focuses on man and what man can do. Grace always puts the emphasis on God and what God does. Legalism will cause our spirituality to deteriorate, while grace will build glory to God.
Principle:
It is impossible to reap without sowing; it is impossible to get a reward without spirituality.
Application:
God rewards those who walk in the Spirit. All genuine production that results in eternal rewards is the result of walking in the Spirit. In eternity, God rewards whatever we produce through the filling of the Spirit.
Legalism corrupts the dynamics of our eternal life. Carnal Christians are wretched people because they are out of sync with their eternal life. No one is more miserable than a Christian out of fellowship. When we allow the roots of sin such as bitterness, hatred, and resentment to embed themselves in our attitudes, we sow to the flesh.
Some people serve for applause. They serve people, not God. This is an issue of pride. They do church work, not work for God. When the pressure comes, they throw in the towel. “They have no right to treat me like that. I have my rights.” They become bitter, sour, and cynical. Everything with them is sour grapes, so their soul curdles. They go into spiritual retirement because people do not appreciate them. What a tragedy that they are out of spiritual circulation because of what someone said about them.
There are certain luxuries that we cannot afford. We cannot afford to serve Jesus Christ while out of fellowship. People may think well of our service, but it’s what God thinks that counts.
If we put very little into our spirituality, is it any wonder that we get very little out of it?
