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Then after telling those who receive spiritual help to remember to communicate in all
good things, he adds the solemn words:--
"Be not deceived, God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, THAT shall he
also reap; for 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 aionian."
These words are addressed to saved persons, the unsaved man has no option. The
believer therefore may sow to the flesh, and reap corruption. Just as he (the believer) is
warned that the wages of sin is death, he may on the other hand sow to the spirit and reap
life aionian. It is again a question of service or sowing, not, as in John's Gospel,
believing.
There are a few more passages to consider before we summarize our findings, but
such will have to be dealt with in another paper.
The First Epistle to Timothy.
pp. 94-96
The last reference which we considered was in the epistle to the Galatians. The
canonical order of the epistles places Ephesians next, but we search that epistle of the
Mystery in vain for any reference to aionian life; we go on to Philippians and to
Colossians with similar results; there remains but one more "prison" epistle, namely
II Timothy, and again our search is fruitless; fruitless is hardly the word, however, for
the omissions of Scripture are inspired. Believing as we do, and as we believe we can
demonstrate, that these four epistles are peculiarly sacred to the revelation and doctrine of
the dispensation of the Mystery, and the church of the One Body, we cannot but
recognize the fact that the apostle in enunciating and teaching this wondrous revelation of
God's grace to the Gentiles has no occasion and no place for aionian life. By what
warrant do we introduce it therefore? The apostle most plainly commanded Timothy, and
us through him, to have a form (hypotuposis--a rough draft, or sketch plan) of sound
words, which, said he, "thou hast heard of me". To those who do not recognize the
peculiar and exclusive character of the prison epistles and the dispensation of the
mystery, the fact that aionian life is never once mentioned in those four prison epistles
may not mean much; to those to whom those epistles form the standard and touch-stone
of their attitude toward the remaining portion of inspired truth, such omission speaks with
authority. In the first epistle to Timothy and the epistle to Titus aionian life is found.
Paul tells us that he received mercy, though the chief or "first" of sinners, that the
Lord might exhibit in him all long-suffering as a pattern (same as in II Tim. 1: 13) of
those about to believe on Him unto aionian life (I Tim. 1: 16). Much depends upon the
due appreciation of the meaning of the word mellő ("about to", or "should hereafter") as
to whether we grasp the import of the passage. Note the context and its arrangement.