Kung Ano ang Itinanim, Siyang Aanihin

I would like to express my gratitude to International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) for making this photo available on Flickr. IRRI's website is found here

Gal. 6:7-9 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.  For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. (NIV)

PANIMULA

Karamihan ng mga kapatid kong babae ay mga guro sa mga pampublikong paaralan. Lahat sila ay may mga asawa na, may mga sarili nang pamilya kaya wala na sila sa tahanan ng aking mga magulang. Pero noong mga dalaga pa sila, naalala ko ang mga naririnig ko tuwing matatapos ang isang mahabang bakasyon: "Anto ya, loob lalamet" (Ano ba naman ito, pasukan nanaman). Palibhasa'y masarap magpahinga at nasanay na ang katawan sa pagre-relax, masakit sa loob nila yung pagbabalik ng pasukan. Mahirap nga naman ang trabaho ng mga titser. Doon nga sa gameshow na Family Feud, tanong ng host na si Richard Gomez, "nag-survey kami ng isan-daang katao, ibigay ang top answers na nasa board. Sa aling trabaho ka mabilis na tatanda?" Ang top answer sa board ay "guro". Kaya naman ganun pala ang reaksyon ng mga Ate ko pagkatapos ng bakasyon.

Kung ganun ang aking mga ate tuwing pagkatapos ng mahabang bakasyon, yung aking kuya mas malala:.... hehehe… pero ito ay may halong biro mula sa komediante kong kuya. Kung ang mga komediante ay may mythical five tulad sa PBA , ganito ang magiging listahan:

1. Dolphy
2. Chiquito
3. Joey De Leon
4. Vic Sotto (sa Senado na lang si Tito)
5. ang aking kuya Arnel (Oo, tatalunin niya sina Cachupoy, Babalu, Panchito, Palito,  Pugo at Tugo)

Bago siya nag-abroad, nasa CENPELCO siya. Isa sa mga pinagdaanan niya eh meter reader/collector. Umulan-umaraw; bagyo o tag-init,  nasa field siya. Kung yung aking mga ate, nagrereklamo tuwing matatapos ang mahabang bakasyon, yung aking kuya, sa araw ng Lunes, matapos and weekend, madalas mong maririnig sa kanya: "Anto ya, trabaho lalamet" (Ano a naman ito, trabaho nanaman).

Eh di pinapayuhan ko siya. "Kuya, huwag naman ganyan. Dapat ang sabihin mo: 'Ayos, trabaho lalamet' (Ayos, trabaho nanaman). Eh pinakinggan niya naman yung payo ko. Yung pinapasabi ko, sinabi naman niya "Ayos, trabaho lalamet". Pero sasabihin yun ng komediante kong kuya nang may maasim na mukha at mangiyak-ngiyak na tinig… hehehe..

Ang aking mga ate, bilang mga guro ay may disenteng propesyon. Hindi man sila yayaman sa trabahong iyon, sapat naman yung kita upang mabuhay ng marangal. Ganun rin naman yung aking kuya, ang CENPELCO ay maayos rin namang magbayad maski papano. Pero dahil sa hirap ng trabaho, minsan ay nanghihina ang loob ng mga manggagawa. May mga pagkakataon na nakakaligtaan nila ang mga pagpapala sa trabaho.

 Kung yan ay nangyayari sa mga taong may maayos na kita at benipisyo, higit na nangyayari yan sa mga naglilingkod sa gawain ng iglesia, kung saan ang kita ay hindi ganun kasagana.

 Maaaring sa hirap ng ministry, tayo man ay magreklamo;

 "Anto ya, Bible Study lalamet"

"Anto ya, evangelism lalamet";

"Anto ya, manpuyat ak lalamet"

"Anto ya, follow up lalamet"

"Anto ya, practice lalamet"

 "Ano ba ito, Sunday nanaman."

 May mga sandaling nawawala ang ating kagalakan sa  sa paglilingkod. Kinakaladkad mo na lang ang iyong mga paa. Hindi na pagpapala ang  ministry para sa iyo. Isa na itong pabigat. Baka hindi magtatagal, iyong sabihin sa iyong sarili: "Walang kabuluhan ang aking paglilingkod. Wala akong pakinabang dito"

Galatians 6:7-9 could be our life saver. It will rescue us for such a low view of ministry. In this text, Paul urges the Galatians to move on. To keep on serving. To keep on doing what is good. He urges them not to give up. Surely, there are many perils, hardships and discouragements  in the Christian life, but we have an antidote for that.

