Sent as a Voice
THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS [Jn.1:23]
John was a man sent from God.
To be sent from God is to have first been prepared and approved to represent His mind and purposes among men. It is a task that heaven never delegates to half-hearted enthusiasts. Those chosen by the Lord as divine ambassadors are men who have been tested, disciplined and found faithful.
God tests the heart to reveal if it is wholly devoted to Him; to expose its inner workings and unveil any double-mindedness. His words first come to His servant to reprove and correct the man’s own life before he is fit to instruct, admonish, correct and train others. The Lord imparts His word to those who will yield dividends in return for the treasure entrusted, and not squander it in the soil of slovenly disregard. God’s true servants are dead to self and will not be found in pursuit of the vanities of the world or entangled in the affairs of everyday life.
Disdaining the profitless enticements of this present evil age, every genuine prophet has no other concern than to stand approved in the presence of the Almighty. Yet, can there be discovered one wholehearted soul among a hundred thousand in this self-centered world? Encountering selfless servants is a rarity and has been the spiritual plight of successive generations.
Whom shall I send and who will go for Us? —Isa.6:8, was the triune cry of the Godhead in the days of Isaiah. A futile search was conducted in Ezekiel’s time to discover a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, but I found none—Ezk.22:30. The lament of Christ over the dearth of such devoted laborers continues up to the present for which earnest prayer is demanded [Mtt.9:38].
Though God’s design is that preparation precedes service, nevertheless many have gone forth without being sent by God. Hear the sovereign outrage, I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran. I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied—Jer.23:21. A multiplicity of self-appointed prophets have desecrated the message of heaven by launching forth in the delusion of their own hearts.
Woe unto us! The dreaded devastation of spiritual famine has come upon us [Am.8:11]! Dead men parade in the sanctuaries presuming to impart life to spiritually lifeless congregations. Scandals of marital unfaithfulness, financial embezzlement and vices of the worst sort result from the ministries of religious scoundrels.
The harps of God hang silent upon willows of carnality while we dance shamelessly to Lucifer’s piping. Disapproved instrumental noise blares its weak supplement to the spiritual impoverishment of false prophets. But such musical accompaniment only compounds the abomination of deluded preachers. Take away from Me the noise of your songs, for I will not hear the melody of your stringed instruments—Am. 5:23. All gatherings where man-made proclamations reign and are bolstered by religious enthusiasm are loathsome to the Lord. I hate, I despise your feast days, and I do not savor your sacred assemblies—Am.5:21.
Dear reader, is true spirituality your testimony? Do you know what it means to have gained God’s approval via the numerous tests of everyday life, or are you merely an adherent of a profession that attempts to substitute an empty show of religion for holiness of life?
Beloved, do not flow with such an assemblage of vain pretenders characterized by religious but unspiritual men. God is not in the midst of congregations whose “apostles” speak visions of their own hearts. Rather, lament over the depravity of these gatherings! With no sense of incongruity we have afforded cushioned seats of honor for the enemy in our midst, while we hold on to the pronouncements of men as if they were inspired Scripture!
And what about you, you who proclaim, “Thus says the Lord,” when you’ve heard nothing from above? You speak a vision of your own imagination and endorse it with the Name of Christ. Woe unto you who take the Name of the Lord in vain! You are of all men the most miserable! The Son of God’s unrestrained fury will wipe out all imposters who claim to represent God but have never known Him!
But John was a man who had been with God. He therefore fabricated no fables to arouse the emotions of sluggish saints; neither did he proffer empty promises to expectant seekers. Instead, he came uttering burning words of piercing conviction. He was undistractedly committed to his task of bearing witness to the Light—Jn.1:8
But why a witness? Light bears its own witness. What need is there then for a man to be sent from God? Revelation coming through agency instills the fearful reality that God is wholly other in a sacred distance from lowly humanity. Truth communicated indirectly through chosen vessels accentuates the resplendent majesty of His Person [Lev.18:12, Jn.1:1]. Mediation is inherent in the Godhead, for God speaks in Christ, the Word of the Father.
The fact that God does not communicate directly informs us that we are unworthy to hear His voice and to know His mind. If nothing else, this creates a solemn impression on sinful creatures; that revelation when granted is a fearful matter of the utmost reverence.
It was in this manner that John was sent from God [Jn.1:6]. Quite in contrast to the Baptist were the priests in their colorful robes who were sent by the Jews [Jn.1:19]. The former represents the God of heaven, the latter stands for the religious institutions of men. Each proceeded in the assigned duties of their ordination.
