GALATIANS

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GALATIANS 6:6-10

GALATIANS 6:6-10

"The one who is taught the word is to share all good things with the one who teaches him. 7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9 Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. 10 So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith." (Galatians 6:6-10)

According to the typical NEST interpretation of this passage, saved people will only keep everlasting salvation if saved people continue "doing" enough "good." But, saved people may lose their unction, energy, or desire ("lose Heart") and "grow weary," and so in their weariness, they begin failing to do enough good. Therefore, when they die they discover that they did not do enough good, and they reap damnation.

The NEST interpretations of this passage are wrong, so let us proceed to examining the proper interpretation.

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As a first consideration, an indicator that Galatians 6:6-10 is being misinterpreted by those who believe in the NEST, is that such an interpretation goes against Paul's whole emphasis in the rest of the epistle. The NEST interpretation of Paul's exhortation in Galatians 6:6-10, would have Paul negating everything he just said in the body of the first five chapters of Galatians concerning the error of works based righteousness.

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Secondly, the NEST philosophy contradicts Paul elsewhere. It contradicts Paul's huge point about "work" in the first 8 chapters of Romans; stated succinctly in the following passages;

"to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness ... blessing upon the man to whom God reckons righteousness apart from works." (Romans 4:5-6)

"Therefore having been made righteous by faith, [not work] we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." (Romans 5:1)

"having now been made righteous by His blood, [which is His work--not your blood--not your work] we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him." (Romans 5:9)

"6 But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace." (Romans 11:6)

The above verses only cover some out of Romans. There are similar passages found in places such as Ephesians 2:9-10, other Pauline epistles, and in the rest of the New Covenant scriptures.

At this point we need to recognize two key points of context that will help us immensely in our exegesis of this text. As we look at the context we need to keep these two keys in mind.

The first key for us to put at the forefront of our thoughts has to do with eternal life, particularly the metaphor of a farmer sowing to the Person of the Holy Spirit and then reaping from the same Person of the Holy Spirit while on earth. The second key to keep in mind has to do with the fact that Paul's whole point stems from his directive where he stated that people who are taught are to be sharing financially with their teacher.

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Considering the first key, "Eternal life" has various definitions, aspects, and tenses that spiritually saved people operate in. Scriptures reveal this fact. For example, eternal life is what spiritually saved people receive at the moment of salvation, and it is what spiritually saved people have right now. Saved people experienced eternal life at the initial rebirth, are experiencing eternal life now, and will always experience eternal life. The duration of the spiritual life, is, in fact, eternal;

"He who believes in the Son has eternal life;" (John 3:36)

Eternal life is right now. It is what saved people have when initially saved. It what you have now. At this point, we need to recognize an important identification made by Peter to Jesus. Peter said,

"Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life." (John 6:68)

What exactly are words of eternal life? Considering that "Eternal life" has various definitions, aspects, and tenses that we operate in, words of eternal life are what we get from Christ right now, right here, in the current aspect of our existence on this planet. Words of eternal life, in this context, have to do with Peter (a student of Messiah) experiencing aspects of eternal life right then on temporal planet earth. In the case of the immediate context, they are God's words. There are other important identifications to recognize in respect to eternal life. For example, God's commandment is eternal life? Jesus says,

"I know that His commandment is eternal life; therefore the things I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me." (John 12:50)

Jesus says that God's commandment is eternal life. The statement might sound odd at first since we recognize that eternal life, is eternal life. For example, we know that John 3:16 does not say: For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish, but have God's commandment. Without understanding that scripture reveals to us that eternal life has various aspects, and tenses, that we operate in, and with each tense is an experience, we will be confused. Jesus has words of eternal life, and God's commandment is described as eternal life right then as Jesus spoke of it; it is now, and, it is eternally in the future. What this tells us, is that when the people heard Jesus' words, and when they experienced God's commandments, they experienced, to some degree and in a certain manner, "eternal life" right here on earth. So far we see that there are various ways eternal life is used, and there are various ways it is experienced--past, present, and future. Exploring this key further, we notice Jesus saying as He prayed,

"This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent." (John 17:3)

