Sow a thought, reap an act.
Sow an act, reap a habit.
Sow a habit, reap a character.
Sow a character, reap a destiny.
What are we going to reap? As we approach the Passover and Days of Unleavened Bread, this would be an ideal time to stop and consider! Evaluate your thoughts!
Ask yourself, how do I think? What do I reap? What percentage of my thoughts are from the mind of Christ?
Do I follow Paul’s admonition in 2 Corinthians 10:5, which says to bring “into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ?” That certainly means every thought.
To rule over the thoughts of your mind, you must have the mind, the attitude, the determination and the character Jesus Christ had.
We can have that same mind and power through the Holy Spirit (Philippians 2:5).
That means we must exercise the will to resist fleeting evil thoughts.
We must yearn daily to sow the mind of Christ, that we may ultimately reap perfection (Matthew 5:48).
Here are some keys to guide us in this wonderful pursuit.
First, learn to recognize wrong thoughts.
It is easy for our minds to become enslaved to this world’s thinking. Read Romans 6:16.
One way to truly examine whether we have right thoughts is to look at our fruits—what we produce—and then compare them to the Galatians 5:19-26 works. Do we produce the right kind of fruits?
Consider also that Christ warned that entertaining, harboring or dwelling on evil thoughts breaks God’s law. He said, “Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart [mind]” (Matthew 5:28).
Second, and most importantly, you must want to overcome. This is a continuing need for the converted Christian.
God gives us the gift of repentance, and we must then use it (Romans 2:4). That means change; we must seek this desire daily to change.
Remember, the carnal mind does not want to overcome and is hostile toward God (Romans 8:7). The desire to change must come from God by using His Holy Spirit—sowing with the Spirit of God.
Third, we must resist wrong thoughts immediately.
The longer evil thoughts are allowed to stay in your mind, the greater are the chances they will come to fruition. Then you may reap an ugly situation—sin—and its penalties.
The longer you leave that thought, the harder it is to evict!
Though David let evil thoughts harbor in his mind, he learned to overcome this, and thereby learned great lessons: “I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy commandments” (Psalm 119:60).
The thoroughly converted mind is one that utterly abhors evil and hastens to obey God.
Prayer and Bible study are keys to keeping close to God, along with meditation and fasting.
We then replace, through our prayer and study, wrong thoughts with God’s thoughts. We find greater depth in understanding God’s will. God expects His firstfruits to develop His thoughts.
Sowing God’s thoughts reaps righteousness.
Sowing righteousness reaps conversion.
Sowing conversion reaps perfection.
Sowing perfection reaps eternity!
As we examine ourselves during the approach to the Passover season, take stock of your thoughts and attitudes—and measure the fruits of the Spirit in your life.
In our families, in our marriages, and in our financial planning, what are we reaping? Unless we sow the Kingdom, we will not reap the Kingdom.
Many today will reap the whirlwind, for they have sown the wind. Evidence is all about us in Israelitish society. Israel is about to, and already has begun to in many cases, “reap the whirlwind” (Hosea 8:7).
Whatever doesn’t sow to godly character, deleaven—and then sow the thinking of God and His Son into your every thought and action. Make haste in the last hour, when Israel is past the point of no return.
Yes, it is easy to act, but so much harder to think.
Work at truly thinking on these things.
Being Spirit-filled is not some mystical experience or so-called “second work of grace.” Nor does some ecstatic utterance of an unknown tongue signify that the person speaking has been Spirit-filled. Being Spirit-filled involves continual, moment-by-moment control by the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers. Those filled with the Spirit will manifest the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22–23) in their character and service. In Galatians 6:1–10, Paul gave a series of practical examples of how Spirit-led believers are to live.
Sinners Restored
Spirit-led believers are in touch with the needs of their brothers. The apostle illustrated this through a hypothetical example of a brother caught in sin. “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye who are spiritual restore such an one” (v. 1). The word fault has the idea of slipping or lapsing into sin. Some interpret the word overtaken to mean that he was caught in the act of sinning. Others teach that believers carelessly living in the flesh can be overtaken by sin before they are aware of committing the offense. This interpretation fits the context.
In cases like these, a person who is “spiritual” (Spirit-filled) should help restore sinning believers back to fellowship. The word restore was used in the first century to describe the setting of a broken or dislocated bone. It was also used to describe fishermen mending their nets. Setting bones and mending nets must be done with great care and precision. Spiritual people are to carry out their ministry of restoration in a “spirit of meekness” (that is, with gentleness and love) (v. 1.) The emphasis is not on the brother’s sin but on his restoration.
How would legalists try to restore a sinning brother? Legalists are often in competition with their brothers, displaying an air of self-righteousness; therefore, they most likely would condemn the brother rather than show compassion or concern (cp. Lk. 18:9–14).
Paul cautioned those involved in restoration, “consider thyself, lest thou also be tempted” (v. 1). Considermeans to look on the matter with continual diligence, guarding against falling into the same solicitation to commit sin. Restorers must guard against self-righteous attitudes by looking down on the ones to whom they are ministering. They must remember that they are subject to like temptations and, in a weak moment, could themselves fall. Peter is a good illustration of this. He promised not to deny the Lord (Mt. 26:33), but within a matter of hours he denied Him three times (Mt. 26:34, 69–75).
The same weaknesses are seen in Christian workers today. In the past ten years, numerous leaders have succumbed to sins that they had condemned from the pulpit. Paul has well stated, “let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall” (1 Cor. 10:12).
Those seeking to restore a brother have the responsibility of bearing his burden. “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (v. 2). The burden is any weight or load too heavy to bear. The word is used figuratively and refers to any temptation, sin, or moral weakness too difficult for a brother to overcome. In this context, it could have been pressure from the Judaizers to embrace their legalistic position. Others in the fellowship are to beartheir brother’s burden as if it is their own. Simply put, they are to give sympathy, comfort, counsel, and a helping hand when needed.
Christians who take on this commitment “fulfill [satisfy the requirements of] the law of Christ [i.e., the law given by Christ]” (v. 2). The commandment to “love one another” (Jn. 13:34; 15:12; Gal. 5:13–14; 1 Jn. 3:23) fulfills all other laws because it “worketh no ill” to anyone else or to society in general (Rom. 13:8, 10).
Legalists practice just the opposite. They impose heavy commitments on their followers but never lift a finger to ease the load (Mt. 23:4). On the other hand, Christ bears the burdens of all believers (1 Pet. 5:7) and desires that His children do likewise.
Christians talk and sing about love and bearing one another’s burdens, but all too often few become involved. Excuses are myriad: “I don’t have the time.” “I have my own problems.” “I’m not experienced.” Even some pastors guard their time so closely that they thrust some of their own responsibilities on others within the church.
Self-Reflection
In seeking to be burden bearers, Christians must guard against an attitude of spiritual superiority toward sinners. Paul said, “if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself” (v. 3). In other words, those who think they are spiritually superior in such situations are self-deceived and commit the sin of spiritual pride. The best of people, held up to the standards of a Holy God, are nothing: “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing” (Rom. 7:18). Christians have no reason to lift themselves above a brother because all they are and have was provided by God (1 Cor. 4:7). People with this type of attitude are not Spirit-led. Those who are spiritually proud are disqualified from helping others because they have distorted vision. They must first remove the log that is in their own eye before they can see to remove the speck from their brother’s eye (Mt. 7:1–5).
For this reason, it is crucial that Christians examine themselves in order to “prove [their] own work” (v. 4). Provemeans to put to the test for approval. Believers should compare their walk to God’s standard, not their brother’s; then they can “have rejoicing in [themselves] alone, and not in another” (v. 4). There is no thought of overestimating self or excessive boasting in this passage; rather, it speaks of proper rejoicing as an approved servant before God.
People who test their own works find that they too have burdens to bear. Paul reminded us that “every man shall bear his own burden” (v. 5). There may seem to be a contradiction between verses 2 and 5, but such is not the case. The word for burden (baros) in verse 2 refers to a heavy, oppressive load, the weight of which is too great for a person to carry alone. Conversely, the word for burden (portion) in verse 5 refers to a lightweight pack that can be carried on the back. In other words, believers have a responsibility to bear personal burdens that are light and bearable. All Christians are responsible for their own conduct and service, for which they will give account at the bema judgment (1 Cor. 3:10–15; 2 Cor. 5:10). Such knowledge should preclude any feeling of spiritual superiority or spiritual comparison among believers.
Sharing Resources
Paul provided his readers with a practical way in which believers in Christ can communicate (koinoneo) (v. 6) with one another. The word communicate means to participate in a common fellowship of sharing. It is difficult to know exactly what the apostle meant by “share … in all good things” (v. 6). Some believe he was referring to financial support in return for spiritual help. Elsewhere he instructed that “the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor [financial remuneration], especially they who labor in the word and doctrine” (1 Tim. 5:17; cp. 1 Cor. 9:7–14). Others believe he meant to provide mutual encouragement within the fellowship and was not referring to financial gifts to those who minister.
Many scholars embrace the latter position for several reasons. First, the context speaks of evil (vv. 1–5) and moral good (vv. 9–10), not financial support. Second, the good things in context are defined as spiritual, not material. Third, Paul would not have admonished the Galatians to support their teachers for fear that the Judaizers would be quick to accuse him of attempting to win over the Galatians for his own financial gain. Fourth, Paul’s enemies were always quick to say that he was in the ministry for financial gain. Fifth, Paul was seeking to encourage the Galatian believers to continue fellowshipping with the grace teachers around the Word of God for mutual enrichment and to forsake following the Judaizers.
Sowing and Reaping
Paul issued a strong warning to those Galatian believers who did not think it mattered which group of teachers they followed (teachers of grace or Judaizers). He commanded, “Be not deceived [lit., stop being deceived]” (v. 7). In other words, if they did not think it mattered which teachers they followed, they were already self-deceived. This type of attitude mocks God (v. 7). Mocking is turning up the nose at, ignoring, or holding in contempt. But God cannot be “mocked” by mankind (v. 7). He is unaffected by anything we think or do. Therefore, those holding this attitude are hurting only themselves.
God is never inconsistent in applying His divine law of sowing and reaping. That which is true in the physical realm of sowing and reaping is also true in the spiritual realm: “whatever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (v. 7). This law is immutable: “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” (v. 8).
The word flesh refers to the old nature that manifests the sins already mentioned (5:19–21). The result is corruption, a picture of spoiled crops decaying in the field, which no farmer would reap. If eaten, spoiled crops can cause severe sickness or even death. In the spiritual realm, sowing to the flesh ultimately leads to destruction and death (Jas. 1:13–15). Those following the Judaizers’ pseudoreligious system of works/righteousness were sowing to the flesh. Embracing this position produced a harvest of spiritual degeneration and decay and eventually spiritual death.
What about Christians who sow to the flesh? Will they be separated from Christ? No, but they lose the joy of their salvation, experience an unfruitful spiritual life, and be subject to chastisement.
Those who sow “to the Spirit,” said Paul, “reap life everlasting” (v. 8). They will receive eternal life along with a harvest of spiritual blessings in this life and into eternity.
The apostle gave a promise to encourage any of the Galatian believers who were becoming discouraged by the continual grind of fighting the Judaizers or receiving little appreciation for living a good life in Christ. He wrote, “And let us not be weary in well doing; for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not” (v. 9).
Sowing in the Lord’s service is often hard and can be extremely tiring. Some do not see immediate results from their efforts and become weary and faint while serving. But those who persevere in well doing will reap in due season. A Spirit-filled walk keeps believers from losing heart, relaxing in their service, and giving up before the harvest.
Crops are reaped at various times in nature, and the same is true of spiritual reaping. Some reaping will be realized in this life, but only the judgment seat of Christ will reveal the full harvest that believers will reap. In light of this, Christians must guard against becoming lax in their daily living for the Lord or shrinking back in their service for Him. Those who faint forfeit future rewards.
Spiritual Responsibility
Knowing that they will reap what they sow, believers have a spiritual responsibility to “do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith” (v. 10). With these words, Paul pulled together his primary teaching in Galatians 5:13–6:10. Only Spirit-filled believers can show this kind of love to other people.
Jesus said that it is impossible to say we love the world of ungodly people if we do not love our fellow Christians (Jn. 13:34–35; 1 Jn. 3:14; 4:20–21). When is this love to be shown? “As we have, therefore, opportunity, let us do good” (v. 10). The word opportunity means a seasonable or appropriate time. The exhortation is not just to do good when some special opportunity arises or when we feel like it, but to look for occasions in this season of life while we have the opportunity. Right now we are to sow “good” (that is; spiritual benefits and blessings) to all, whether spiritual or material.
In order to carry out Paul’s instructions concerning burden bearing and sowing good to those around us, we must be filled with the Holy Spirit. Dr. Elwood Stakes, founder of the famous Ocean Grove Religious Community in New Jersey, was moved by the same need. In 1879 he wrote the song, “Hover O’er Me, Holy Spirit.” John R. Sweney, camp meeting musical director, wrote the music. “While on my knees in prayer, God seemed to speak the melody right into my heart,” said Sweney. The third stanza of this simple gospel hymn speaks to our need: “I am weakness, full of weakness. At Thy sacred feet I bow; Blest, divine, eternal Spirit, Fill with pow’r, and fill me now. Fill me now, fill me now, Jesus, come and fill me now; Fill me with Thy hallowed presence, Come, O come, and fill me now.”
Start with me at verse 9: "However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him." There is one of the clearest statements in the New Testament of what a Christian is: "If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him." We do not belong to Christ if we do not have the Spirit of Christ. We are not Christians if we do not have the Spirit of Christ. And in the sentence just before this one the Spirit of Christ is called the Spirit of God. "You are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you."
So the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Christ are one Spirit, and if you "have" this Spirit, or if he "dwells" in you, then you belong to Christ and you are in the realm or the sway or the ruling sphere of God's Spirit. You are not governed by the flesh – that is, the merely human sphere or merely natural sphere. This is what I mean by saying that being a Christian and living the Christian life are supernatural. God's Spirit, the Spirit of Christ, lives in us and brings about changes that could never and would never be made without him so that Jesus Christ is glorified in what we do.
An Overview of Paul's Argument
Now let's get an overview of the argument – the train of thought – in verses 4-8. I see five steps in the argument. Let's read it forward first, the way Paul wrote it. Then let's read it backward to make sure we got it.
First, in verse 4 Paul's aim is "that the requirement of the law be fulfilled in us." We will see in Romans 13:8 that love fulfills the law.
Second, at the end of verse 4 he says that the way this law is fulfilled in us is that we walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. "So that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walkaccording to the flesh but according to the Spirit."
Third, in verse 5 he explains that this walking accords with the Spirit because of a certain spiritual mindset behind it. The mindset behind walking according to the Spirit is a mindset toward the truth and value of the things of the Spirit: "For those who are [and walk] according to the flesh set their mindson [have the mindset to love] the things of the flesh, but those who are [and walk] according to the Spirit, [set their minds on = have the mindset to cherish] the things of the Spirit." So our walk (v. 4) is owing to the set or the disposition of our minds (v. 5) toward the things of the Spirit.
Fourth, the reason that the mindset of the Spirit produces a walk that fulfills the law and the reason that the mindset of the flesh doesn't is that the mindset of the flesh is death and the mindset of the Spirit is life and peace. Verse 6: "For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace." Remember from verse 2: It is "the law of the Spirit of life [that] has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death." The Spirit is effective in shaping our mind and shaping our walk because he is alive. He imparts spiritual life. He does not just speak laws or rules and tell us to do them. He brings the law and writes it on our hearts and creates the life that loves the law and delights in God and treasures Jesus. So I would paraphrase the argument so far: the mindset of the Spirit produces a spiritual walk that fulfills the law because that spiritual disposition of mind is the fruit and form of the life of God's Spirit within us.
Finally, step five in the argument, verses 7 and 8, shows why we so desperately need the mindset of the Spirit and the life of the Spirit. And why there is death without it. Without the Spirit and the life of the Spirit and the mindset of the Spirit we are dead because we are hostile to God and cannot submit to his law. Verse 7: ". . . Because the mind set on [=the mindset of] the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, (8) and those who are in the flesh cannot please God." In other words, the root of death is sin – rebellion against God. The root is an independent spirit that cares little for God and prefers other things to God. It has a suicidal love affair with independence and self-determination.
