Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.
— Galatians 6:7-8
If you choose righteous suffering now, you will experience eternal comfort and fullness of joy in the future. If you choose sinful self-indulgence now, you will experience extreme suffering and misery in the future.
Suffering is inevitable. Wouldn’t it be better to suffer a little now through self denial and killing the deeds of the flesh rather than extreme suffering for sinful choices in the future?
“I am sending you to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.” — Acts 26:17-18
I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
— Matthew 12:34-37
“You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil.
For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
“You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me.”
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.” ~ John 10:27-28
“If what you are doing is not moving you towards your goals, then it’s moving you away from your goals. Nothing is neutral. Everything you are doing is either moving you towards the goals you want to accomplish or it’s moving you away.”