Galatians 6:7—whatsoever a man soweth

With reference to Galatians 6:7-8—From this condensed view of the subject, it will, then, be perceived, that, according to the scripture teaching, there are in the arrangements of Deity, two bodies of life; that is, two kinds of body through which life is manifested: the one body in its organization is essentially perishable; the other, essentially imperishable. Each body is formed, or organized, before it is made the medium of the life peculiar to it. At this crisis, they are simply nephesh, psuche or soul; but when the mechanism of each body is put into motion, the one becomes nephesh khayyah, psuche tzosa, living soul or natural body; and the other, soma pneumatikon, a spiritual body, "spirit;" pneuma agiosunes, spirit of holiness, or holy spirit nature. But these bodies of life are not absolutely independent of one another. Their relationship is similar to that between the wheat standing in the field in winter time, and the same plant in harvest. The perishable body is projected from the earth in the resurrection period, when it stands a body of life, waiting for the Deity to give it a body according to his own good pleasure (1 Cor. xv. 30; John v. 21) to give it a white robe if approved. No body of life is resurrected except such an one, whose organization will give expression to a character extant before death. Such a corporeally expressed character is the restoration of personal identity. The resurrected body of life, thinks, remembers, feels and acts, like Paul, or, it may be, Judas; therefore, it is Paul or Judas to all intents and purposes. But, in this stage of the affair, the resurrected body of life, so named because of identity, is a body capable of perishing again, if left to itself; or, of becoming imperishable eternally if acted upon by the power of Deity. This alternative, then, has to be determined by the Judge. Paul informs the saints of both classes -- of that class who have "walked worthy of their high vocation," and of that, who have "walked after the flesh," since their immersion -- he says to both these, "Every one of us shall give account of himself to the Deity;" "for we must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ; that every one may receive dia tou somatos, through the body the things according to that he hath done, whether good or bad" (Rom. xvi. 12; 2 Cor. v. 10). Hence, Paul and Judas will both be there to tell the story of their lives in a previous state of existence. While they are giving account of themselves they are both of them bodies of life, like two plants of the same species in the field, the one may perish by frost or other cause; the other may be unaffected by evil, and yield fruit in harvest. The fate of Paul and Judas will depend on the nature of the account given by each. The rule by which the causes will be adjudicated is laid down by Paul in Gal. vi. 7,8 -- "Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." A man sows before death; he reaps after rising from death. "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." This is the rule, which is also illustrated by Paul himself and Judas. The last "sowed to his flesh;" and in his account he will abundantly show it. The sentence upon him in the resurrection-period will therefore doom him to "reap corruption of the flesh" -- to "receive through the body according to what he had done;" and as this was bad, he will, through the body he acquires in the future, receive "bad," or corruption. The body of life, then, named Judas, as a type of his class, remains perishable, and "when cast into outer darkness," reaps all the evil of which it is susceptible.

But Paul’s case is differently disposed of. He also may represent a class. In his previous state of being, instead of betraying the truth, or perverting it to his own fleshly purposes, he "sowed to the Spirit." By reading the New Testament, it is easy to see how he did this. He will give account of himself in accordance with what is written of him; and he had great confidence that it will be accepted. Being accepted, then, he will "of the Spirit reap everlasting life." A white robe, as it were, will be presented to him. The power of the Deity will change, or transform, the body standing at the tribunal in the twinkling of an eye; even as Paul testifies, the saints living at the advent, who may be approved, shall be changed without tasting of death (1 Cor. xv. 51,52). Thus, the body by this transformation is "clothed upon" with incorruptibility and immortality, by which "mortality is swallowed up of life" (2 Cor. iv. 4); and thus will be verified in his own experience, his own testimony, that "this corruptible must put on incorruption; and this mortal must put on immortality," when "death is swallowed up in victory" (1 Cor. xv. 53,54); and when this process is completed, Paul in victory, is spiritual in the highest sense, a body of life eternal.