Handing Over the Baton
HE MUST INCREASE BUT I MUST DECREASE [Jn.3:30]
True prophets of God are committed to discipleship according to the command of the Lord [Mtt.28:11]. The apostle Paul instructed the young Timothy to continue in these ways, saying, The things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also—2Tim.2:2.
Discipleship involves choosing men of godly inclinations and raising them up in the way of righteousness. It entails the training of the learners that they might be equipped to faithfully discharge their God-given tasks. And this cannot be effectively accomplished in mere classroom or in seminar settings [Mk.3:14].
Discipleship is more of an apprenticeship where truth is grasped in its practicality through the encounters of everyday life. Disciples are chosen for two primary reasons; first, that they might be with their discipler and, secondly, that they might be sent forth to represent the God whose mind and purposes they have now come to know.
Such a relationship affords the opportunity to participate with their leader in godly service while observing his life. Gaining an understanding of God’s ways in His word prevents a breakdown in the transmission of truth. The period between the selection of disciples and their being sent forth into public service is designed to build their characters, strengthen inner resolve and to lead them to absolute dependence on the Lord alone.
Instructions in content and principles of the Scriptures are put to the test in a variety of places, at different times and in dissimilar modes. This effectively develops the disciples’ progress, exposes their weak points and refines them for the better which a mere intellectual approach in a seminary or institution cannot produce. Dear reader, your formal training in theology is inadequate to equip you for the discharge of true prophetic ministry. Mere academic prowess could see anyone through the rigors of seminary training, though he may have no clue as to what true spirituality entails.
Discipleship is not to be understood as a mere gathering for some days of Bible study retreat. Rather it is godly tutorship under the supervision of Christ via the instrumentality of some matured, experienced and proven servant of God. This is the commendable way of personal and gospel preparation.
True discipleship is quite unlike the currently popular concept of mentoring. The relationship between disciple and discipler is that which merges the concepts of father and son, apprenticeship, and co-laborers into one; a loving exchange of mutual esteem that deepens into like-mindedness in the things of God.
John’s disciples observed from their leader’s message and way of life that purification is a matter of repentance only symbolized by baptism. Having been convincingly persuaded by his message and manner of life, the contrary doctrine of the Pharisees met with firm resistance from the well-informed disciples. There arose a dispute between some of John’s disciples and the Jews about purification—Jn.3:25.
It was no small dissension. John disciples would not be tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting—Eph.4:14. That which the disciples had known both by practice and close acquaintance with their leader, remained unshakable before the sharp contentions of those who merely accumulated knowledge from rabbis.
Genuine servants of God do not seek to keep their knowledge to themselves; neither do they seek to hinder upcoming brethren in the service of the Lord. Rather, they are concerned for the next generation and seek to impart knowledge to faithful men who will preserve truth unto posterity.
Because of this, we find that the true prophet never competes to promote himself. He seeks always to advance the course of heaven without envy, assisting those other vessels that God has chosen to use. He acknowledges Christ as the Head of His church and will ever seek to proclaim and promote this [Col.1:18].
Beloved, watch out and beware of men who, rather than encouraging younger brethren in the way of righteousness, feel threatened and even seek to extinguish their flaming fervency and to subdue their progress in God’s ways. Those ministers who labor to remain as the central focus of their followers at the expense of posterity are false prophets.
Great men of God always rejoice when they discern a godly capacity rising in the soul of a younger man. They are delighted to pour out their lives in training such upcoming servants of God and, with sincerity of heart, they support such men with prayers that the Lord might make better prophets of their disciples than themselves. And should the Lord choose to do this through the ministry of some other man, they rejoice unendingly, for their concern is not for themselves but for the movement of the testimony into the next generation.
John was such a man. When reports of Christ’s ministry reached him, he rejoiced and re-affirmed his own position as nothing more than a messenger [Jn.3:26-28]. He even publicly acknowledged Christ Jesus and His work as being superior to himself [Jn.3:33]. How the true prophet delights to hear the Bridegroom’s voice and to see that the Bride is joined to Him! He never seeks to lure her away from her Husband with enticing speech. His joy is fulfilled when he sees that Christ alone as the true Husband receives the affection of His Bride [Jn.3:29].
The friend of the Bridegroom derives his satisfaction from his part in bringing the Bride and the Groom together. This is the highest elation of all true ministers, I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth—3Jn.4.
False prophets and apostles do otherwise. With no regard for the true Groom, they entice the Bride away from Him and excommunicate all who dare to challenge their abominable designs. I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, does not receive us—3Jn:9.
Friend, have you observed that the majority of “church founders” are true disciples of the Reverend Dr. Diotrephes? Shamelessly, they imbibe the praise of God’s people and inhabit their adulations while drawing away the souls of the disciples after themselves.
This presents a sharp contrast to John, who with gladness of heart declared, He must increase, but I must decrease—Jn.3:30. True prophets continually relinquish their hold on the Bride as they see her increasingly devote herself to her Husband. They gladly discourage all dependence of the Bride on themselves while willingly and graciously fading into the background that Christ might be her all in all.
Dear reader, self is the greatest stumbling block in the life of a believer. It is a bottomless pit that can never be filled. It is self that seeks to be known, worshipped, and pampered. The Lord Jesus must reign over your preferences and passions while submitting your will to His. The Son of God insists that self-denial is a prerequisite to being His disciple [Mtt.16:24].
When temptation to ambition and self-exaltation was as its zenith, John the prophet uttered that watchword of his life, He must increase but I must decrease. Christianity is diametrically opposed to the outlook of the world. Death is the way to life, the way up is down, humility leads to exaltation, and leadership must be derived from servanthood: If you will truly increase, you must first decrease.
Thus Christ must become to us Lord indeed. It is paramount that His will superintend and become supreme over our own. Our influence on people necessitates glorifying Christ alone. Participation in the many affairs of life is to be carried out solely to the glory of the Son of God [1Cor.10:31]. Allegiance and, yea, our all must be for and to the exaltation of the Christ of God.
As subjects of the Lord Jesus, it is mandatory that the sovereignty of self over our lives be resisted and mercilessly trampled upon. Regardless of its tempting offers, we have no option but to crucify self and its desires. Only Christ qualifies to guide our decisions; He alone is to direct our lives and be glorified thereby.
All that we are must give way to all that He is. Once we had trusted in our futile understanding [Prov.3:5], but now Christ is our only wisdom [Col.2:2]. No longer can we exert our will along self-chosen paths [Mtt.26:39]. The glory of the Lord Jesus must be given full sway in our every consideration. Our desires of passion, coveting, and pride must be mortified [1Jn.2:15], that we might exclusively devote ourselves to His good pleasure. The downward pull of family ties, and especially that of our own souls, have to be subdued before Him who is truly Lord of all [Lk.14:26].
We must recognize that our hearts are wicked and deceitful [Jer.17:9] so that we need to reject its untrustworthy guidance. Full devotion is rather to be pursued in developing the mind of Christ [Phil.2:5-8]. And what is our aim? He must increase, but I must decrease. Is it so with you, dear reader?
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