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. [galatians 6:8]
while this sounds very much like romans 8, the direct context here comes from how we plant and reap when it comes to our heart of giving: and the warning is dire –
“you are a steward–and if you use the resources that God has given to you to advance your kingdom–you will reap corruption–death!”
don’t interpret this the wrong way–if you are in Christ, you don’t lose your salvation, if you are in Christ, you don’t get punished for not being a generous giver–being a generous giver is the fruit of being in Christ.\
the root cause of someone who is not freely sharing their money, their time, their life is this:
they may not be a Christian.
remember this list?
now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. [galatians 5:19-21]
the desire for self-gratification, self-worship, selfishness, pride is at the root of all these works of the flesh. the sin that works itself outward as self-glorifying and self-sowing is not just being stingy and introverted and practicing what the world calls “self-love/self-care”, it is rebellion and forsaking a God who owns everything! lack of generosity should be a flashing red light shouting “warning! warning!–are you Christ’s!?”
come to Christ and fall at his feet today in the presence of God–repent of your hoarding heart, ask for open eyes to see how he has lavished his love upon you! cry out like the psalmist:
incline my heart to your testimonies,
and not to selfish gain! [psalm 119:36]
satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love,
that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. [psalm 90:14]
when we open our hands and freely give of the resources that God has entrusted to us, we experience freedom and joy in Christ, and bring others into the fold to worship his holy name!
seek the presence of the Lord, seek him in the word sowing to the Spirit, as he sowed to the Spirit–worshiping his everlasting name eternally!
~ ce
more worship of Christ, the Sower: the sowers song by andrew peterson