Increase-Decrease

John the Baptist is famous for declaring about Jesus, "He must increase, but I must decrease" (John 3:30). Think about that for a moment. Notice that "increase" and "decrease" are not places. They aren't standards. "Get to this line." No, they are directions. "Increase" is getting bigger and "decrease" is getting smaller, but both are movement, not static.

Scripture repeatedly drives us to the cross, first for salvation and then ... for living. Paul lived his life crucified (Gal 2:20). Jesus said we needed to take up our cross and follow Him (Matt 16:24). In fact, the quote was, "If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me" (Matt 16:24). So apparently "deny self" is what He meant by taking up our cross. Paul said that "We were buried therefore with Him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life" (Rom 6:4). New life requires, first, death to the old life. It seems, then, we need to die to sin (Rom 6:11; 1 Peter 2:24), die to self (Gal 5:24; Eph 4:22), to die to the world (Gal 6:14).

All of this sounds a lot like John the Baptist. Less of me; more of Him. It's not a place; it's a process, a direction, an aim. We are to be constantly dying to self -- laying aside our own desires in favor of Christ's desires. It is a lifelong process that is not actually completed this side of heaven. But Christ's followers will find it not unreasonable nor unbearable, but the right thing to do. The proper direction. "He must increase, but I must decrease." Which is, interestingly, precisely the opposite of the world's view.