"Eternal life" here is given a definition. It has to do with every tense, but we notice that it is experienced right here and right now in knowing God and Jesus Christ. In other words, saved people experience eternal life right now, and they experience eternal life in knowing the only true God, and Jesus Christ. Further, this experience is eternal. As we explore this key further, we recognize that God, as Christ, is the Eternal Life; He was eternally Life; He is eternally Life; He will be eternally Life. John writes,

"the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us--" (1 John 1:2)

Christ is the literal manifestation to us of eternal life. He was (past tense) manifested in experience among Israel. He is the (present tense) manifestation of eternal life in the hearts of all saved people, (cf. Galatians 4:6. Ephesians 3:17). But, there is more to recognize concerning this;

"And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life." (1 John 5:20)

Christ as one of the three persons of the one Godhead is called "eternal life." The Son has always been alive and always will be. But the main point is that we who are truly spiritually saved, experience His life in us eternally as our hope of glory, where Paul says,

".... great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." (Colossians 1:27)

Scripture demonstrates to us that saved people experience eternal life in various ways through every tense of their eternal salvation. The reason is because, in every tense of salvation, saved people experience Christ as God as eternal life in a special way. Saved people know Him as John says, "who is true," and they are in Him who is true. So we see that there are Biblical ways saved people experience eternal life right now that show that eternal life is not solely experienced after the body perishes and the saved person is resurrected. To enable us to get a better grasp of this, think of it like the three tenses of salvation. Past tense is the eternal life that saved people always experienced a moment ago. Saved people have eternal life now, but in salvation a minute ago they also had it. Present tense eternal life is the eternal life saved people experience in their current moment of saved existence. It is what they are experiencing, and the experience becomes past tense each moment as time clicks away. Future tense eternal life is what all saved people look forward to in the coming eons upon eons--it never stops. It is eternal now; it is eternal a second from now, and it is eternal forever after that. Just as in the three tenses of salvation, where saved people have past tense salvation which goes on forever, and saved people have their future tense salvation in super bodies after the resurrection, saved people also have present tense salvation, where they practice, and experience, their salvation each moment by sowing to the Spirit, through studying God's word, through ministry, through sanctification, discipleship, giving, doing good, and so forth. Saved people experience glorious aspects of eternal life in this realm right now in sowing and reaping right now. Jesus illustrated this same principle in Mark 10:29-30, concerning Jews who submit to Him as Messiah,

"29 Jesus said, 'Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel's sake, 30 but that he will receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, ...'" (Mark 10:29-30)

[Thinking about that promise for a moment, we recognize the time reference, "now in the present age." The promise is to be experiencing sowing and reaping aspects of eternal life in the right now. Christ goes on with what is received,]

"... houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions ..." (Mark 10:30)

[Part of reaping eternal life in the present age from the Spirit that people sowed to, by leaving all for the gospel, is persecution; Jesus says, "Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." It is the principle where saved people are blessed when they are persecuted in the current earthly experience of eternal life. Continuing in Mark 10, Jesus goes from the now aspect, on to the aspect of the ages to come, saying next;]

"... ; and in the age to come, eternal life." (Mark 10:30)

Jesus is demonstrating the two tenses. In another example, two passages out of 1 Timothy demonstrate this for us in a very understandable way. Paul gives us the tenses, saying,

"Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost [sinner], Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life." (1 Timothy 1:16)

In the above passage, we see an example of believing in Christ for eternal life. This is salvation--believing in Him for eternal life that is given to people right here, right now. With this 1 Timothy 1:16 passage in mind, let us look at what Paul says to Timothy in the exact same letter; but notice the way eternal life is used by Paul. It is used in the same manner as our Galatians 6:6-10 passage under study,

"Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses." (1 Timothy 6:12)

Immediately we recognize the tenses of eternal life in our experience. Timothy already believes for eternal life (cf. Galatians 6:6-10); he already made the confession, and so he has eternal life right here right now, which of course is eternal. Here is the principle;

You believe in Him for eternal life, but you do something else with eternal life--you fight the good fight, taking hold of all the glorious aspects of the eternal life right now, right here, in your Christian walk.

This is what Paul meant as he continued to write a few lines later in 1 Timothy with the same idea in mind of Galatians 6:6-10,

"17 As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. 18 They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, 19 thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life." 1 Timothy 6:17-19

It is taking hold now concerning what they have, both now, and forever.

