Holiness is connected to the Law of Sowing and Reaping as the following illustration shows. “Because of the natural law of seedtime and harvest, the farmer knows when and what to plant to achieve the desired result. He knows that you harvest wheat if you sow wheat, that you do not sow weeds and reap wheat. God’s moral and spiritual laws work in the same way. You cannot sow sin and reap righteousness, or indulgence and reap health, or strife and reap peace. One cannot sow “the works of the flesh” and reap “the fruit of the Spirit.” But there is a further truth in this law. You reap what you sow in quality, but you reap more than you sow in quantity. From one grain of corn will come hundreds of grains of corn. Applying this ‘grain of corn’ principle in the moral and spiritual realms, it is no wonder that so many lives come to ruin, that the world is in such turmoil, and that uncounted millions of souls stumble on their blinded way toward hell! And all because people live contrary to this benevolent but inexorable spiritual law of God.”¹ Sowing and reaping is a God-ordained principle of the Spirit realm. And it extends to all areas including right conduct as we will see in today’s post.

Why Character Needs to Be King in Jesus Followers

[Tweet “Sinning is like spreading a net in the sight of a bird. It is futile.”]

The Law of Sowing and Reaping in Proverbs

Proverbs 1:10–12, 17–19 (ESV) — 10 My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent. 11 If they say, “Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood; let us ambush the innocent without reason; 12 like Sheol let us swallow them alive, and whole, like those who go down to the pit… 17 For in vain is a net spread in the sight of any bird, 18 but these men lie in wait for their own blood; they set an ambush for their own lives. 19 Such are the ways of everyone who is greedy for unjust gain; it takes away the life of its possessors.

• In last week’s post, we took a deep dive into Proverbs 1:10, My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent.
• Today, we took a look at the ramifications of consenting to evil.
• You have undoubtedly heard this passage in the book of Galatians used with regards to those who do some evil deed.

Sowing and Reaping in the New Testament

Galatians 6:7–8 (ESV) — 7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. 8 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.

• God is not mocked; you will reap what you sow.
• You may have heard a family member drill this verse into your head during days of your rearing where you might have acted a whole lot less than excellent.
• Some have grown up from their days of sowing wild oats and have gone to become professional evil people.
• So, the question is, ‘Do the cold-blooded killers of the realm of darkness get away with their deeds?’
• Do the defilers of mankind slip through the cracks of the legal system of heaven?
• Or, do they reap what they sow as the scripture declares?

Job 4:8 (ESV) — 8 As I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap the same.

• Proverbs one gives us a look at what happens to the ungodly who disregard the moral laws of heaven in exchange for immediate lustful satisfaction.

Sowing and Reaping: In Vain They Lie in Wait

• From Proverbs chapter one verse ten down through verse fourteen is an example of how criminals communicate to recruit for their cause.
• As Solomon lays this out for his son, he then shares this piece of fatherly advice and instruction with him.

Proverbs 1:15–16 (ESV) — 15 my son, do not walk in the way with them; hold back your foot from their paths, 16 for their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood.

• But not only does Solomon tell his son WHAT he should do, but he also explains to him WHY he should do it.
• That’s good and righteous child rearing.
• The parent doesn’t just say to his child, “Do it because I said so.”
• He gives him the why of it as an establishing life principle so that if he ever comes upon a similar situation and his father is not around to instruct him in his ear, he would have the law instead of as the anchor for his actions.
• Ephesians six comes to mind here.

Ephesians 6:4 (ESV) — 4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

• Starting in verse seventeen, Solomon gives his child the ‘why.’
• He says, For in vain is a net spread in the sight of any bird.

A Lifestyle of Sin Is Sowing and Reaping Vanity

• Sinning is like spreading a net in the sight of a bird.
• It is futile.
• You can’t trap a bird that way.
• Any bird has enough sense to stay clear of a trap set in plain sight.
• So trying to garner the rewards of sin is similarly useless.
• You can’t trap those gains that way because you reap what you sow.
• Have as much sense as an old buzzard.
• When sinners entice you to immorality, when they try to snare your life, see it and steer clear of the temptation.
• How can we come upon the things we need the right way?
• Proverbs again has some data for you to store in the hard drive of your heart.

Proverbs 11:18 (ESV) — 18 The wicked earns deceptive wages, but one who sows righteousness gets a sure reward.

Sow in righteousness.

Hosea 10:12 (ESV) — 12 Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground, for it is the time to seek the LORD, that he may come and rain righteousness upon you.

Godliness is profitable.

1 Timothy 4:8 (ESV) — 8 for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.

Call to Action:

Spread the Word. Instruct your children the way Solomon instructed his.

Question: Name one-way godliness has been profitable in your life? Please leave your story in the comments section below.

What Does It Mean to Be Born Again from God?

References: