Trying To Pull The Wool Over God's Eyes?

This week, we have been looking at a section of a letter in the Bible called the book of Galatians. In this section, we have seen Paul reveal several different aspects of what makes up a gospel centered community. Today, we see Paul reveal a third aspect of gospel centered community in Galatians 6:7:

 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.

Now when Paul uses the phrase do not be deceived, God is not mocked, this phrase, if communicated in the language we use in our culture today, would sound something like this: “Do not fool yourself into thinking that you can fool God. You can pull the wool over your momma’s eye’s; you can pull the wool over your daddy’s eye’s; you can pull the wool over your community group’s eyes; you can even pull the wool you’re your pastor’s eyes; but you cannot pull the wool over God’s eyes”. 

Paul then reveals the reason why you cannot pull the wool over God’s eyes with a timeless but true principle: “for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.” Have you ever heard the phrase “you reap what you sow”? Now you know that that phrase actually comes from the Bible. This phrase is often referred to as the Law of the Harvest. And as with any law or principle, this principle is not good; this principle is not bad; this principle just is.

Paul uses this principle as proof that you cannot deceive, mock, or fool God. Whatever drives the actions of our lives will drive the results that are produced in our lives. Whatever fruit, or results, that are produced in our lives, are the direct results of our attitudes and actions in life. We see Paul unpack this reality in verse 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.

To fully understand what Paul is communicating here, we first need to define and understand some terms. When Paul refers to the flesh here, he is referring to our old nature apart from Jesus that is dominated by the evil and destructive power of sin. The word corruption refers to the total destruction of something. The Spirit that Paul is referring to is the Holy Spirit, who takes up residence in the life of the person who believes, trusts, and follows Jesus as Lord and Leader. When Paul refers to eternal life, he is referring to the transcendent eternal life that we experience for all eternity with God in Heaven.

Now, with these definitions in mind, let’s look at what Paul has to say here. Paul here is revealing the stark contrast that arises between those who live gospel centered lives and those who live religious centered lives. For those who are living religious centered lives that are controlled and influenced by our old nature apart from Christ and are attempting to do things for God in order to be in a right relationship with God by keeping a list of rules for God, Paul explains that the fruit, or the results of their lives, will be to experience eternity apart from God. 

For those who are living Spirit-filled, gospel centered lives in community with one another, Paul explains that the fruit, or the results of their lives, will be to experience the relationship with God that they were created for throughout all eternity. Because you reap what you sow. Whatever drives the actions of our lives will drive the results that are produced in our lives. Whatever fruit, or results, that are produced in our lives, are the direct results of our attitudes and actions in life.

And here we see Paul reveal for us the reality that gospel centered communities are focused on helping others cultivate a genuine and growing relationship with Christ. Gospel centered communities are communities where people are challenged and encouraged to experience a genuine and growing relationship with Christ. And gospel centered communities are communities that reveal and reflect the results of a genuine and growing relationship with Christ.

Religious centered communities, on the other hand, are communities where people are challenged and encouraged to attempt to do things for God in order to be in a right relationship with God by keeping a list of rules for God. And religious centered communities are communities that reveal and reflect the results of a life that lacks of relationship with Christ. Paul then concludes this section of his letter by revealing a fourth aspect of gospel centered community in verse 9:

Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.

Paul commands the members of the churches of Galatia to not lose heart in doing good. Now this little phrase to not lose heart literally means to not lose one’s motivation to continue to do something. What they were not to lose motivation about was in doing good, which refers to living a life of high moral quality. But why would the Apostle Paul have to command followers of Jesus to not lose their motivation when it comes to living a life of high moral quality that reveals and reflects Christ?

Paul provides that answer for us in the second half of verse 9 when he states that for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. Paul is commanding followers of Jesus to not give up or give out when it comes to living a life that reveals and reflects Christ, because over time the motivation that drives the actions of our lives will drive the results that are produced in our lives and through our lives. But why does Paul even have to say that? What is going on here?

To understand why Paul would give this command, we first need to understand something else about the principle of the Law of the Harvest. What we need to understand about the Law of the Harvest is that we reap later and we reap greater. Since most of us today do not farm, let me give you an example to help unpack this reality. I grew up in the Midwest and in the Midwest corn farming usually begins in late March or early April. During the early spring, famers plant a tiny corn seed into the ground and begin to water it.

Then the farmer waters and watches what he has sown. March-nothing. The month of April-nothing; the month of May- a little plant begins to sprout; June- seemingly very little growth. Growing up in the Midwest, we had a little saying “knee high by the 4^th of July”. In other words, the hope was that by the 4^th of July, the corn plant would be knee high. So for four months, this corn seed would have grown only this high. I don’t know about you, but that is not a lot of progress.  

But in the months of July and August, the corn plant grew from knee high to being over 6 feet tall. And by September, farmers are beginning to harvest multiple ears of corn from this large plant that started off as a little seed some six months earlier. You see, as a farmer, you know that you reap greater and you reap later. You reap something that is much greater than what you have sown. And you reap much later than when you have sown. You do not sow and then reap the next day; it takes time. But in time, your efforts produce fruit.

And that is why, in verse 10, Paul encourages the members of the churches of Galatia to stay motivated and take advantage of every opportunity to live lives that reveal and reflect Christ to those around us. And it is here that we see that gospel centered communities are communities where people are challenged and encouraged to and have an ongoing impact for Christ. Gospel centered communities are communities that are marked by a driving motivation to invest in the lives of others in a way that reveals and reflects Christ. Gospel centered communities are communities that are marked by a driving motivation to love and serve others in a way that meets both pressing and profound needs. Gospel centered communities are communities that are marked by a driving motivation to have an ongoing impact for Christ in a way that advances His kingdom and enhances his reputation.

And that is why we must vote no on religion. We are to vote no on religion because religion does not produce gospel centered community. We are to vote no on religion because religion does not produce gospel centered communities that are focused on helping others stay on track when it comes to their relationship with Christ. We are to vote no on religion because religion does not produce gospel centered communities that are focused on supporting and encouraging one another when it comes to their relationship with Christ. We are to vote no on religion because religion does not produce gospel centered communities that are focused on helping others cultivate a genuine and growing relationship with Christ. We are to vote no on religion because religion does not produce gospel centered communities where people are challenged and encouraged to and have an ongoing impact for Christ.

So how are you casting your ballot? How have you been voting? Have you been casting your ballot to live as a religious centered person? Or have you been casting you ballot to live as a gospel centered person?