What we are seeing is that eternal life is what everyone who is saved has received in terms of duration, and yet there are aspects of experience that occur at any given time. In terms of eternal life's endurance, Jesus had this to say,

"28 and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand." (John 10:28)

Again, it is eternal life manifested in "never perishing." No one will make this endurance non-eternal. Continuing, we recognize what Jesus says in the same chapter,

"10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; ..." (John 10:10)

[The thief wants to degrade your life. But Jesus says]

"... I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly." (John 10:10)

Not only do saved people have eternal powerful life, but they also are to experience it abundantly right here, right now. Jesus did not only come so that people's eternal life would be abundant 20 trillion years from now in mega-glory. This is a huge point because this is what Paul is talking about in our passage. Paul is talking about experiencing the abundant Spiritual aspects of the eternal life of the perfect kingdom, but experiencing it right now as we walk in the Spirit, because after all, saved people already have eternal life as saved people, and have been transferred into the eternal Kingdom of the Son, (cf. Colossians 1L13). But saved people still live in the cursed temporal world of the domain of darkness where they manifest sin because of the corrupt nature of their flesh.

In our study of Galatians 6:6-10, all of the above groundwork around the topic of eternal life, in the first key of understanding the text, will become clearer for our application in a moment. In the meantime, we must go back to the middle of Galatians for contextual analysis. As we do this, we need to pay attention to the flesh / Spirit contrast, and what saved people do in their Christian walk as being free from the Mosaic Law. The flesh represents the temporal sinful world after the image of Adam. The Spirit represents the eternal perfect realm after the image of Christ. Paul says back in 3:3, concerning the righteousness and salvation that comes solely by the Spirit,

"Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?" (Galatians 3:3)

We must think of it this way: "Can anyone die on the cross for sins of humanity in place of Christ?" No, of course not. If it it impossible for others to die on the cross for the sins of humanity in place of Christ, then how is anyone going to die on the cross for themselves? Further, do people draw themselves to God, or does His Holy Spirit effectually draw People? The answer is that the Holy Spirit effectually draws people. Do people regenerate themselves, or is it the Spirit's work? It is the work of the Spirit. To demonstrate how absurd such a concept is of being perfected by our own flesh; cutting away a little piece of foreskin, (which can only be done to males anyway), is not something that can be added to the cross, the work of the Spirit, the miracle of transformation, and grace through faith. The answer to Paul's question is "No, neither I, or anyone else, can be, or ever will be, perfected in the flesh." So, Paul explains that a saved person's whole born again existence originates with the Spirit, and no saved people perfect themselves. The Redeemer perfects us, and ultimately we will be totally perfect in all our thoughts and actions in the resurrection.

Then Paul goes on through the Galatians epistle to say that through Christ, we are free from the Law, and its requirements, but nevertheless, Paul explains that freedom from the Law has a way of thinking behind it. We want that thinking. In chapter 5 we see what Paul says concerning this thinking as we approach our passage that those who believe in the NEST have errantly applied. Paul says in 5:13,

"13 you were called to freedom, brothers; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another." (Galatians 5:13)

We must notice Paul's "flesh" reference. The flesh is the temporal life. The Spirit is the third person of the Trinity of which we share in the eternal life of the divine nature. The Holy Spirit is in each of us as God's royal seal, (cf. Ephesians 1:13, and 4:30). What this means for Christians, is that they have a dual aspect to themselves, but they need to walk according to the eternal Spirit aspect (sowing to the Spirit by the same Spirit) rather than according to the temporal sinful flesh. Paul realizes that freedom from the Law can be construed wrongly as an opportunity for Christians to think that they are free to go out and indulge themselves in sin. Paul knows this, so he enlightens his audience,

"For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'" (Galatians 5:14)

Love is the righteousness that saved people do according to the eternal Spirit of their eternal life. Love is the great fruit of the eternal Spirit of a Christian's eternal life, which is a fact that Paul states in Galatians 5:22. Love is what keeps saved people from sinning against other people. Paul goes on with the point,

"15 But if you bite and devour one another [manifest hate], take care that you are not consumed by one another. 16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh." (Galatians 5:15)

[Walking by the Spirit is contrasted with the old flesh of sin. Walking by the eternal Spirit is how saved people experience a bit of eternal perfection of heaven on earth right now. Paul goes on]

"17 For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please." (Galatians 5:17)

