Principles to Live By: Sowing and Reaping, Pt. 2

You can believe error, but that will not change the laws of God. You cannot sin and rebel against God and get away with it.

Principles to Live By: Sowing and Reaping, Pt. 2

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

(Galatians 6:7)

This week we are looking at one of the 30 life principles Dr. Charles Stanley preached and lived by. I figured if it was good enough for this faithful and blessed pastor, then it is good enough for you and me! I have been blessed and challenged by his teachings on these life principles. In principle #6, he teaches how important it is to sow good seeds into our lives and into the lives of others. He points out that the principle of sowing and reaping, as seen in Galatians 6:7-10, is divine, universal, and unavoidable; we reap what we sow, more than we sow, and later than we sow. This principle is true in agriculture and farming as well as life in general.

Stanley's primary biblical text is Galatians 6:7-10:

"Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith."

As Stanley pointed out, this biblical text starts with a negative: do not be deceived. It is a command from God in His Word. One translation says, "Stop being deceived." The command was to stop what they were doing. Perhaps you can relate. You are being deceived by the devil and God is telling you to stop, to replace the lies with His awesome truth, the truth of what His Word says. God will not be mocked. Do not be misled or carried away in the wrong direction. Do not believe a lie or what others tell you if it is inconsistent with Scripture. Most of all, people are deceived in spiritual matters. They believe the lie the devil tells them that there is no afterlife and no need for God or church. You can believe error, but that will not change the laws of God. You cannot sin and rebel against God and get away with it. Someone might say, "I do not believe all this." But our beliefs do not change the law of God. To mock means to turn up your nose, rebel, or sneer, but you simply can't disobey God and get away with it. People think they are the exception! You cannot be the exception to the laws of God.

I thought this was such bold teaching by Stanley. It is the truth and what we so desperately need to hear from our spiritual leaders in America. Yes, if people are living in sin, it will be convicting, and they may not want to attend your church if your pastor is like Stanley and preaches the truth. But that is okay, because God will honor those who are faithful to Him.