That's what has to be overcome if we are going to fulfill the requirement of the law. Do you see how the text ends with our bondage to hostility and insubordination: We cannot submit to the law. But everything in the argument moves to the victory over that condition to the point in verse 4: "that we may fulfill the requirement of the law." That's what this text is about: moving from slavery to insubordination and hostility to the freedom of life and obedience.
Now to make sure we grasp this argument, let's move through it in reverse.
5) Step Five (Verses 7-8): Hostility to God
The mindset of the flesh – the way we are by nature, as mere humans, apart from any supernatural help from the Spirit of God – is hostile to God. It does not and cannot submit to God or please God.
4) Step Four (Verse 6): Life of the Spirit
Therefore the mind of the flesh brings death. Hostility to God is suicide of the worst kind. Only the Spirit gives life (verse 2). And the mindset of the Spirit is the fruit and the form of that life. The life of the Spirit creates the mindset of the Spirit and shapes the mindset of the Spirit. We must have the Spirit to conquer our suicidal bondage to rebellion against God.
3) Step Three (Verse 5): Spiritual Mindset
Therefore, since the mindset of the Spirit is the fruit and shape of the Spirit's life, the way God designed for us to walk and live is to have a spiritual mindset, not a fleshly one. From hostility to life to a spiritual mindset. . .
2) Step Two (Verse 4b): New Walk according to the Spirit
Therefore, because we have this spiritual mindset, we walk that way – we live that way. We "do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit." Our spiritual mindset determines our walk. The power of the Holy Spirit to impart life and to change what we value and treasure and desire changes the way we live or walk. From hostility to life to a spiritual mindset to a new walk according to the Spirit.
1) Step One (Verse 4a): Fulfillment of the Law
Therefore, by this walk we fulfill the requirement of the law. We walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. From hostility to life to a spiritual mindset to a new walkaccording to the Spirit to fulfillment of the law. Oh, how crucial is the supernatural life and work of the Spirit of Christ to get us from inability to submit to God's law, to the very fulfillment of God's law! Cherish this Spirit! Seek the fullness of this Spirit!
There are two “seeds” the scripture uses in describing salvation.
The first seed the scripture describes is the seed of the word (this is synonymous of the seed of the Gospel, you can read about this in our study, the Living word of God). This “seed” is planted within each of us by the Lord, in order that we know it, and we can observe it through faith.
The second seed the scripture describes is being credited as God’s “seed” (a child of God). Those who sow to the seed of the Gospel (by faith) are then credited as God’s “seed”. Through faith, God credits us as being born again, or regenerated, or adopted as children of God. You can find more on being born again or credited as God’s seed (a child/sperma) in this study in our Master Plan series, Part 6e.
The purpose of this study is to examine the symbology of the first seed described above, the seed of the word or gospel. The Lord has planted His word into our hearts, enlightening us to the gospel, so that we may sow (by faith) and reap eternal life.
The seed of the word
1 Peter 1:22-23
Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your lives for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart, for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God.
Peter is using symbology here to explain that the gospel, the living and enduring word of God, is the seed which grows to eternal life to the one who obeys in faith. By obedience to the gospel, we are reborn (or born again). The seed is the word and the word is the gospel. By obeying the gospel, we are born again.
The seed in this passage is spora and generally means a seed of a plant. It comes from speiro, which means sowing seed to grow, or to scatter seed to grow.
It is the planted seed (spora) of the word of God (the gospel) in our hearts that is the power for salvation to everyone who believes (Rom. 1:16). The gospel is the only way to receive salvation, and by obedience to the gospel, we are moved from death to life. Through obeying the gospel by faith, we are credited as God’s seed (sperma), or of being “born of God” and will inherit eternal life and can conquer the world (1 John 5:4; Luke 11:28; 1 Thes. 2:13).
The theme of the planted seed
James 1:21-22
Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which is able to save you. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.
James tells us that we need to reject the desires of our flesh, which only leads to moral filth and unrighteousness, and humbly accept the word (the logos) planted in us, which is able to save us. These are the two paths every person on earth has in front of them. We have before us death and life, the blessing and the curse, and the Lord desires that we choose life (Deut.30:19).
Two things must be noted:
- The word is planted in you which is able to save you
- The word can save you, should you not merely listen, but humbly do what it says
In other words, it is obedience to the gospel that leads us to salvation. The Greek for planted is emphutos, and means inborn, implanted, to be born, to shoot forth. The word of the gospel is planted within each and every one of us by the Lord so that we can know it and be saved by obeying it in faith. Notice that it doesn’t say the seed is planted and will save you, but that it is able.
