"AS A MAN SOWETH"
The Great Fundamentals, I
Of all the edicts ascribed to the great Master Teacher,
the Nazarene,
there is none more positive, more direct
and yet more widely misunderstood than this:
“ . . . Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.”-Gal. 6:7.
In this statement there is no “if”- no doubt - no qualification. It is as positive as if a judge, sitting on a bench to render judgment, had made the pronouncement.
How many people, reading this statement in their family Bible or hearing it from their Minister or Priest, stop, even for a single instant, to realize that the law of compensation here referred to governs every thought, desire and act of their daily lives ?
In the Biblical sense, “sowing” embraces every thought, effort and action made by any individual. All such sowing is under the Law, and is governed by the Law of action and REaction. Every action, whatever its nature, brings in RETURN a reaction, The REaction or return (the punishment or reward), partakes of the EXACT NATURE of the original thought, desire or action.
Despite the extreme simplicity of the language used by the Nazarene in his pronouncement on “sowing,” and the fact that almost every Christian family possesses a Bible, only the ex-ceptional person has given any thought to the Nazarene's positive statement, made without qualification. How many self-professed Bible students have ever attempted to analyze this statement in its true sense, or consider its application to their own thoughts, desires and actions - and the RESULTS AS IT AFFECTED THEMSELVES?
The actor, or “doer,” who “sows” or acts - and THIS INCLUDES EACH AND EVERY ONE - by such action SETS INTO MOTION God’s or the Divine Law - a Law which, by its REaction, known as the “reaping,” either rewards or punishes him. This reaping, or punishment, will be in perfect harmony with the thought, the desire, and the action that resulted from, or followed the thought and desire. This is the Law of Compensation.
If humanity believes in God, a just Law, as authority for the Nazarene's edict: “As ye sow, so shall ye also reap,” then we must come to the realization and recognition that it is NOT God - a just and loving Father - who metes out rewards and punishments. Reason MUST tell us that whatever we reap in the way of reward or punishment is the RETURN or REACTION of the action following our every thought and desire.
On this basis, God, as the Father, appears in a far more favorable light, than when we consider Him as constantly spying on His inconsiderate, ignorant and/or defiant children and sitting in judgment, like a hawk watching its prey, prepared to pounce on it at the first favorable opportunity.
The Creator gave human beings free Will to choose or act as they please, with the proviso that,- to use a common saying – “as he makes his bed so must he lie in it.” This is just another way of saying: “As ye sow, so must ye also reap.” Again, this is the Law of Compensation.
There is, as already stated, no qualification to this edict. Throughout the centuries, people, with rare exception, have sought refuge in the doctrine of “forgiveness of sins,” totally ignoring the positive Law. The net result is that humanity, as a whole, is admittedly in a far worse state, morally and Spiritually, than it was at the time when the Nazarene tried to lead man into the “straight and narrow path.”
No one has guessed what the state of humankind might be had individuals “bethought themselves” before acting, with the certain knowledge that their ACTIONS WOULD REACT UPON THEMSELVES. Let a person recognize as a certainty that, to cheat their fellow human being will most certainly bring a reaction, that, as a natural sequence, some one will in some manner, deprive themselves of an even greater amount, and they will hesitate before being dishonest.
THERE ARE, ADMITTEDLY, all too many people who are basi-cally dishonest and immoral in their nature. These will not hesitate to commit dishonest and immoral acts, whatever the Law may be. Their INNATE DISHONESTY LEADS THEM TO BELIEVE THEY WILL BE ABLE TO FIND A WAY, OR THE MEANS, TO AVOID BEING HELD RESPONSIBLE AND MADE TO PAY. The normally honest and moral people, once they actually comprehend the Law and its operation, will make every effort to live within, or in harmony with the Law, and be willing to await its REaction for their compensation.
Under this Law - and who is there to dare say it is not a just Law - whatever a person does which he or she should not have done, must be undone, or fully compensated for, that they may again be free. Likewise, whatever may be a person’s duty, if they leave it undone, must, to regain their lost estate, also com-pensate in some manner for neglecting their duty. All debts must be paid “to the uttermost farthing.” This is the “reaping after the sowing.”
Consideration of these simple, but self-evident facts, leads to one obvious conclusion: to protect our own best interests, materially and Spiritually, we should think, desire and do only that which we are willing to reap; knowing that there is no possibility of evading the action of a just Law.
This Law: “As ye sow, so shall ye also reap,” admits of no qualification whatever, is not a creed, but a cardinal fundamental of all religion, but not necessarily of all churchism. It is the one and only means whereby individuals can remain morally and consciously free and by which the Brotherhood of Man may be finally established.
By queer contrast, we find that scientists have long recognized the absolute certainty of the Law of ACTION AND REACTION (the Law of Compensation), so much so that they no longer think of denying it, but base all their experiments upon it. On the other hand, those presumably concerned with Spiritual affairs either continue to deny that this Law prevails in Spiritual affairs and activities, or they delude themselves with the idea that, in this realm, God can be prevailed upon to set the Law aside in favor of those guilty who have not the honesty or the manhood to be ready and willing to pay their indebtedness to God, the Law, and Humanity.
