“Do not be deceived. God will not be made a fool. For a person will reap what he sows, because the person who sows to his own flesh will reap corruption from the flesh, but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit. So we must not grow weary in doing good, for in due time we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who belong to the family of faith.”
— Galatians 6:7-10
Not sure if “deception” and “make fool” are cognates. Wouldn’t take long to check, but the ideas are at least similar. God won’t be deceived, either. We can’t trick Him. Of course, spiritual growth/engagement with others really isn’t difficult to figure out. Whether you want to use farming metaphor or banking investing metaphor, the principle remains.
The only thing we forget is what results from the flesh and what results from the Spirit. Flesh brings corruption. Spirit brings life. Next difficulty is figuring out/debating mental and tangible actions needed to “invest/sow” to flesh vs. spirit. Too little structure can lead to neutrality and mindless wandering. Too much structure is Pharisaism.
Maybe that’s why Paul ends paragraph with next two verses. Continues metaphor with work hard at doing good to others. Don’t grow weary. Any chance we get, do good to anyone, especially believers. That’s a good start at sowing life into others and into our own soul.
And one chapter earlier will have fruit of spirit that we hope to gain in our own life.
Not entirely sure how this paragraph relates with earlier verses of chapter six, about bearing one another’s burdens and holding each other accountable. I’ve heard that that could be the “good work” we are supposed to be doing (in this section), and abandoning brothers and sisters in the faith is reaping/sowing dangerous stuff. Need confirmation of these things.
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