The prophet John who received his ministry from the Lord, was accountable to the Lord. The priests from the city were compelled to report to their commissioning overlords. Oh the gaping gulf that divides those sent by God and those employed by men! Dear reader, let us soberly reflect upon this solemn consideration, “Whom do we truly serve?” The word of God explicitly warns, You were bought with a price do not become slaves of men—1 Cor.7:23. Let us therefore honestly evaluate our lives and ministries that we might stand approved before the God of heaven and not bow to receive the tinsel crown of men.
The deputation of religious men from Jerusalem confronted the Baptist with the question that every person must eventually answer, Who are you? —Jn.1:19. Dear reader, the question comes to you as well, “Who are you?” You lead a group in church, you pastor a congregation, men revere you as religious, but who are you? Stripped of all ecclesiastical pretense, divested of every religious impression, the question still stands, “Who are you?” What is found in the depths of your heart? Is sincere love for Christ and the things of God to be discovered there? The inquiry proposed to John was a demand to know, “By what authority do you do these things?” Self-appointed prophets and servants of men can only answer, “By self will.” John, as sent from God, was quite the contrary.
Since commissioned as an ambassador of God, John did not seek popularity for himself. He even refused to be identified with the names of great men of God, past or present. He laid no claim to Messiahship. He introduced himself simply as, the voice of one crying in the wilderness—Jn.1:23; A voice to be heard and not to be seen; chosen only to echo in human language the instruction of the Spirit and appointed to call men back to the only true Lover of their souls.
But a humble response will never satisfy religious servants of men who must of necessity report to their masters. Confounded by his reply, the dialogue continued, with the question “Why?” following the question “Who?” Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?—Jn.1:25. Rather than engage in carnal disputes forbidden by discretion and the Scriptures [Tit.3:9], John meekly identified himself as lower than the least of the saints [Jn.1:26-28].
Dear reader, are you truly serving God or are you trying to please men? All things are laid bare before the penetrating perception of Him who judges righteously [Heb.4:13]. Someday you will be summoned to give an account of your stewardship before the Lord who has the power to cast into outer darkness. What will you then say, O you whose service is to satisfy men?
If you have been doing so, you may yet re-dedicate yourself exclusively to the Lord today. Only fools will continue to follow men at the expense of serving Christ. Devote yourself to Christ alone, shun unnecessary arguments, and serve the Lord with a pure conscience! The applause of men disdain, their frowns overlook. Determine in your heart to serve Jesus alone with all your spirit, soul and body. Empty the resources of your intellect and time into His service. Yes, spend and be spent in the noble task of furthering His kingdom among men, and in so doing, you will be a true soldier of Christ. And when the roll is called up yonder, you will surely hear from your loving Master that which every true believer looks forward to—Well done good and faithful servant.
The Baptist was undivided in his focus upon the Lord Jesus alone. He pointed out Christ as the Lamb of God [Jn.1:29]. No one present could mistake the implication of the figure he used. Every Jew knew that the lamb was the animal used for sacrifice to appease the God of heaven and to make peace with Him. The unmistakable conclusion therefore is that, Jesus Christ is the only acceptable substitutionary sacrifice for all who will come to God.
John declared from his own experience that the Christ of God can only be known by the revelation of the Father to our hearts [Jn.1:33]. This echoes the very words of the Lord Jesus Himself. No one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone knows the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him—Mtt.11:27.
Neither Christ nor the Father can be known otherwise. Apart from divine illumination, a mere intellectual claim of knowing the Lord is a self-deluding fallacy. The opinions about the person of Jesus varied from individual to individual; Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets—Mtt.16:14.
But these are Jesus’ that do not exist. Many today likewise pursue a phantom Jesus of prosperity, psychology ease and all sorts of other Jesus’ of their own inventions. The fact remains, these are Jesus’ existing only in their own imaginations.
By divine enablement Peter knew who Jesus was: Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ the Son of the living God”—Mtt.16:16. The Lord Jesus, responding to Peter’s declaration, said, Flesh and blood has not revealed this to you but my Father who is in heaven—Mtt.16:17. John himself said, I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, “Upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.” And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God —Jn.1:33,34. If you have not seen Christ for who He truly is, you have seen nothing and are thereby disqualified to testify in His behalf.
