“Lowliness of Heart”
How wonderful it is to see the work of the Holy Spirit upon the heart of a man here in the third chapter of John. This man was John the Baptist, and though his name is penned in the annals of God’s eternal record, he was a man with a nature like ours. He battled the wickedness of His own heart and the besetting sins that so easily entangled him. He wasn’t given some secret gift to escape his inward desires but fought daily to subdue them. There was even a moment where it seemed as if unbelief had risen in his heart. One day while he was awaiting execution in prison for confronting King Herod in his wickedness, not truly knowing what would happen to him, he began to contemplate the miracles he had witnessed concerning Jesus. He knew that he was the one sent to go before the Messiah and prepare the people’s hearts. There is no doubt that the moment he first saw Jesus that image was burned into his memory--Such things like this could never be forgotten. He had seen Jesus, he had touched Him, and he had heard the voice from heaven saying,
“This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.”
Yet after some time had passed, in the weakness of His flesh, he sent word to Jesus asking, “Are You the Expected One, or shall we look for someone else?” So, we see that John was just like us in every way, a man who was solely dependent upon the Spirit of God.
Now that we see John as a mere mortal man who daily battled his flesh, we can begin to see the humility in his heart. One day a discussion arose amongst his disciples concerning the ministry of Christ and how it was increasing. Clothed in humility, John told them without reservation, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” When John made this statement concerning Jesus, he had grown in great popularity amongst the people. It was a moment where John could have increased his followers, elevated his popularity and increased in wealth. Still, instead, he considered himself but chaff upon the ground to be blown away, never to be seen again.
He removed himself to obscurity in the hearts of those who listened to him and in return lifted the name of Jesus, saying, “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not live, but the wrath of God abides on him.”
My brothers and sisters who are in Christ must not look at this in light of John’s greatness or as if he had achieved some moral excellence of religion, but in light of the Holy Spirit empowering John to subdue the hidden passions that lurk within his fallen body. This statement, “He must increase, but I must decrease,” that John made thousands of years ago that has been quoted millions of times, must be understood only in light of God conquering John’s heart, showing Him the supremacy of Jesus Christ, and then bringing him into subjection to His own will. Christian, when we read this and say this about ourselves, we must be careful lest pride follow us. For I tell you, if so, apart from the work of the Holy Spirit upon the heart of John, he too would have risen at that moment, flogged Christ with a whip laced with sharp objects, and grabbed a hammer and nailed Him to a tree. So then, the glory does not go to John, but to God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, who saved him from the wickedness of his own heart, creating inside of him a heart of lowliness and obedience.
May the Lord do the same to you, lest you find within yourself a heart of unbelief.
DEVOTIONAL
“He must increase, but I must decrease.”
John 3:30 NASBS