[We get the gist here of the flesh-Spirit battle that everyone goes through in salvation in this temporal world. The old flesh nature will be annihilated when saved people are resurrected to experience the next aspect of the eternal life that they already possess. The next verse is important,]

"18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law." (Galatians 5:18)

[Being led by the eternal Spirit is superior to living under the temporal Mosaic Law. The Law is designed for sinful beings of a temporal world permeated as flesh, (cf. 1 Timothy 1:9). The Spirit, though, is eternally pure life. All saved people are necessarily led by the Spirit. Paul goes on,]

"19 Now the deeds of the flesh ["flesh" as the image of fallen Adam] are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, 21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God." (Galatians 5:19-21)

People who remain in the image of fallen Adam, practice, as a state of being, with only one nature, (a lost unredeemed nature) sin. "Practice" is the Greek present participle prassontes, and it means consistently habitually persisting as a normative state of being. This is the affinity of the unsaved nature as a matter of its existence. Practicing sin in this context is dealt with in depth in the previous section, (cf. section on Galatians 5:19-21). It is important that we notice that idol worship and sorcery are in this list. People who are solely in the flesh, without God's eternal Spirit, are idol worshippers (false God believers) and sorcerers (those who practice pagan witch craft). This is a general reference to false religion, as Paul's sin and vice list is not meant to be comprehensive. Idol worship, and sorcery, were both huge and interconnected problems in pagan Rome, Galatia, and its surrounding region of Asia; and of course, pagans are not saved. Saved people worship God and do the salvation that they already have and never lose. Unsaved people only practice what they are, which is temporality and death, rather than eternal life in the Son. This is made clearer in the next verse,

"22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires." (Galatians 5:22-24)

[Belonging to the eternal Christ means your positional-identification with the flesh has been crucified with Him. We Christians have the Holy Spirit because we belong to Christ. The old temporal us has been crucified with Him. The new us is living because the Holy Spirit is actually in us. Paul said it back in 2:20, when he explained salvation as,]

"20 "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me." (Galatians 2:20)

[So, now the eternal life that saved people live in the temporal flesh right now is by the Spirit. Paul goes there next as we get closer to the disputed passage in chapter 6. Paul says in 5:25,]

"25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit." (Galatians 5:25)

[Christians really do live "by" the eternal Spirit. It is imperative that we recognize this fact. Further, Christians do not practice sin as being in the state-of-being of sin, but Christians do still sin. Because of these facts Paul has to say,]

26 Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another." (Galatians 5:26)

[Why would Paul make the above exhortation to eternal spirit beings in the image of Christ (saved people)? The reason is because to do the things of verse 26 would be for Christians to sin and do temporal works of the flesh, which is not love. With this background of contextual flow out of the way, we can move into chapter 6,]

"1 Brothers, [Christians] even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, ..." (Galatians 6:1)

[We must pay special attention to Paul's identifying clarifier; "spiritual," which means people who are already saved who are manifesting more of the fruits of the eternal Holy Spirit than the poison of the temporal sinful flesh. Paul goes on;]

"... you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted. 2 Bear one another's burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ." (Galatians 6:1-2)

[This is how Christians live the spiritual life of the eternal Kingdom rather than according to the self-centered temporal flesh. The eternal Law of Christ is love. It is the Law of the eternal Kingdom. Going on with verse 3,]

"3 For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 But each one must examine his own work," (Galatians 6:3-4)

[The question that is at the root of what Paul is saying is: Is your work spiritual or fleshly? Paul goes on,]

"... and then he will have reason for boasting in regard to himself alone, and not in regard to another. 5 For each one will bear his own load." (Galatians 6:4-5)

Okay, now we can make sense of what Paul says next, which is that other key that was mentioned at the beginning of this exegesis which opens up Paul's meaning when he wrote this passage. Paul says,

"6 The one who is taught the word is to share all good things with the one who teaches him." (Galatians 6:6)