These cannot conceive, or will not admit, that there is but ONE Law with many activities or ramifications and that what-ever governs the one likewise governs the other. THERE ARE NO FAVORITES, either in the material or Spiritual realms. Were it otherwise God would not be just; Law would NOT be Law, but a vacillating, changeable, uncertain operation.
How many people, reading this statement in their family Bible or hearing it from their Minister or Priest, stop, even for a single instant, to realize that the law of compensation here referred to governs every thought, desire and act of their daily lives ?
In the Biblical sense, “sowing” embraces every thought, effort and action made by any individual. All such sowing is under the Law, and is governed by the Law of action and REaction. Every action, whatever its nature, brings in RETURN a reaction, The REaction or return (the punishment or reward), partakes of the EXACT NATURE of the original thought, desire or action.
Despite the extreme simplicity of the language used by the Nazarene in his pronouncement on “sowing,” and the fact that almost every Christian family possesses a Bible, only the ex-ceptional person has given any thought to the Nazarene's positive statement, made without qualification. How many self-professed Bible students have ever attempted to analyze this statement in its true sense, or consider its application to their own thoughts, desires and actions - and the RESULTS AS IT AFFECTED THEMSELVES?
The actor, or “doer,” who “sows” or acts - and THIS INCLUDES EACH AND EVERY ONE - by such action SETS INTO MOTION God’s or the Divine Law - a Law which, by its REaction, known as the “reaping,” either rewards or punishes him. This reaping, or punishment, will be in perfect harmony with the thought, the desire, and the action that resulted from, or followed the thought and desire. This is the Law of Compensation.
If humanity believes in God, a just Law, as authority for the Nazarene's edict: “As ye sow, so shall ye also reap,” then we must come to the realization and recognition that it is NOT God - a just and loving Father - who metes out rewards and punishments. Reason MUST tell us that whatever we reap in the way of reward or punishment is the RETURN or REACTION of the action following our every thought and desire.
On this basis, God, as the Father, appears in a far more favorable light, than when we consider Him as constantly spying on His inconsiderate, ignorant and/or defiant children and sitting in judgment, like a hawk watching its prey, prepared to pounce on it at the first favorable opportunity.
The Creator gave human beings free Will to choose or act as they please, with the proviso that,- to use a common saying – “as he makes his bed so must he lie in it.” This is just another way of saying: “As ye sow, so must ye also reap.” Again, this is the Law of Compensation.
There is, as already stated, no qualification to this edict. Throughout the centuries, people, with rare exception, have sought refuge in the doctrine of “forgiveness of sins,” totally ignoring the positive Law. The net result is that humanity, as a whole, is admittedly in a far worse state, morally and Spiritually, than it was at the time when the Nazarene tried to lead man into the “straight and narrow path.”
No one has guessed what the state of humankind might be had individuals “bethought themselves” before acting, with the certain knowledge that their ACTIONS WOULD REACT UPON THEMSELVES. Let a person recognize as a certainty that, to cheat their fellow human being will most certainly bring a reaction, that, as a natural sequence, some one will in some manner, deprive themselves of an even greater amount, and they will hesitate before being dishonest.
THERE ARE, ADMITTEDLY, all too many people who are basi-cally dishonest and immoral in their nature. These will not hesitate to commit dishonest and immoral acts, whatever the Law may be. Their INNATE DISHONESTY LEADS THEM TO BELIEVE THEY WILL BE ABLE TO FIND A WAY, OR THE MEANS, TO AVOID BEING HELD RESPONSIBLE AND MADE TO PAY. The normally honest and moral people, once they actually comprehend the Law and its operation, will make every effort to live within, or in harmony with the Law, and be willing to await its REaction for their compensation.
Under this Law - and who is there to dare say it is not a just Law - whatever a person does which he or she should not have done, must be undone, or fully compensated for, that they may again be free. Likewise, whatever may be a person’s duty, if they leave it undone, must, to regain their lost estate, also com-pensate in some manner for neglecting their duty. All debts must be paid “to the uttermost farthing.” This is the “reaping after the sowing.”
Consideration of these simple, but self-evident facts, leads to one obvious conclusion: to protect our own best interests, materially and Spiritually, we should think, desire and do only that which we are willing to reap; knowing that there is no possibility of evading the action of a just Law.
This Law: “As ye sow, so shall ye also reap,” admits of no qualification whatever, is not a creed, but a cardinal fundamental of all religion, but not necessarily of all churchism. It is the one and only means whereby individuals can remain morally and consciously free and by which the Brotherhood of Man may be finally established.
By queer contrast, we find that scientists have long recognized the absolute certainty of the Law of ACTION AND REACTION (the Law of Compensation), so much so that they no longer think of denying it, but base all their experiments upon it. On the other hand, those presumably concerned with Spiritual affairs either continue to deny that this Law prevails in Spiritual affairs and activities, or they delude themselves with the idea that, in this realm, God can be prevailed upon to set the Law aside in favor of those guilty who have not the honesty or the manhood to be ready and willing to pay their indebtedness to God, the Law, and Humanity.
These cannot conceive, or will not admit, that there is but ONE Law with many activities or ramifications and that what-ever governs the one likewise governs the other. THERE ARE NO FAVORITES, either in the material or Spiritual realms. Were it otherwise God would not be just; Law would NOT be Law, but a vacillating, changeable, uncertain operation.