Galatians 6:8 says, “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.” This verse uses an agricultural metaphor to illustrate the consequences of living according to either our sinful nature or the Holy Spirit. Let’s break down what it means to “sow to the Spirit.”
Sowing and Reaping
Farming requires sowing seeds in order to later reap a harvest. The seeds that are sown produce plants that yield the desired crop. Paul draws on this imagery to describe how our actions in life produce certain results. Just as a farmer carefully selects which seeds to plant in order to get the crop he wants, we also choose which actions to take, and those choices have consequences.
Sowing to the Flesh
“Sowing to the flesh” refers to giving in to the natural desires, appetites, and passions of our sinful nature. We all struggle with sinful tendencies like greed, lust, pride, anger, and selfishness. When we allow these sinful impulses to determine our actions, we are sowing to the flesh. This leads to moral corruption and spiritual decay.
Examples of sowing to the flesh include:
- Pursuing worldly pleasures like drugs, alcohol, sexual immorality.
- Letting anger or bitterness take root in our hearts.
- Giving in to selfish impulses rather than serving others.
- Allowing greed or envy to motivate us.
- Living to please ourselves rather than God.
When we sow to the flesh, we operate out of sinful human instincts rather than the wisdom and power of the Holy Spirit. The harvest we reap is corruption – the breakdown of moral integrity and spiritual vitality. Indulging the flesh leads to negative consequences both inwardly and outwardly.
Sowing to the Spirit
In contrast, “sowing to the Spirit” means nurturing spiritual life through the power of the Holy Spirit. Whereas sowing to the flesh caters to natural inclinations, sowing to the Spirit requires submitting to supernatural guidance.
When we place our faith in Christ, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell within us to sanctify us and empower us to produce spiritual fruit. As we yield to His influence and draw strength from Him, we can overcome the evil desires of the flesh and align our lives with God’s will. Sowing to the Spirit means walking in step with Him rather than being controlled by our sinful nature (Galatians 5:16-26).
Examples of sowing to the Spirit include:
- Reading the Bible, which is the Spirit’s sword (Ephesians 6:17).
- Cultivating Christlike virtues such as love, joy, peace, patience.
- Praying and worshiping to strengthen your relationship with God.
- Serving and giving generously out of love for others.
- Pursuing righteousness, self-control, and other fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).
- Sharing your faith and making disciples.
These types of Spirit-led activities nourish our souls. The harvest produced is eternal life – an abundant spiritual vitality both now and forevermore. When we sow to the Spirit, we reap the benefits of an intimate connection to God.
Why It Matters
The metaphor of sowing and reaping emphasizes that our actions have lasting consequences. Sinful deeds produce a harvest of decay, while spiritual service results in everlasting life. As believers, we have the power to choose which harvest we will cultivate based on the daily choices we make.
Paul urges the Galatian church to stop sowing to the flesh and instead sow to the Spirit. Though they had experienced the Holy Spirit’s power, they were starting to revert to fleshly ways. He exhorts them that taking hold of the Spirit’s power is the only path to life and peace (Galatians 5:16-18).
This principle applies to us today. Are you sowing to please your sinful nature, or cultivating the Spirit’s fruit in your life? The harvest you reap will reveal what you’ve been sowing.
How to Sow to the Spirit
Sowing to the Spirit looks different for each believer. Here are some practical ways you can sow to the Spirit each day:
- Study the Bible – God’s word is “living and active” (Hebrews 4:12) and helps transform our minds and renew our thinking. Daily Bible reading exposes our hearts to the Spirit’s prompting.
- Pray continually – Maintaining a vibrant prayer life is essential for walking in the Spirit. Through prayer we align our hearts with God’s will and draw strength from Him.
- Devote yourself to fellowship – Being connected to other believers provides accountability, encouragement, and spiritual nourishment to keep sowing to the Spirit.
- Invest in ministry – Using your gifts to build up the church and share the gospel helps you sow to the Spirit rather than your flesh.
- Worship wholeheartedly – Regular worship directs all focus to glorifying God and reminds us of the Spirit’s presence within us.
- Pursue holiness – God calls us to live set apart lives devoted to Christ. Setting aside sinful habits and destructive behaviors is integral to sowing to the Spirit.
- Serve sacrificially – Looking for ways to give generously and meet needs demonstrates the Spirit’s work in us.
- Share the gospel – Telling others about Jesus provides opportunities for the Spirit to work through us.
We sow to the Spirit by consistently walking in step with Him, mindful of His presence and dependent on His power working within us. As we give Him control each day, He produces His fruit through our lives.
Blessings of Sowing to the Spirit
While sowing to our fleshly nature brings harmful consequences, sowing to the Spirit ushers in abundant blessings, including:
- The fruit of the Spirit – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). These virtues reflect the Spirit’s work in our lives.
- Intimacy with God – Our fellowship with Him deepens as we walk in step with the Spirit.
