Some years ago, I counseled a young Christian man who was depressed because of an ongoing, unresolved conflict with his ‘live-in,’ non-Christian girlfriend. As I sat there listening to him, I wondered how he could be so ignorant of God’s moral standards. Either that, or he was terribly presumptuous to think there would no negative consequence for his immorality?
Many times in my counseling ministry, I encountered people who were suffering the consequences of their sin—sometimes because of ignorance. My job was to help them ‘connect the dots’ between their choices and the consequences, teach them Biblical principles, and encourage better choices. What I saw in my counseling office epitomized a larger problem of widespread ignorance and unbelief. And, unfortunately, some have interpreted grace in a way that fosters permissiveness.
I believe there is an explanation for this “consequential” carelessness. If a person does not see immediate negative consequences for his wrongdoing, he “imagines” he has gotten away with it (1 Pet. 3:4, 8-9). The fallacy in this logic, of course, is thinking that judgment delayed is judgment averted. Evidently, some of the Christians in Galatia had become ambivalent about consequences. So Paul warns: “Don't be misled. Remember that you can't ignore God and get away with it. You will always reap what you sow” (Gal. 6:7 NLT)
But the principle of “sowing and reaping” has its moral equivalency—good conduct (obedience) has its rewards, “for the present life and the life to come.” (1 Tim. 4:8) And just as vehemently as we are warned against sowing to the flesh (Gal. 6:8), we are urged to sow to the spirit, with this promise: “he who sows bountifully shall also reap bountifully” (2 Cor. 9:6). If you really believe you reap what you sow, would you be sowing more? Would you change what you are sowing?
Greg,
ReplyDeleteIt was pointed out to me that, in Jesus' parable of the Sower, the Sower went out "to sow." That means he prepared the soil, secured the seed, and purposely aimed his seed into the prepared soil. If some seed feel by the wayside, or birds of the air consumed it, or if a non-weeded area received it, it was of no consequence to the Sower. He was only concerned with cultivating the seed that was purposed.
Not believing that you reap what you sow means there is no purpose in sowing your "seed." So the results are not considered, just regretted.
Stan
I think the idea of "not believing you will reap what you sow" is very much a matter of cognitive dissonance. We all say we believe, but our sowing says otherwise.
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