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Now we can utilize the second key. This key is that Paul, in context, is talking about the one who is taught as being the one who also sows through practicing the spiritual life now by financially giving to pastor-teachers in the household of faith. Luke 10:7; 1 Timothy 5:17-18; 1 Corinthians 9:11, 14; all teach this same principle of Christians supporting their preaching/teaching/pastoring leaders financially. We live in a temporal world. Galatian Christians, though possessing eternal life, also lived in a temporal world, and financial provision is a temporal activity, but this is a now practice that springs from the Christian experiencing the eternal Spirit of the eternal Kingdom of everlasting life. This is why Christians give to the work of Christian ministry; God says for His elect children to give to supply the needs of the one who teaches. It is necessary for us to recognize that Paul uses this same metaphor of reaping and sowing concerning the teacher, and those being taught, in 1 Corinthians, but Paul comes at it from the view of the teacher, where Paul says plainly,

"11 If we sowed spiritual things in you, is it too much if we reap material things from you?" (1 Corinthians 9:11)

Paul uses the metaphor of reaping and sowing again in 2 Corinthians,

"5 So I thought it necessary to urge the brethren that they would go on ahead to you and arrange beforehand your previously promised bountiful gift, [money] so that the same would be ready as a bountiful gift [money] ... 6 Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." (2 Corinthians 9:5-7)

This is a principle and it is the principle of the context of Galatians 6:1-10, where God instructs Christians to give as an act of ministry, and as an act of love--cheerfully and bountifully;

"... he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully ... God loves a cheerful giver." (2 Corinthians 9:6-7)

In Galatians 6, Paul goes on in context to build upon his subject. Evidently there was a problem of Galatian Christians not wanting to help support teachers so that the teachers could devote themselves to undistracted, well equipped, teaching ministry, so Paul says,

"7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption," (Galatians 6:7-8)

In other words, if the same man ignores the teacher and sows to his own corruptible flesh, he will reap the deteriorating decay that is produced. This is a real principle from God that many Christians fail to grasp. Nevertheless, God will not be mocked by mere selfish humans just because they think it is okay to sow to their own materialistically selfish temporal flesh in disregard for the eternal life things of the Spirit. In immediate context, the sowing is to God's teachers of the doctrines of the faith. Each man must examine his own work in this respect, then maybe he can boast about what he does.

It is so important to keep the two keys in mind; again:

1) the various biblical aspects, experiences, and tenses of eternal life, and

2) The initial point that Paul is talking about concerning sowing and reaping, which is not to fulfill your own selfish desires of the flesh, but rather to share all good things with your teacher.

This is how we follow Paul as he continues his point;

"but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life." (Galatians 6:8)

Concerning this statement, we now must recollect what Paul said, in Galatians 5:22-25;

"22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, ..." (Galatians 5:22-25)

[Paul's point is that if we have eternal life by the Spirit, then]

"... let us also walk by the Spirit ..." Galatians 5:25

Paul's inspired exhortation is consistent: let us walk by the eternal Spirit now, sowing by and to the eternal Spirit now--practically experiencing the eternal life we have right now. In other words, salvation is eternal life, but are you experiencing the glories of your eternal life right now through what you sow? Is the one ministering to you experiencing it through you too? Are you sowing from the fruit of the Spirit back to the Spirit? Or, on the other hand, are you experiencing the curses of fleshly, earthly, temporal, things right now because of temporal seed that you plant? How are you sowing?; and what are you reaping? Let a man examine his own work. To mock God (using Paul's language) is the foolish practice of operating as if you have the temporal life that the rest of the lost world has. Are you experiencing the virtues of the eternal life right now in practical daily existence on this temporal world?; or are you experiencing the futile pipe dreams and worldly desires of the corruptness of the flesh? This is what Paul is talking about. You reap what you sow.

By the way, it is imperative that we recognize that Paul does not say that you sow eternal life, or that you sow an eternal life seed and then you grow your eternal life, and then once your eternal life is mature, then you harvest it. You do not sow eternal life seeds to reap eternal life, because in Christ the first born heir, you inherit His Eternal Life both now and in your future resurrection. Paul explains the salvation of all Christians well,

"11 In him [Christ] we have obtained an inheritance, ..." (Ephesians 1:11-14)

[In the above passage, we notice that Paul says we already have obtained an inheritance. Paul goes on,]

"... having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, 12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. 13 In him [Christ] you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, ..." (Ephesians 1:11-14 ESV)