- Power over sin – The Spirit enables us to overcome sinful habits and addictions.
- Purpose and meaning – The Spirit guides us into using our gifts and talents for God’s glory.
- Hope for eternity – Sowing to the Spirit assures us of eternal life with Jesus.
- Discerning guidance – The Spirit gives wisdom for daily decisions when we submit to His leading.
- Confidence and courage – Walking in the Spirit gives boldness to share our faith and stand for truth.
These blessings are part of the abundant harvest the Spirit cultivates in our lives when we continually yield control to Him.
The Ongoing Battle
Believers cannot remain neutral – we will either sow to flesh or Spirit. Paul describes the constant struggle between our sinful and spiritual natures:
“For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.” (Galatians 5:17)
Due to our fallen state, the cravings of the flesh wage war against the Spirit’s guidance. So a vital aspect of sowing to the Spirit is putting sinful deeds to death:
“And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” (Galatians 5:24)
Though we will stumble at times, the Spirit empowers us to subdue fleshly impulses and sin patterns. We sow to the Spirit by continually denying worldly lusts and fixing our hope on Christ.
Relying on the Spirit
While sowing to the Spirit requires effort and conscious choices on our part, it is first and foremost the Spirit’s work within us. He tills the soil of our hearts, plants spiritual seeds, and nurtures their growth. Our role is to cooperate with His leading each day.
We sow to the flesh when we operate in our own strength, whereas sowing to the Spirit means relying on His power. The key is learning to walk by the Spirit, yield to the Spirit, and be filled with the Spirit (Galatians 5:16,18,25). As we entrust our lives to Him, the Spirit cultivates His fruit so that we reap eternal life.
“For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.” (Romans 8:14)
The Spirit’s Role
Through the Holy Spirit’s work, we are able to sow to the Spirit rather than the flesh:
- Indwelling – The Spirit resides within believers and serves as an ever-present help. We never have to walk alone.
- Guiding – He leads us into truth and righteousness, contrasting fleshly ways.
- Convicting – He pricks our conscience when we indulgence sinful impulses.
- Empowering – He gives supernatural strength to crucify fleshly desires and walk uprightly.
- Producing Fruit – The Spirit manifests His fruit in our lives as we yield to His control.
- Interceding – He prays on our behalf according to God’s perfect will.
Rather than striving in our own feeble strength, we must avail ourselves of the Spirit’s divine power and gracefully submit to His authority. His work in us enables us to sow to the Spirit.
Cultivating Discernment
Because the flesh and Spirit are at odds, believers need spiritual discernment to distinguish between them. The Spirit grants wisdom to recognize what is from God versus what is fleshly. Signs we are sowing to the Spirit rather than flesh include:
- Desires that align with God’s will
- Conviction over sinful thoughts or behaviors
- Understanding of Scriptural truth
- Power to resist temptation
- A draw toward worship and prayer
- Compassion, humility, and patience
- Freedom from sinful habits that once enslaved us
In contrast, indications we are indulging the flesh include:
- Craving earthly pleasures or comforts
- Bitterness, anger, envy
- Impulsiveness and lack of self-control
- Obsessive thoughts
- Striving for recognition and status
- Avoiding God and spiritual disciplines
When we sense fleshly impulses arising, we can pause to pray for discernment and strength from the Spirit to overcome temptation.
Examples in Scripture
Several biblical figures exemplify the contrast between sowing to the flesh and sowing to the Spirit:
- Samson – Despite being specially consecrated by God, he indulged fleshly lusts and was eventually destroyed (Judges 13-16).
- Solomon – In his latter years he sowed to the flesh through marital infidelity and idolatry, corrupting the nation of Israel (1 Kings 11).
- The Prodigal Son – This younger brother left home to sow to his fleshly desires but later repented and returned to the father (Luke 15:11-32).
- Peter – Though he denied Christ, after Pentecost Peter was filled with the Spirit and became a great preacher (Acts 2).
- Paul – Once a strict Pharisee, he embraced the gospel and the Spirit radically transformed him into an apostle and church planter.
These examples reveal the damaging effects of indulging the flesh, but also the hope of redemption through the Spirit.
A Way of Life
Sowing to the Spirit is not a one-time choice – it must become a consistent lifestyle. Each day presents opportunities to either gratify the flesh or walk in the Spirit. Following Christ requires vigilance to align our thoughts, words, and actions with God’s will.
We may stumble at times, which is why we must draw near to God to receive grace, mercy and strength. But our overall trajectory must be one of Spirit-led growth and transformation. When we stumble, we get back up and continue sowing to the Spirit through repentance and renewed dependence on Him.
This daily sowing to the Spirit enables us to produce a harvest of righteousness and peace:
“Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. 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.” (Galatians 6:7-8)
May we walk by the Spirit each day, cooperating with His transforming work so that we reap abundant spiritual life, both now and for eternity.