Galatians 6:7-9 “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”

Writing to the saints in Galatia, Paul reminds them of a coming harvest for all men as seen in the repetitive use of the word “reap.” Lest they be negligent; Paul presses home the certainty of this harvest when he says, “that shall he also reap.” With respect to the certainty of the harvest; man has God’s Word on it; “Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it” (I Corinthians 3:13). When considering the certainty of the harvest; there are two things that are worthy of our consideration.

There is a certainty with respect to the species of the harvest; “for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” The nature of the harvest is directly related to the nature of the seed sown; “And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind” (Genesis 1:12). God has set forth a divine principle that every seed will always bear or bring forth in accordance to its sort or species. While the amount of seed can be numerically limitless, the nature is two-fold; “soweth to his flesh” and “soweth to the Spirit.” Moment by moment, day by day, every man is sowing seed that bears either, the nature of man or the nature of the Spirit. Every seed of thought, desire, or activity bears the nature of one of two species! One will either reap the spoiled, shriveled, sinful fruit of the corrupt nature of man that is influenced by the filthy appetites and passions of a fallen nature, or reap the pleasant and spiritual fruit of the new nature as he is submissive and subject to the Spirit of God. James emphasized the principle of this truth when he said, “Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh” (James 3:12). The expectations of one’s harvest are the direct results of one’s selection of seed; so choose wisely!

There is a certainty with respect to the size of the harvest, “shall reap.” The word “reap” has the idea of the gathering or the harvesting of a crop. In consideration of the size of the harvest, I want to consider two thoughts, the first being the productivity of the seed. In Genesis 1:12, God speaks of “yielding seed” which means to yield, to bear fruit, or make fruit; the emphasis is that of increase. Speaking of this principle, Jesus said, “Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit” (John 12:24). Note, “one corn of wheat” equals “much fruit.” While you will determine the nature of the product by your choice of seed, you cannot nullify the productivity of the seed; it will yield much more than you sowed; “For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind” (Hosea 8:7). The size of the harvest is relative to the portion of the seed; the more you sow the greater the yield. God said through the pen of the Apostle Paul, “He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully” (II Corinthians 9:6).

There is a coming harvest; a reaping day awaits all men. Each of us will reap what we sow and we will reap more than we sow; that is the certainty of the harvest!