Sowing and Reaping by John Matteson

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 26, 1870

Sowing and Reaping.

By John Matteson

“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” Gal. 6. How reasonable that the harvest will be of the same kind as the seed, only more abundant. Who expects to reap a harvest of grapes, when he plants thorns? Or a rich crop of wheat, where nothing but grass seed was scattered? But the husbandman, who plants his corn, waits patiently for the early and latter rain. By-and-by his expectations are realized in a golden harvest.

“For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption.” The works of the flesh are plainly enumerated in the previous chapter. Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like.” They which do such things cannot inherit the kingdom of God. But they must of the flesh reap corruption. There is no alternative. Overcome and live; or be overcome and die. God is merciful. But he is not so merciful that he could turn his own word into a lie. His mercy manifests itself now in giving unto us “all things that pertain unto life and godliness.” And it is his holy will that we should be sanctified now through a proper use of those heavenly means of grace. Otherwise we must expect to reap corruption; not preservation, nor salvation of any kind, but corruption. That is a putrid state. Having gone through the pangs of the second death, the dead carcasses of all transgressors will strew the earth, Isa. 66:24, and be fuel for the all-devouring flames, when the earth shall melt “and the works that are therein shall be burned up.” 2 Pet. 3:10. The wicked are among the works that are in the old earth and pertain thereto. People, as well as animals and plants, are God’s works. They have been corrupted by sin, and are devoured by the curse Isa. 24:6.

“But he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.” “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.” How can we sow to the Spirit? “Let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”

“As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.”

When shall we reap? When the growing time is past and the grain is matured. The growing time is not past before probation ends. Many wild oats have we sown in the past. There they are; thrifty and still spreading. Neither can we check their progress in but few instances. Wrong words and wrong actions, that are in the past, have had their influence upon others, and how many of my fellow-men are thus influenced more or less by my past evil deeds, I know not. Like the stone that fell on the surface of the quiet water, these actions have produced larger and larger circles, which, if time should continue, would reach through coming generations until old things pass away.

Take, for instance, the seed sown by Tom Paine. What a bountiful crop of corruption his works will bring forth in the Judgment day. Whereas Luther on the other side, in the providence of God, started the mighty wheel of the Reformation, which is still rolling on, and will continue to roll, until the Judgment day will reveal an abundant harvest of the Spirit.

Our tears and prayers cannot recall those past evil things. In vain do we try to turn the mighty tide. Sin is a fearful evil. How bewitching! How deceitful! How blighting! Yet Jesus can pardon sin. Wonderful! Blessed gospel! Message from Heaven, sweet to a dying soul. And Jesus can create within a clean

heart, and renew a right spirit. If we follow his counsel and walk in his footsteps, he can cause old things to pass away and make us say, “Behold, all things are become new.” 2 Cor. 5. He can make us new creatures in Christ. He will also make the earth new. Then he will have new creatures for the new earth. And those who have not been made new creatures will perish with the old earth.

JOHN MATTESON.