Our inheritance that is coming, is the future tense aspect that we await in hope, where we will be resurrected and our mortal bodies will put on what is described as immortal. It is the future tense of eternal life where all Christians will be resurrected in a glorious state forever. The person of the Holy Spirit seals all who are saved. He is the guarantee of our "inheritance" of the future glory. The apostle Peter says that God,

"3... has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you," (1 Peter 1:3-4 emph. mine)

There is not much of a better way of defining "eternal" than the way Peter does in the above passage. With the guaranteed reserved inheritance in mind, we need to recognize that back in our passage, Paul is saying that when you sow to the Spirit Himself, you reap eternal life aspects from the Spirit Himself; but the main point is that Christians reap this right now in this earthly realm. In context, saved people reap eternal life by gleaning from the pastor/teacher. The pastor/teacher reaps eternal life from the privilege and honor to teach saved people. Saved people minister to the pastor/teacher in eternal life. The pastor/teacher ministers to saved people in eternal life. All are sowing to the eternal Spirit. Concurrently, all reap from the eternal Spirit, and all will reap various aspects of eternal life at the proper time, Paul says, if we do not grow weary. Now verse 9,

"9 Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary." (Galatians 6:9)

Doing good requires resolve. Reaping comes in time that is due, as is the principle of all planting, growth, and fruit. But, of course it is always according to God's right timing. Nevertheless, the promise is that you and I and all who are truly spiritually saved, will reap from the Spirit. In the meantime, what we must do is, we must sow to the Spirit in order to reap the abundant aspects of the eternal life. Anything else (even when sown in weariness in losing heart) produces a temporal, carnal, sickly harvest, which are all the fading things of temporal life.

It is vital to recognize that the principle of reaping after a time, and not growing weary in the meantime, that we are examining in respect to Galatians 6, is not an isolated principle. The same type of point of reaping after not growing weary is expressed in Hebrews 12. Let us examine the core substance of the principle out of Hebrews 12;

"1 let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, ..." (Hebrews 12:1)

[Encumbrances have to do with anything that is temporal flesh. Sowing to the temporal flesh needs to be laid aside. According to Hebrews 12:1, Christians are urged to break through the entanglements,]

"... and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, ..." (Hebrews 12:1)

[The "race" is the eternal life experience of the Spirit as Christians run in this temporal world. This is to sowing to the Spirit. It requires endurance. The way this is accomplished is by,]

"2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, [who is the Eternal Life] the author and perfecter of our faith, [faith is a gift] who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2)

[The verse that comes next is the endurance versus weariness principle, where we read,]

"3 For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." (Hebrews 12:3)

This is a beautiful parallel to Galatians 6:6-10. Saved people are to be looking to Jesus as encouragement in their sowing process. It is called "the race" in Hebrews 12:1. The classic exhortation is to not grow weary and lose heart, considering the Lord's example of enduring hostility; do not lose heart, even though your life, as a Christian, is full of trials and tribulations. Finishing up here with this section, we see that Paul preaches the same thing in Galatians with,

"10 So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith." (Galatians 6:10)

This is a continuation of Paul's whole point on the way Christians are to treat one another by manifesting love to the other members of the body of Christ, His church. Paul started this point back in the last chapter (Galatians 5). According to Paul's flow, he is saying that the opportunity to do good is now, so let us Christians be sowing that tangible manifestation of our eternal love right now to those who teach us. God is not mocked in this principle of giving. Whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. If he sows to his temporal flesh he will reap what flesh produces, which is decay, and corruption. If he sows to the eternal Spirit, he will reap from the Spirit, eternal life, and he will reap it from the Spirit right now in His Christian walk. The essence of Paul's urging, then, is:

Do not lose heart, you Galatians, in sowing eternal life things like money to your spiritually oriented teachers, and in doing good, which is an attribute of your eternal life, because you will reap eternal life things, rather than temporal life things, if you do not tire out. Sowing requires endurance and consistence. So finally then, in the moments you have left on this temporal planet, do good to all people which requires effort and endurance. In so doing, you fulfill the law, which is love, to all your fellow members of the household of the faith--which is Paul's reference to the local church, (1 Timothy 3:15).

So, when we consider all of these things, we see that this clarifies Galatians 6:6-10. With this in mind, we recognize that this Galatians 6:6-10 passage is cleared up as not teaching that spiritually saved people can lose their spiritual salvation, or that they must work for salvation, or that they must strive to keep salvation secure.