The plants are starting to grow! We have been diligently watering some plants we bought about a month ago, and just a few days ago we finally noticed that some of the hanging plants are beginning to grow. The best time to plant is during the dormant season, which would be late fall or early spring in North America. As spring wears on and gives way to summer, you may now start seeing those flowers open and those plants grow. Now is the time to see the fruits of your labor. 

“Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit.” (Galatians 6:7-8)

So what are you planting? Are you planting sinful nature seeds? It could be argued that we have all planted sinful nature seeds because all have sinned. Perhaps a better question then is are you watering those sinful nature seeds? Are you working toward the harvest or have you let the Gardener come in to take care of it?

“‘I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener.’” (John 15:1)

There is a lot of garden imagery in the Bible, but there is never any doubt who the gardener is. What was paradise on earth when God first made the world? A garden. What was Adam’s punishment or consequence as he was being disciplined for his sin?

“And to the man he said, ‘Since you listened to your wife and ate from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat, the ground is cursed because of you. All your life you will struggle to scratch a living from it. It will grow thorns and thistles for you, though you will eat of its grains. By the sweat of your brow will you have food to eat until you return to the ground from which you were made. For you were made from dust, and to dust you will return.’” (Genesis 3:17-19)

The ground was cursed. Gardening was now going to be hard. Before the fall, there was no work to be done to get food from the ground; after the fall, it’s hard work. By the sweat of your brow you will get food from the ground. God’s justice will not be mocked. We will always harvest what we plant. In regards to sin, what we harvest is death.

“When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned.” (Romans 5:12)

We know this to be true, for everyone dies. Thank God that’s not the end of the story.

“For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ. Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone. Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous.” (Romans 5:17-19)

We have all planted sin and our harvest is death, but Jesus has come and given us life, so now we can plant and water seeds of the Holy Spirit, and we know what will grow when we water the seeds of the Holy Spirit.

“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!” (Galatians 5:22-23)

So while we have all planted seeds of sin, we must not water them. We must not go into that field of sin and water those seeds that we planted. We already know what will grow if we continue to water the seeds of our sinful nature.

“When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.” (Galatians 5:19-21)

“And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior.” (Ephesians 4:30-31)

“Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it?” (Romans 6:1-2)

“Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned.” (John 15:6)

“Jesus replied, ‘Every plant not planted by my heavenly Father will be uprooted,’” (Matthew 15:13)

“No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.” (Hebrews 12:11)

If you should return to that field of sin, what logically follows is discipline—but after the discipline should come a harvest of right living. This right living is a confession and repentance of those sins; it is when we turn and walk the other way. We put down the watering can and leave that field of sinful seeds. Walk the way of the Gardener. Walk in His garden that is filled with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Water these seeds and you will see them grow in your life.

“The Sovereign Lord will show his justice to the nations of the world. Everyone will praise him! His righteousness will be like a garden in early spring, with plants springing up everywhere.” (Isaiah 61:11)

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

—Redeemed