Board index ‹ Specific Bible verses, texts, and passages ‹ Galatians

[Abi]

Is "You Reap What You Sow" Victim Blaming?

Hello there.

As far as I understand it, reaping what you sow means that if you do good things, good things will happen in the future, and if you do bad things, bad things will happen in the future. Is this victim blaming? If not, why not?

[jimwalton]

No, it's not victim blaming. Instead, it shows that even life is characterized by cause-and-effect relationships. Output is a function of input.

> reaping what you sow means that if you do good things, good things will happen in the future, and if you do bad things, bad things will happen in the future.

No, this is not what it means. This perspective that you have given is like the retribution principle, and the Bible is firm that this is not how life works. This is precisely what the book of Job is about and soundly rejects.

It means that believer and unbeliever alike will be judged fairly. We are ultimately responsible to God. God's reward or judgment is the inevitable fairness that men will receive exactly what they deserve to receive, no more and no less.