The gospel is able to save us. The word for “able” is dunamai, and means to be capable, or have the power. The gospel is the “power of God for salvation to everyone who believes”. (Rom.1:16).
The Lord has planted His word, the seed of the gospel, into every person’s heart that can lead to eternal life, should we not merely listen, but observe it by faith. We must call upon the name of the Lord (in faith) to be saved:
Matthew 13:19
When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not consider it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is the one on whom seed was sown beside the road.
Luke 8:11
“Now the parable is this: the seed is the word of God.
In the Parable of the Sower, the word of God is the gospel that leads to eternal life. The seed is meant to bring you to life, but will not if you don’t “consider it” (i.e. you don’t obey through faith). It is the word that, through faith, grants one entry into the Kingdom of God. The Son of God is the Sower of the Seed.
The Parable of the Sower is a perfect example of the gospel being given to the world. The four soils make up everyone in the world, and thus the gospel has been sown in all of humanity by the Lord. The Lord sows (plants) the gospel into our hearts so that it can lead us to eternal life. Our only requirement is to live by faith in the Lord (Hab.2:4; Rom.1:17; Rom.9:30; Gal.3:11; Heb.10:38). By faith we are credited as being born again, and we truly will be born again/regenerated in the future (John 5:28-29; Rom.8:19; Rom.8:23). See here for a more detailed study on the Parable of the Sower.
As it says in James 1:21-22, the seed of the gospel is able to save you, which is why the Lord has sown it in your heart.
Deuteronomy 30:11-14
“For this commandment which I command you today is not too difficult for you, nor is it out of reach. It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will go up to heaven for us to get it for us and make us hear it, that we may observe it?’ Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will cross the sea for us to get it for us and make us hear it, that we may observe it?’ But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may observe it.
Here again is the commandment of the Gospel. To call upon the name of the Lord in faith, and seek Him in all that we do. The Lord says that you don’t have to send people away to bring His gospel back to you so that you can hear it and observe it, because His word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can observe it.
Now read Romans 10:6-8 which is a quote from our above passage in Deut.30:11-14. Take note what Paul says, “that is, the word of faith which we are preaching.”
Paul quotes the Lord Himself, who has planted the seed of His word, the commandment of the Gospel, within each of us, so that we can observe it. The word of Christ, the very word Paul preached, is not held back from God’s children. He has planted His word within us, and His voice carrying His word has gone out into the entire world, to all the ends of the earth.
Romans 1:18-19
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth (of the gospel) in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them.
The gospel that Paul mentions in verse 16-17, “the righteous man shall live by faith” is the truth we all know, for the Lord has made it evident within us. It is evident within us because He has planted it within us, so that we may observe it. Through observing the Gospel in faith, we are able to “glorify Him as God and give Him thanks” (Rom.1:21). This is exactly what the eternal gospel is, “Fear God, and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come; worship Him who made the heaven and the earth and sea and springs of waters.” (Rev.14:7). The only way you can give God glory and worship Him is through faith.
Isaiah 61:1-3
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives and freedom to prisoners; to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord. And the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn, to grant those who mourn in Zion, giving them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting. So they will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.
First, notice the last statement in this passage, “they will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord.”
Once again we see that the Lord has “planted” the gospel within us, and through obedience in faith, we are called “oaks of righteousness”. The word for called here means to be called or named or chosen. Through faith, we are by grace chosen or named as righteous by the Lord.
The Spirit’s work is to bring good news (i.e. the gospel) to the afflicted. We are all the afflicted, as we all are under physical death, and have a body of flesh that leads us to sin. With our accountability to sin we are under the law of sin and death.
Those that obey the gospel through faith are credited with righteousness. Their righteousness is from the seed sown into their hearts, that, when followed by faith, love, and obedience, bears the fruit of righteousness that leads to eternal life and glorification. Our righteousness stems from Christ and His seed (the gospel).
