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Even as I have seen, they that plough iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same." In the book of Proverbs we find it written: "The wicked worketh a deceitful work: but to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward." And again: "He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity."
By "immediate" is meant, within the compass of this life. The reaping may be delayed ten or twenty years, but in the writer's experience, it not infrequently comes. "Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." Those, therefore, who think that life is not just, and who whine and complain about the way they are treated, are simply increasing their own troubles.
The sower soweth the word. Now these are they by the road side; where the word is sown; and when they have heard, immediately Satan cometh, and taketh away the word sown on their hearts: and these in like manner are they who were sown on the rocky soil; who when they have heard the word, instantly with joy receive it; and have no root in themselves, but are temporary professors: afterwards, when tribulation cometh or persecution for the word's sake, immediately they are offended.
"He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully." "Ye are bought with a price: therefore, glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's." "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee, because he trusteth in Thee. Trust ye in the Lord forever; for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength."
"Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord God. Repent and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin." EZEKIEL xviii. 30. They correspond also to the warning of St. Paul when he says "Be not deceived; God is not mocked; whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
And, that being so, it being certain that 'whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap, and that no deed, be it ever so small, be it ever so evanescent, be it ever so entirely confined within our own inward nature, and never travelling out into visibility in what men call actions that every one of such produces an eternal, though it may be an all but imperceptible effect, upon ourselves; oh, surely there can be nothing more ridiculous than that a man should refrain from forecasting the issue of his conduct, and saying to himself?
The prophet clearly has in his mind the old promise of the law, and applies it to higher matters, even to the fields white to harvest, where 'he that soweth and he that reapeth shall rejoice together. In the same way we may take these words, and gather from them better promises and larger thoughts than they originally carried.
Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, hay, stubble.... Every man’s work shall be made manifest ... because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.” And Galatians VI, 7 ff.: “For whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
In this journey the Master has kindly gone before us; reverently, trustfully, we shall follow his steps. "He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; the field is the world." It is in connection with the "field" that the greatest difficulty has occurred, the greatest mistakes have been made, and the deepest injury has been done.
It is true that 'whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap, and the Christian doctrine of forgiveness does not contradict that solemn truth, but it assures us that God's heart is not turned away from us, notwithstanding the past, and that we can write the future better, and break altogether the fatal bond that decrees, apart from Him, that 'to-morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant, and that past sin shall beget a progeny of future sins.
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