In the gospel of John 3:30 John the Baptist said about Jesus, he must increase but I must decrease. This sounds very usual of someone as great as John for all his public stature before Christ to say that someone who was then unknown to society or very little known in the area of practice to increase above him but he must decrease or be a subordinate. John said this upon conviction of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus started baptizing the people. However the society perceived that only John the Baptist was qualified or ordained to baptize or purify people. Baptism was a religious process of purifying sinners unto righteousness. Puzzled about Jesus’ conduct, a discussion arose between John’s disciples and the Jews over who was qualified to purify the people through baptism. In search for an answer, they confronted John who was known and credited to tell the truth for an answer. In response among others, John said He must increase but I must decrease.
Meaning of John’s statement
John the Baptist made the statement not for only himself but for all generations. A statement may be single but its import of meaning could be far reaching beyond its immediate meaning. What was operating on John’s mind when he made this single statement?
- He was acknowledging Jesus’ deity to which he John was subject and as a forerunner.
- He was conceding to the power and authority of Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour.
- He was abdicating the public recognition of him based on fallible knowledge to Jesus.
- He meant an honest self-denial for the sake of Jesus Christ.
- He was confessing to Jesus Christ to assume prominence in the affairs of mankind.
- He was affirming that Christ Jesus was ordained to fill prophesy in righteousness.
- He was elevating Christ Jesus to public and divine prominence to honour God.
- He was confessing a thankful and grateful heart to glorify God for Christ Jesus.
- He was announcing to all that the power and authority of Christ Jesus was authentic.
- He was avowing that no other but Christ Jesus was the pivot of salvation and eternal life.
- He was pointing to the divine humility and obedience of Christ Jesus as worthy of emulation.
- He was referring to the name of Jesus Christ as above all names and things.
- He meant to his disciples that his and man’s position is purely by grace and not by works.
- He meant to his disciples that it glorified God to lift up and to celebrate only Christ Jesus.
- He meant to say that the higher Christ Jesus is lifted up, the more Satan is abased.
- He meant Jesus’ baptism of water and the Holy Spirit was superior to his only water baptism.
- He was teaching his disciples that true humility is submitting to Christ Jesus.
- He was saying that the truth as God ordained him to propagate must be told as such always.
We must reflect on the above thoughts of John concerning Jesus and honestly evaluate our thoughts and comments about Jesus. What do we say about Jesus? In Jewish culture just as in many other cultures, a servant is not greater than his master so John recognized Jesus as his master. Jesus confirmed this in John 15:20 that a servant is not greater than his master. 1 Corinthians 12:3 says no one can say Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit. John confessed Jesus as Lord from the heart, what about us?
Can Jesus rely on us to speak the truth? We are saved only when we allow the truth to dominate our lives. The truth is born when Jesus increases in our lives but we decrease. If we acknowledge Jesus as Lord, he would not be a subordinate in our lives but the ruler. Has Jesus increased in our lives but we decreased? Both cannot increase at the same time. In every situation and at all times, let our prayer be that Christ must increase but we must decrease. This is because all power belongs to God, 2 Corinthians 4:7; Revelation 19:1. He owns grace, mercy, love, forgiveness and all the good things of life.
David said in Psalms 121:1-2 that I lift up my eyes to the hills. From whence does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. When we pray that Christ must increase, the Lord will equally lift up his countenance upon us and give us peace, Numbers 6:26. David equally prayed this prayer of John the Baptist.
Are we lowly in spirit or faith or circumstance as John was? Let our prayer be that Christ Jesus must increase but we must decrease if we share in John’s words of faith and truth which John made in divine humility. Do we recognize Jesus or submit to him or honour him in truth as John did? Let our prayer before God be that Christ must increase but we must decrease in all things.
Prayer
The Lord Jesus Christ, we humbly submit to your authority and share in the words of John the Baptist that you must increase but we must decrease. Increase in our lives so we may learn more of your humility and obedience and be truthful as John was. In your holy name we pray, Amen!!