Paul also speaks in Gal.6:7-8 that one must sow to the Spirit in order to reap eternal life from the Spirit and likewise one who sows to his flesh will reap corruption of the flesh. Paul is saying that to receive eternal life, you must listen and obey in faith, the word of God, the gospel of salvation, sown into your heart by the Spirit.
Because of Christ’s work on the cross, He has offered salvation to all men, and has done so since the very beginning of human history (Rom.10:14-18; Col.1:22-23; Acts 17:26-27). Christ has been the light of the world that can bring salvation to all men since the very beginning (Luke 2:29-32; John 1:4, 9; John 3:19-21; John 8:12; 2 Cor.4:6; Eph.5:9; 2 Tim.1:10).
In summary, the seed is the word of the gospel of God. Christ has used the Spirit to testify of the word, planting it within our hearts. If our seed grows (through accepting His word in faith) and produces His fruit till the end, we receive eternal life (John 15:5; Matt 13:23), but if our seed does not grow and produce fruit, then we are cast away into darkness (John 15:2, 6; Matt.13:19-22). The Father will prune us while we grow through the Word of God, so that we can multiply the seed and increase our harvest (John 15:2)
The faithful seed
Jeremiah 2:21
“Yet I planted you a choice vine, a completely faithful seed. How then have you turned yourself before Me into the degenerate shoots of a foreign vine?
In the context of this passage the Lord is speaking of Israel, whom He called out, and broke their yoke, and tore off their bonds. But they abandoned His grace. They said “I will not serve!” Look what the Lord said to them, “I planted you a choice vine, a completely faithful seed.” They had received the seed of the gospel that was the power of God for their salvation. It was undefiled and incorruptible, and would faithfully bring them to eternal life, should they sow to it by faith. They rejected His seed, the gospel of their salvation, and instead chased after their own flesh and the world.
Jeremiah 17:5
Thus says the Lord, “Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind and makes flesh his strength, and whose heart turns away from the Lord.
The Lord’s seed is in your heart, ready to faithfully carry you to forgiveness, righteousness, and eternal life. All it takes is humble faith. Cursed is the one who turns from the Lord, who abandons His gospel, and makes his flesh his strength.
Credited as the seed of God
Briefly, we will discuss that through obeying the gospel (the seed) in faith, God credits us as His seed:
Romans 9:8
This means it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God; rather, the children of promise are counted as seed.
Romans 4:16
For this reason it is by faith so that it may be by grace, with the result that the promise may be certain to all the seed – not only to those who are under the law, but also to those who have the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all
Christ is the sower of the word of God to the entire world, the seed of the gospel that leads us to salvation. It is the gospel that is the power of God that brings salvation and eternal life to everyone that believes (Rom. 1:16, John 6:63; Rom.8:2; Rom. 8:6; 1 Cor.15:45; 2 Cor. 3:6).
It is then by faith that the Father credits us as His seed. By faith, the Father gives us the Spirit of our adoption (Rom. 8:15; Gal.4:6; Eph.2:18). This is our marking or sealing of inheritance, our indwelling of the Holy Spirit. By faith we are called children of God. Those who believe and sow the seed are the sons of the kingdom, and able to practice righteousness (Prov.11:18; Hos. 10:12; 2 Cor. 9:10; 1 John 2:29, 3:9).
For more on being credited as God’s seed, see our study here.
Summary
The Lord has, by grace and through the power of the cross, given all the planting of the word/gospel. The seed is the word of God, the living water (John 4:10) that is offered to all (Rev. 7:17; Rev. 21:6) that is able to lead us to eternal life. He has sown His gospel within us so that we can know it and observe it through faith and receive the forgiveness of our sins and eternal life.
His word is alive and active (Heb. 4:12). His word comes through the witness of the Spirit (Zech. 7:12; John 6:63; 1 Cor. 2:4; Eph 6:17; 1 Thes. 1:5). To reject the Spirit’s witness of the Gospel is to reject our only means of salvation and be cut off from the vine that leads us to salvation (Num.15:30-32; Matt.12:31; John 15:1-7).
By trusting in His word and living off of His water, we will never thirst again. We are adopted and credited as being born again or born from above, the children of God. We are given the seed of the Holy Spirit, our first fruits (Rom. 8:23) that will raise us to eternal life (Ezek.37:14; John 6:63; Rom.8:11; Gal.6:8).
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