In order to urge them to keep on, he introduces a principle that is universal: "A man reaps what he sows". Sa ating wika, "Kung anong itinanim, siyang aanihin". Hindi panghabang panahon ay mag-aararo ka.Hindi habang panahon ay magbubungkal ka. Hindi habang panahon ay maghahasik ka. Hindi habang panahon ay magbubunot ka ng mga damong ligaw. Hindi habang panahon, ay magbibilad ka sa araw. Hindi habang panahon ay magpapatubig ka. May panahon rin ng anihan. Huwag mong isipin na walang kabuluhan ang paglilingkod. At ang kamalig na pag-iimbakan natin ng ating mga butil ay hindi dito, kundi doon sa langit kung saan walang makikihating daga.

HINDI NINYO MAIISAHAN ANG DIYOS

A.     The Preface
a)      A command: Do not be deceived-
b)      A statement: God cannot be mocked

 Deception is primarily from the Devil (John 8:44). So the devil may be involved here. I say in context that here, we could deceive ourselves. Paul says that God cannot be mocked. Ang literal na kahulugan ng salitang isinalin bilang "mocked" ay pagpisil sa ilong. Ito ay isang imagery tungkol sa panloloko sa isang tao. It's outwitting somebody. Nang sinabi ni Pablo: "God cannot be mocked", ibig niyang sabihin ay hindi natin maiisahan ang Diyos.

 B.     The Principle Stated: "A man reaps what he sows."

 May mga tao na ang akala nila, maiisihan nila ang Diyos. Ang akala nila, magtatanim sila ng masama, at ang aanihin nila ay mabuti. Ang akala nila, sila'y magtatanim ng makahiya at sila'y aani ng pakwan. Ang akala nila, maaari silang magtanim ng talahib, at sila'y aani malagkit.

Ang sabi ni Pablo: "Hindi, kung ano ang inyong itinanim, yun ang aanihin ninyo." Kung inaakala ninyo na maiisahan ninyo ang Diyos; gagawa kayo ng lahat ng uri ng kasamaan, at gagantimpalaan pa kayo ng Diyos, nagkakamali kayo. God cannot be mocked. Do not be deceived. You are only deceiving yourselves if you think you can fool God.

 >  Iisipin ng bulakbol na estudyante na "b—o---b--o" ang kanyang guro kung magkaka-medalya pa siya.

>  Iisipin ng batugan na empleyado na "t--a—n--g--a" ang kanyang boss kung mapropromote pa siya.

Ganun ang tingin nila sa Diyos. Ang akala nila, maiisahan nila ang Diyos na matapos maghasik ng kasamaan, aba'y tatanggap pa sila ng parangal sa langit.

 But they are just deceiving themselves. It is sheer foolishness to think that you could outwit an all-wise God.

So what should we do? Since the principle of sowing and reaping is universal and  unchangeable, all we could do is to use it for our advantage.

 John Stott says: "since we cannot fool God, we are fools if we try to fool ourselves! We must neither ignore nor resist this law, but accept it and cooperate with it. We must have the good sense to allow it to govern our lives." (The Message of Galatians, The Bible Speaks Today Series)

For if we will not cooperate with this principle, the consequences could be fatal: "For he who sows to his flesh/will of the flesh reap corruption (v. 8a)" . On the other side of the coin, if we shall cooperate with this universal and unchangeable principle, what we shall reap is life. "but he who sows to the Spirit/will of the Spirit reap everlasting life" (8b).  It is clear in this epistle and elsewhere that salvation is by grace through faith alone. You can break my skull right now, but I will not deny Sola Fide. But faith always leads to active obedience. A faith does not work is dead.

Isa sa mga natititrang kuta ng easy believism ay Chafer Theological Seminary. Ayon sa kanilang website, isa sa kanilang distinctive ay:

"We hold fast to free grace--the view that God saves mankind by grace alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone. No works before, during, or after the moment of initial faith in Christ contribute anything to the free gift of forgiveness and eternal life that one receives through faith in Jesus Christ. The absence of good works during or after the moment of faith subtracts nothing from one's eternal position in Christ. However, good works determine whether one will receive eternal rewards."

