7 Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8 For he who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption; but he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9 And let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due season we shall reap, if we do not lose heart. (RSV)
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Cait: This passage points directly to the Catholic notion of progressive justification. Paul is talking to people who have already been justified and is telling them that if they sow to the Spirit then they will reap eternal life as a result. In verse 9 he tells us that reaping eternal life is conditional on not losing heart in well-doing. The good works prompted by the Spirit and carried out by believers are portayed as a part of the reason that we will reap eternal life. They are a result of the justification already recieved, but more than that, they actually help bring about the perfect state of eternal life we will one day enjoy.
Evan: [Unfinished]
Cait: He does not say “reap rewards” or “reap more abundant life,” but simply “reap eternal life.”
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