Philip Graham Ryken: Sowing to the Spirit

Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. Galatians 6:8-10

“There is more than one way to sow, and thankfully, the seeds of destruction are not the only seeds we can sow. Good seed is available, and when it is sown in a fertile field, it yields a rich harvest…

Sowing to the Spirit means following the Spirit’s lead, obeying His instructions for holy living. To be more specific, sowing to the Spirit means sowing the kind of seed that comes from the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, kindness, faithfulness, and the like. It means cultivating good spiritual fruit…

A man sows to the Spirit when he denies his own ambition in order to serve others. A woman sows to the Spirit when she is reconciled to her sister in Christ. A husband and wife sow to the Spirit when they repent of their selfishness and begin to work together in true spiritual partnership, In short, sowing to the Spirit means living for Christ in every area of life.

Every time we think a thought, speak a word, or perform a deed, we plant a seed. Every time we think, say, or do anything for the glory of God, we are sowing to His Spirit…Whoever sows to the Spirit reaps the richest harvest of all: eternal life. This does not mean, of course, that salvation comes by works.

Eternal life is a gift that is based on believing, not on doing. However, believers are doers, and although no one is ever saved by works, no one is ever saved without them either. Therefore, having been saved by grace, the believer goes out and sows to please the Spirit. God, in His grace, will give the reward of eternal life to everyone who sows good spiritual seed.”
Philip Graham Ryken in Galatians (REC; Phillipsburg: R & R Publishing, 2005) 261.

This text in Galatians has been on my heart the past few days as I interface with leaders around the world, sowing in difficult places. Dripping from the keys of my laptop keyboard has been the encouragement to not grow weary, reminding them of the expectation of an abundant harvest for those who persevere.

It’s hard though. I get it. But what do we do. We get out there and sow, keeping the hope of abundance in view.
In every life I touch I have one objective: sowing to the Spirit. Make that your aim today and every day.

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