Tuesday, August 26, 2014

The Reaping of Grace


     "Be not deceived.  God is not mocked.  For whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.  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 everlasting" (Galatians 6:7-8).

    We either sow to the flesh and reap the fruits of our own works, or we sow to the Spirit and reap the fruits of Christ's works.  

    Unbelief means that we attempt to go it on our own, so to speak, living in the delusion that we are not utterly dependent on God for "life and breath and all things" (Acts 17:25).  Faith in the Lord Jesus, conversely, involves trusting in His redeeming work on our behalf, and in His realized working for our benefit.  Every true believer has experienced the former as the basis of our new birth and salvation.  The latter, however, requires a lifelong devotion to the faith and submission to God whereby we "labor according to His working" (Colossians 1:29).  Countless opportunities present themselves for determination to realize and affirm that "to live is Christ."  We "look unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith" as the author and finisher of this or that particular issue, challenge, responsibility, and relationship (Philippians 1:21; Hebrews 12:2).  We can go it on our own if we choose, but never is there valid reason for the sowing of independence that leads to the reaping of corruption.  God rather offers to us the reaping of Christ's sowing, and thus of the "life everlasting" that promises not only eternal duration of existence, but exquisite revelation of our Lord's working on our behalf.

    "Verily, verily I say unto you, except a corn (grain) of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone.  But if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit" (John 12:24).

   The Lord Jesus is that grain of wheat, sown for us in death and raised for us in newness of life in order to bring forth much fruit in our lives.  Confidence in such Divine planting and harvesting produces the sowing of the Spirit rather than the flesh.  This day offers such grace in every venue of our lives.  Let us trust and submit ourselves to God as the sowing of faith that leads to the reaping of Christ's grace.  A bountiful harvest awaits, to the glory of God and the blessing of those in our lives who partake of the fruits planted and harvested in the garden of our hearts.

"Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the ungodly.  But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law doth he meditate day and night.  And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water that bringeth for his fruit in his season.  His leaf also shall not wither, and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper."
(Psalm 1:1-3)


Weekly Memory Verse
    Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.
(John 7:24)


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