What is meant by corruption? What happens? Is it something physical? Strictly spiritual?
This comes from Galatians 6:8: written by Paul: "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." Paul is using the law of sowing and reaping from farming. Whatever a farmer plants is what eventually grows. In the same way, the habits, desires, and choices we continually "plant" in our lives produce a harvest.
EASY ENOUGH, RIGHT?
What does "soweth to his flesh" mean? The flesh doesn't simply mean the physical body. In the New Testament, it usually refers to our sinful human nature—the part of us that wants to live independently of God. It includes things like: pride, lust, greed, bitterness, selfish ambition, anger, dishonesty, and living only for pleasure or self.
So ..
"Sowing to the flesh" means continually feeding those desires instead of following God's Spirit. What is "reap corruption?" I looked it up in original the Greek. Translated "corruption" and it literally means decay, ruin, destruction, or something that rots. The first thing that came to my mind was a body in a casket .. literal decaying slowly away (no hope, no life, no raising up to live again.) Think of a piece of fruit left on the counter. It doesn't become rotten overnight. It slowly deteriorates. Paul is saying sin works the same way. Corruption affects every area of life slowly eating away what started out as beautiful. Like cancer can do without you even realize you're being destroyed.
Spiritually: If a believer continues to sow to the flesh (but it also affects those outside of belief) fellowship with God grows cold. It really does. Prayer becomes difficult. The conscience becomes less sensitive to sin. A person may become hardened to sin. There's a loss of inner peace, and an unexplained emptiness. Stepping away from the concept of God is a step toward personal autonomy, self-reliance, a greater focus back worldly pursuits with a the false freedom of forging your own moral path where there is no burden of spiritual expectation or sin.
Emotionally: guilt shame, anxiety, loss of peace, emptiness, broken relationships. It can actually lead to what I call toxic-shame. A deep-seated, painful belief that you are inherently broken, defective, different than others around you and in your own mind "maybe I deserve hell." You begin to self condemn rather than knowing we all can drift, but there is a way back if we come back. COMING BACK?? If we realize the error of our choices, turn, tell God we acknowledge our sin, then repent meaning intentionally turning your life toward God by rejecting your old sinful habits/vices. It's easily understood when thought of as a 180 -- instead of continuing on a path that leads you away from God, you choose to turn away from sin and walk in the opposite direction. The Prodigal son did! (Luke 15:11-32.)
Morally: If anyone continues to entertain sin, know that sin rarely stays the same size! It tends to grow. What you will not resist, persists. As a Christian though, you never fight sin alone; ever. As humans, the weakness of our flesh pulls us to sin. Jesus promised those that love and follow Him, "I am with you always, even unto the ends of the world" (Matthew 28:20). You've heard it said, "With God, all thing are possible" and it's true! Jesus promised His continuous presence, comfort, authority over evil, conquering desires, and an ongoing spiritual empowerment over Satan and to never feel abandoned. You can and do find, in Christ, walking the path as a believer is relatively easy when you "walk in the Spirit and you will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh (Galatians 5:16).
BECAUSE ..
*A lie often leads to more lies.
*Lust often demands more.
*Greed is never satisfied.
*Bitterness deepens over time.
Like rust on metal, corruption spreads if left unchecked.
For a believer, Paul is not teaching that every sin causes someone to lose salvation. Rather, AND THIS IS IMP0RTANT, Christians who sow to the flesh experience a damaged relationship with God, loss of joy, discipline from the Lord, and the loss of eternal rewards, even though they belong to Christ. Elsewhere, Paul teaches that believers can be saved "yet so as through fire" while suffering loss of reward (1 Corinthians 3:12–15). Paul doesn't end with corruption. "...but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting." Every act of obedience is also a seed: 1. Time spent in God's Word. 2. Prayer. 3. Forgiveness. 4. Kindness. 5. Self-control. 6. Generosity. 7. Trusting God during trials.
These seeds also produce a harvest—not always immediately, but inevitably. They lead to increasing Christlike character now and culminate in eternal life and fellowship with God. A helpful way to remember this verse is: The flesh always promises life but produces decay. The Spirit sometimes requires sacrifice now but always produces life. Paul is reminding us that God has built a moral law into His creation: the direction we consistently choose today becomes the harvest we live with tomorrow. Every choice plants a seed, and over time those seeds shape both our character and our future.
Until He Comes,
-Pat-
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