Harvest Day
8/20/25 Bible Thought (Galatians 6)
It is only by a denial of future judgment that one would opt to live lawlessly.
After persistent warnings to those who seek to be justified by the law, the apostle Paul wants to ensure that this does not result in lawlessness. We see this so clearly in the closing two chapters of Galatians.
In yesterday’s passage, the apostle contrasted the sinful works of the flesh with the fruit of the Spirit. The believer then, with the Spirit of God, ought to work to cultivate the fruits in their own life. So, what does living with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control look like?
It looks like restoring the brother caught in transgression with gentleness (Gal. 6:1a). It looks like keeping watch on yourself (Gal. 6:1b). It looks like the bearing of another’s burdens (Gal. 6:2). It looks like avoiding comparison with others (Gal. 6:3-4). It looks like generosity (Gal. 6:6) and surely this list is far from exhaustive.
All in all, Paul concludes with a warning,
“Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap” (Gal. 6:7a).
In creating the world, God put countless natural laws into place and some of them serve well as spiritual examples.
If you want corn, you have to plant corn. If you want zucchini, you plant a zucchini seed.
It would be utterly nonsensical to be upset with zucchini when you planted corn. Likewise, it would not make much sense for one who has spent their days rejecting God to expect a different harvest than His rejection of them.
A person’s lifelong rejection of God through works of the flesh culminates with an eternity of getting exactly what they want. As C.S. Lewis famously quipped, “The gates of hell are locked on the inside.”
In one sense, on the day of judgment God consigns the disobedient, rebellious soul to their desired separation.
Paul reminds us in today’s passage that harvest day is coming.
There will be a day when all will have to give an account for their lives. The one who had sown continuously to the flesh will reap corruption, but the one who sowed to the Spirit will reap eternal life (Gal. 6:8).
Taken with the rest of Galatians, Paul is certainly not attributing final salvation to good works. No, rather, Paul is making it clear that salvation by grace ought not lead to lawlessness. As he does in many places, he is merely pointing out that genuine salvation will result in good works as the fruit, not the root of that salvation.
As such, to all who believe, we have this encouragement:
“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up” (Gal. 6:9).
When we live in light of the harvest, the difficulties of this life will shrink in their significance. When we know that one day all who have trusted in Christ will reap an eternity with God in a blessed new creation, we can endure all manner of difficulties and persevere in doing good, even when it is not easy.
With this in mind, the Christian ought to always seek to do good to others, especially our fellow believers (Gal. 6:10).
Truly, our labor in the Lord is not in vain (1 Cor. 15:58). The future resurrection unto life reminds us that our work down here has eternal ramifications.
Harvest day is coming. If you are ready for it through Jesus Christ, you can be encouraged. Continue sowing, even when it gets hard. Harvest day is coming and on that day you will reap.