Law 2: We Reap the Same In Kind As We Sow
If anyone had told David before or even right after his affair with Bathsheba (2 Sam. 11) that he would break every one of the laws of the second table of the Law, he would have denied it with all his might and replied that they were more than just a little crazy.
But the laws of sowing and reaping and this law in particular, "we reap the same in kind as we sow," strongly stress our need to follow the admonition to "take heed lest we fall."
Before this incident was over, David: coveted his neighbors wife--2 Sam. 11:2, 3, committed adultery--2 Sam. 11:4, committed murder--2 Sam. 11:15, stole--2 Sam. 11:4 and, bore false witness--11:8, 21.
David's downfall into sin posts a serious warning to each of us of the deceitfulness of sin and its dire consequences in the law of sowing and reaping:
"But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin." (Heb 3:13)
This was just the beginning because each of these sins would be reaped within his own family.
I. Foundation for this Law
A. God determined in Creation for all things to multiply after its kind. cf Ge. 1:24
B. Note the principle of reproduction.
"And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth:" (Gen 5:3)
C. We all recognize that this is true in the biological and zoological world, but what is true in the physical world, is also true in the spiritual world.
1. Adam was created after the image of God and he would reproduce that image from genera-tion to genera-tion
2. Because he was created for fellowship with God and to walk in de-pen-dence on Him, Adam would likewise reap the results of his actions.
3. When he took of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil he reaped the results: spiritual death in his own life and the life of his posterity.
4. As a further consequence of his negative choice to live independently, his sinfulness was transmit-ted from generation to generation.
"Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:" (Rom 5:12)
5. Apart from divine intervention, the fall halted man's ability to sow and reap spiritual fruit and experience any fellowship with God.
6. Adam reaped spiritual death (loss of fellowship with God) and began to die physically.
D. Note the Principle of Regeneration
"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." (2 Cor 5:17)
1. Through God's grace and the gift of spiritual regen-er-a-tion, man gains the capacity to sow and reap spiritual fruit and reap the blessing of God on his life and in the world.
2. Note: John 3:6
"That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." (John 3:6)
3. This is the law of reaping the same in kind as we sow.
4. Be-cause of this, the natural man can only sow and reap according to the flesh.
5. But in Christ, we become new spiritual creations, new creatures with the capacity to sow and reap of the Spir-it cf Gal. 6:7-8.
II. Proclamation of this Law
A. This principle as stated in Galatians 6 is an abso-lute law .
1. Paul warns us not to be deceived concerning this truth.
2. "Be not deceived" = "to cause to wander, lead astray, deceive."
3. It literally means, stop allowing yourself to be deceived, led astray, or never allow it to happen.
4. It warns and re-minds us that Satan and the world system under his control.
5. He is ever at work with his age old lie, "you surely shall not die!"
6. "God is not mocked."
a. "Mocked" means "to turn up the nose at, to treat with contempt, to ridicule."
b. Man cannot ignore and treat with contempt God's truth and laws by attempt-ing to live by his own wisdom and tactics without serious consequences.
B. This law all inclu-sive--it applies to any and everything we sow.
1. "...whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap..."
2. The words "that shall he also" makes the connection in kind to what we reap.
3. Since everything reproduces after its kind, God can never be mocked.
4. Just as no one can sow peas and produce watermel-on, or breed donkeys and produce thor-oughbred horses, so no one can sow evil and pro-duce good.
5. We cannot sow discord and produce unity.
6. We cannot sow lies and produce truth.
7. We cannot sow sin and produce holiness.
"O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things." (Mt 12:34-35)
Here is something for us to think about:
Sow a thought, reap an act; Sow an act, reap a habit; Sow a habit, reap a character; Sow a character, reap a destiny.