Sowing to the Flesh
Sowing to the flesh leads to corruption and carnality, while sowing to the spirit brings forth good fruit and allows us to walk in the New Man.
Robert Wurtz II emphasizes the importance of being a shining light of Christ to the Jews, who may be veiled by the Oral Law and the Talmud, by demonstrating genuine love and fulfilling the Law's precepts. He warns against sowing to the flesh, which leads to corruption and carnality, stressing the need for love and humility. Wurtz highlights the significance of sowing the word of God in our hearts to bear good fruit and avoiding seeds of the flesh to please God and walk in the spirit.
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When it comes to having the Jews understand the reality of the Gospel, it is important to realize that the "light" of the law that would be their schoolmaster and lead them to Christ has been veiled by the Oral Law and the Talmud. What light may have seeped out is then governed by the Rabbi's who are in authority in Rabbinic Judaism. So the issue becomes being the "light" that Jesus spoke of that they might see in us what could never be seen in the law and the prophets through the veil of the Talmud.
To understand where a Judaizer is coming from you must know that often it is a knee jerk reaction to antinomianism. This is not always the case. However, as Christians, we must demonstrate a genuine life that fulfills the Law and rightly interprets its precepts in our expression of our faith through its original purpose that all would love the Lord their God will all their heart, soul, mind, and strength and our neighbor as ourselves. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples that you have love one to another.
A person who sows to the flesh is sure to reap corruption. This causes Christians to become carnal and walk as men. In an atmosphere of carnality there is little love and there is a "puffed-up" attitude that is detectable because of the absence of the dunamis (I Corinthians 2, 3). Soon spiritual gifts are trying to be manifested by carnal people and all manor of confusion results. The key is LOVE and humility (I Corinthians 13). Love never fails.
Sowing to the flesh is akin to sowing the word of God in our hearts. The seed of the word of God brings forth a harvest of good fruit. The seed of imaginations and high things that exalt themselves against the knowledge of God bring forth fruit unto death (II Corinthians 10:4-5; Romans 7:5). The seeds we sow to the flesh are the things that we are supposed to be protecting ourselves from. As it is written... Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. He that is in the flesh cannot please God. The way that we avoid walking in the flesh is to keep it subservient to the New Man by sowing to the spirit and casting down the seeds of the flesh or avoiding them as much as possible.
There are lots of different forms of seeds that we can sow to our flesh; but when they conceive they all bring forth death, As it is written... Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death" (James 1:15). Lust conceives when we make provision for the flesh to fulfill its lusts. As it is written...Let us walk honestly as in the day not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof. When we make provision or provide "seed" for the flesh we are in danger. Blessed is the man that condemeth not himself in that thing which he alloweth (Romans 14:22). We have to lay aside the WEIGHTS and the SIN that does so easily beset us. We must EXERCISE our senses to discern good from evil- that we might protect the heart from which are the issues of life.
The tongue is that one sense (member) that reveals what we have been allowing into our heart. When we start talking everyone gets a clear picture of where our heart is. If we have been sowing to the flesh it will be obvious in our actions and talk. If we have been sowing to the spirit it will likewise be known. Sin is manageable when we CUT-OFF the supply of seed to the flesh and humble ourselves so that we can stand in the grace of God as His workmanship created unto good works. When pride arises or we take HIS glory for HIS work- He will resist us and we are left to fall and then begin the process all over again. This is why I contend that Pride and Victory cannot happen at the same time for long. When there is no humility there will be sin--because God resists us in that condition. And without his grace--sin will abound. Grace abounds when we humble ourselves under Him.
Sermon Outline
- I. Understanding the Issue of the Veiled Law
- A. The Oral Law and Talmud obscure the light of the law
- B. The need for Christians to be the light that Jesus spoke of
- II. The Problem of Judaizers
- A. Often a knee-jerk reaction to antinomianism
- B. Christians must demonstrate a genuine life that fulfills the Law
- III. The Consequences of Sowing to the Flesh
- A. Corruption and carnality result from sowing to the flesh
- B. The absence of love and humility leads to spiritual confusion
- IV. The Importance of Sowing to the Spirit
- A. The seed of the word of God brings forth good fruit
- B. The seeds we sow to the flesh bring forth fruit unto death
- V. Avoiding the Flesh and Walking in the Spirit
- A. Keeping the flesh subservient to the New Man
- B. Casting down the seeds of the flesh and avoiding them
Key Quotes
“The seed of the word of God brings forth a harvest of good fruit.” — Robert Wurtz II
“Love never fails.” — Robert Wurtz II
“Pride and Victory cannot happen at the same time for long.” — Robert Wurtz II
Application Points
- We must demonstrate a genuine life that fulfills the Law and rightly interprets its precepts.
- We must keep the flesh subservient to the New Man and cast down the seeds of the flesh.
- We must exercise humility and cut off the supply of seed to the flesh to avoid sin and walk in the spirit.