Sabi nila, Sola Fide daw sila. Pero yung sa kanila ay isang perverted version ng Sola Fide. Sa kanila, gumawa ka man nang lahat ng uri ng kasamaan, mamuhay ka man ng isang salaulang buhay, ligtas ka. Ang mawawala lang daw sa iyo ay mga gantimpala tulad ng makalangit na korona at makalangit na dahon ng laurel.

Ang Sola Fide na itinuturo ng bibliya ay nauuwi sa buhay na banal.Titus 2:11-14: "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.  It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope--the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,  who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good." (NIV)

 It is in God's character as a just judge that he repays according to what men deserve:

 Isaiah 3:10-11 Tell the righteous it will be well with them, for they will enjoy the fruit of their deeds. Woe to the wicked! Disaster is upon them! They will be paid back for what their hands have done.

 Jeremiah 17:10- "I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve."

 I am not denying that one could be saved even if his ministry is not worthy of reward (1 Cor. 3:15), subalit sa konteksto kasi ng Gal. 6, ito yung mga taong nag-iisip na maiisahan ang Diyos.

 HUWAG MAGSAWA SA PAGTATANIM
Batay sa prinsipyong aanihin natin ang ating mga itinatanim, nagbigay ang Apostol Pablo ng isang exhortation: "let us not grow weary while doing good". He is here addressing a common tendency of fallen men: Yung hindi pagpapatuloy sa paggawa ng mabuti.

The Greek word is egkakeo.  It is "to lose one's motivation in continuing a desirable pattern of conduct or activity"; "to lose enthusiasm" (BDAG lexicon). Based on that definition we see that the activity is desirable, but the subject loses motivation in continuing. Naumpisahan niya ang isang bagay na mabuti at maganda, pero nawalan siya ng gana upang magpatuloy. The weariness here is not physical, but the zeal. Loosing one's enthusiasm about something.

 What were your passions five years ago that are not one of your passions now?

 Dati ba, yung katabi mo sa bus, tiyak na makakarinig ng ebanghelyo? Kung ginagawa mo ang mabuting bagay na iyan noon, bakit hindi mo ipinagpatuloy?

  Dati ba, nagpupuyat ka sa pananalangin? Kung ginagawa mo ang magandang gawain na iyan noon, bakit hindi mo ipinagpatuloy.

 You have grown weary in doing that good thing.

 Think about the passion of Paul. The attitude of Paul in service:

Acts 20:24- "I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me--the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace."

(cf. acts 21:10-14)…"Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus."

 Why am I bringing here the attitude of Paul in ministry? Because when he said "let us", that is Hortatory subjunctive: "to urge someone to unite with the speaker in a course of action upon which he has already decided" (Daniel Wallace, Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics). Paul has already committed himself with this resolution: that he will not lose enthusiasm in doing what is good. And he is urging his readers to unite with him in this commitment. This is another way for Paul to say, follow my example (Phil. 3:17)

 Why?--- Because we will reap.

 When?-- In due season; at the proper time

 Condition?-- If we do not lose heart

 The problem is that when we want to reap before harvest time; and we lose heart before harvest time.

 Ang mga itinatanim natin ay may Maturity period: Kamatis (75-100 days); Sibuyas (90-150 days); Bawang (100-140 days); Pakwan (80-90 days); Sweet corn (70-75 days); kalabasa (75-100 days); kamote (90-120 days).

Before harvest, you've gotta work. Kailangan mong magbanat ng buto. Kailangang magpakapagod. Eh paano kung halimbawa, kasintaas pa lamang ng tuhod ang itinanim mong mga mais, sumuko ka na? Paano kung kasinlaki pa lamang ng kamao ang mga pakwan, gusto mo nang makinabang? The problem is that you want to harvest on the 50th day when has God appointed a harvest on the 80th day.

We do not know the maturity period of the things we are sowing because we don't know when will the Lord return. So we must keep on working until he comes. We must not lose zeal until we see our Master. Mapapawi ang lahat ng ating pagod sa oras na maririnig natin ang kanyang tinig:

"Well done, good and faithful servant!" (Matthew 25:23)