The Daily Word of Righteousness

A Destructive Concept of Divine Grace, continued

The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. (Galatians 6:8—NIV)

The judgment of sowing and reaping seems to be pointed toward the Day of Resurrection, although again it could take place at any time. Peter tells us judgment has begun in the household of God. Peter informs us that not only the living but the dead also are being judged.

The Christian who persists in living in the lusts and appetites of his flesh will certainly produce a crop of corruption now, and in the day when his or her body is called forth from its place of interment. Our resurrection from the dead will be either the putting on of eternal life and immortality or else entrance into a state of being that is stunted, corrupt, and void of the Presence of God. Our resurrection will be according to the sowing we have done.

The judgment of the sower. This judgment takes place in the present life. Either we bear lasting fruit in our personality or we do not.

The judgment on the workers of iniquity. This may take place at the resurrection. Many Christian workers of our day are not known by the Lord. We understand this to be true because of the things they do, robbing widows and living in adultery. Although they have genuine gifts of ministry that are operating, the Lord one day will say, "I never knew you. Get away from Me you wicked person." This in spite of all their accomplishments in the ministry.

Beating the menservants and maidservants. It is difficult to tell exactly when this judgment will occur. When it does take place we will lose our position with Jesus because of our harsh treatment of other Christians.

Not doing God's will. This judgment sometimes happens in the present life as the Lord chastises us severely for not doing His will, as in the case of the prophet Jonah.

The judgment on practicing sin. As long as we are walking in the sinful passions of our body we are not entering the Kingdom of God. There is no sin in the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom is the doing of God's will on earth as it is performed in Heaven.

We will not inherit the Kingdom at the coming of the Lord if we choose to live in the flesh and soul rather than the Spirit of God.

Slaying our own resurrection. When we choose to live in the flesh, putting the major emphasis of our life on eating, sleeping, working, playing, and reproducing, leaving little time for prayer, for meditating in the Scriptures, for gathering with fervent believers, the Life of God given to us when we received Jesus Christ begins to be crowded out. If we do not repent, then when the Day of Resurrection arrives there will be no eternal life in our personality to make alive our body. Instead we will reap the corruption of the flesh.

Repaid according to our deeds. We are beginning to see that these judgments can be exercised at any time. Christians who listen to the Jezebel voices that call to the flesh, loving partying and sensual behavior, may be struck spiritually or even physically dead at any time.

To be continued.