WEDNESDAY WISDOM

“He must increase, but I must decrease (John 3:30).”

"These seven words found in John 3:30 contain the entire mystery of God’s dealings with man from ages past to eternity future. “He [Christ] must increase.” All of God’s works are towards this end of increasing Christ. In other words, everything God has done, is doing, and will do is related towards revealing His Son and bringing us into the full-knowledge (epignosis) of Him. The goal is for Christ to have the preeminence in all things, beginning with us individually as disciples, then with the Church, and finally with all creation, “that He may be All in All.”

He MUST increase. Isaiah tells us that there will be no end of the increase of His government and peace. In the beginning was the Word, and we can see how God has worked steadily from the beginning to increase Christ. From types and shadows in the Old Testament we see Christ coming into view. Then the Word is made flesh and dwells among us, and Christ is increased yet again. Next He comes to dwell within us, and this is a major increase. Finally, He begins to conform us to His own image through the indwelling Life. If we are growing up into Him then He is increasing daily. Eventually every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Beyond this, we are told that God will continue to reveal His Son in the ages to come, bringing us into depths and dimensions of Christ that we cannot fathom.

God is not moving backward, but in the Son and through the Son, He moves steadily forward. Christ MUST increase. This is the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus. Just as we cannot have gravity without having the law of gravity, so it is impossible to have the Life of the Lord but not have the Law of that Life. And the Law of Life is that Christ must increase."

“But I must decrease.”....... read more over at The School of Christ by Chip Brogden. I've been so blessed by these devotionals into my Inbox every day! Hope you are too!


3 comments:

Warren Baldwin said...

It is a hard lesson to learn, but one that is a blessing if we do, that dying to self and living to Christ is the most freeing way to approach life. Good post.

Betsy Banks Adams said...

I see so many hurting people, Diane, who just need to turn their lives over to God. When we keep God at the center of our lives, we can handle anything.

Thanks for a 'deep' post today.... Increase God and Decrease US.

Hugs,
Betsy

Kimberly Pitman said...

These are such inspiring words when one considers that the likes of John the Baptist spoke them. If it was true of John it must surely be true of us. Oh, how much I need to get out of the way and let God have the preeminence!