This lack of true knowledge about Christ has led us to manufacturing religious substitutes. Our outlined steps to salvation have tallied countless records of spurious conversions following our altar calls. Neither Christ nor the apostles ever made such altar calls as we are familiar with today. Penitence cannot be forcefully extracted from an unrepentant soul, however emotionally remorseful he may appear. Altar calls today are an attempt to make men into what they are not willing to be, as if we possess the power to reveal the Father to anyone’s heart.
Full of conviction, Peter sunk onto his knees in penitence apart from any altar call [Lk.5:8]. See Nathaniel acknowledge Christ as Lord without being coerced to do so [Jn.1:49]. Observe how the Lord fished Paul out of the dark pools of religious wasting apart from any human agency [Acts.9:3-6]. Consider Cornelius praying in search of the true God without being told to do so [Acts.10:30-32].
The Lord Jesus is willing to make Himself known to any sincere heart apart from established man-made order. If you will truly breakdown in sorrow for your sins and open your heart with willingness to receive, I’ve got good news for you. The nail pierced hands of the Son of God are still outstretched in welcome and benediction. No word of rebuke awaits you if you will come. Christ still awards the robes of righteousness, the sandals of a fresh walk, the ring of His authority and the feast of gladness to anyone who will come [Lk.15:22-23]. As many as believe and receive Him, He gives power to become sons of God [Jn.1:12].
The Baptist drew men beyond himself unto God. By his own message, John’s disciples were persuaded to follow the Christ. The two disciples heard him speak and they followed Jesus—Jn.1:37. The desire to keep men under surveillance while dictating the details of their lives is a typical feature of false prophets. Also among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things to draw away the disciples after themselves—Acts.20:30.
But this wasn’t the way of John. Because of his deep spiritual contemplation on the walk of Jesus, he could point Him out as the Lamb of God that his disciples would follow in His steps. Genuine servants of God are always concerned that their disciples might walk in love, as Christ also has loved us—Eph.5:2. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin—Jn.1:7.
Though the call is the same to one and all, there are differences among disciples. Some of the Baptist’s disciples at once followed Christ when John identified Him as the Son of God. Others chose to remain with the prophet. Some will readily respond to the spoken message and wholeheartedly follow Christ. Others, though disciples, have but a limited perception, both of their discipler and of the One that he is pointing them to.
Capacities of spiritual comprehension vary among disciples. Some will arrive at a certain threshold and will be reluctant to go beyond that. Others with deeper apprehension will yet seek to advance. Those who have not sufficiently matured should not be forced beyond what they are willing to do. If necessity is placed upon them to do so, they’ll be incapable of coping with the higher demands of further discipleship. Neither will they be able to do that which God intended for them to do. Such disciples will eventually end up frustrated. Those who seem to have a higher grasp and capacity should always be kept challenged lest they become bored and discouraged; some will even think they have arrived and thus become proud.
Though John pointed Jesus to them all, some followed Christ while others remained with the Baptist. Yet, they were all disciples. This is why an institutional formula to disciple men is destined to fail. Discipleship training transcends merely convening in a hall for religious lectures. It rather entails that the disciple and the discipler daily respond to the problems of life together according to the word of the Lord. This furnishes the disciple the privilege of observing and participating with the one who is discipling. In such an approach, the liberty and flexibility to develop according to his own capacity is fostered.
Let us thoroughly examine ourselves. Have we seen the Lord for who He is? It is a dangerous thing to attempt to lead the people of God when our own hearts are yet foreigners to His ways. Presuming to represent God without first knowing Him is tantamount to taking God’s name in vain. Drawing disciples after ourselves is even worse; it makes us rivals to Christ who alone is the Head of the Church [Col.1:18].
True men of God are ever seeking to draw men beyond themselves unto the Lord Jesus. People, who exalt themselves as indispensable heads over the brethren, are actually spiritual adulterers whose end is a justifiable damnation. Such men are the accursed offspring of Diotrephes.
The Reverend Dr. Diotrephes was a man who not only lured the Bride of Christ astray and promoted himself as a substitute lord, but also expelled all true friends of the Groom. The aged apostle reports his experience, I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes who loves to have the preeminence among them, does not receive us. And not content with that, he himself does not receive the brethren and forbids those who wish to, putting them out of the church—3Jn.9-10. We shall do well to be on the alert. Diotrephes’ descendants are very much active in our churches today. May the Lord grant us vigilance and discernment to escape the snares of his prolific disciples.
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