02-27-2008, 02:11 AM
L E S S O N 3
The Second Universal Spiritual Principle
f you have spent some time studying John 3:30, by now you probably can
guess what the second universal spiritual principle is: “I must decrease” -
and, that decreasing is just as important and just as sure as the increasing.
Just as Jesus must increase, in the same way, we must decrease.
On the one half of the equation we have the Law of Increase, which states, “He
must increase”. On the other hand we have the Law of Decrease, which says “I
must decrease”.
The Law of Increase tells us that everything God has done, is doing, and will do is
for the purpose of increasing Jesus. The Law of Decrease tells us that everything
we have been through, everything we are going through and everything we will go
through is for the purpose of decreasing self.
These two laws – the Law of Increase and the Law of Decrease – create kind of a
holy tension and a balance. People of other religions and philosophies have tried
to glimpse this balance and they have attempted to explain it in terms of male and
female, or yin and yang, or light and darkness; and the have observed something
that is true, but, they are powerless to explain exactly what it is or why it is. They
can't really explain it or understand it because it cannot be explained apart from the
revelation of Jesus Christ. Behind this process of increasing and decreasing is not
an impersonal force but a living personality!
The Law of Increase says, “He must increase”. We call this a positive law, because
it adds something. The Law of Decrease says, “I must decrease”. We call this a
negative law, because it takes something away from us. These two laws are
working in harmony together: as Jesus is increased, I am decreased; and as I am
decreased, Jesus is increased.
So using John 3:30 as a reference point, we now want to apply these spiritual
principles to the idea that God has a purpose and a will, so in our next lesson we
will begin discussing The Three Indisputable Facts of God's Purpose.
QUIZ
Lesson 3 – The Second Universal Spiritual Principle
1. The Second Universal Spiritual Principle is found in the second half of John 3:30, and says
that
a) He must decrease
b) I might decrease
c) I must decrease
2. The Law of Increase in John 3:30 tells us that
a) God wants us to be prosperous
b) the more you give the more your receive
c) Jesus must increase
3. The Law of Decrease in John 3:30 tells us that
a) Self must decrease
b) the poor get poorer
c) if you sow sparingly you’ll reap sparingly
4. Since both Universal Spiritual Principles work together to create a “holy balance”, we have to
remember that
a) Jesus must increase but we don’t have to decrease
b) both the increasing and the decreasing is optional
c) both the increasing and the decreasing are necessary
5. The Second Universal Spiritual Principle is referred to as a “negative law” because
a) no one likes to decrease
b) something is taken away from us
c) dying to Self is hard work) if you sow sparingly you’ll reap sparingly
4. Since both Universal Spiritual Principles work together to create a “holy balance”, we have to
remember that
a) Jesus must increase but we don’t have to decrease
b) both the increasing and the decreasing is optional
c) both the increasing and the decreasing are necessary
5. The Second Universal Spiritual Principle is referred to as a “negative law” because
a) no one likes to decrease
b) something is taken away from us
c) dying to Self is hard work
The Second Universal Spiritual Principle
f you have spent some time studying John 3:30, by now you probably can
guess what the second universal spiritual principle is: “I must decrease” -
and, that decreasing is just as important and just as sure as the increasing.
Just as Jesus must increase, in the same way, we must decrease.
On the one half of the equation we have the Law of Increase, which states, “He
must increase”. On the other hand we have the Law of Decrease, which says “I
must decrease”.
The Law of Increase tells us that everything God has done, is doing, and will do is
for the purpose of increasing Jesus. The Law of Decrease tells us that everything
we have been through, everything we are going through and everything we will go
through is for the purpose of decreasing self.
These two laws – the Law of Increase and the Law of Decrease – create kind of a
holy tension and a balance. People of other religions and philosophies have tried
to glimpse this balance and they have attempted to explain it in terms of male and
female, or yin and yang, or light and darkness; and the have observed something
that is true, but, they are powerless to explain exactly what it is or why it is. They
can't really explain it or understand it because it cannot be explained apart from the
revelation of Jesus Christ. Behind this process of increasing and decreasing is not
an impersonal force but a living personality!
The Law of Increase says, “He must increase”. We call this a positive law, because
it adds something. The Law of Decrease says, “I must decrease”. We call this a
negative law, because it takes something away from us. These two laws are
working in harmony together: as Jesus is increased, I am decreased; and as I am
decreased, Jesus is increased.
So using John 3:30 as a reference point, we now want to apply these spiritual
principles to the idea that God has a purpose and a will, so in our next lesson we
will begin discussing The Three Indisputable Facts of God's Purpose.
QUIZ
Lesson 3 – The Second Universal Spiritual Principle
1. The Second Universal Spiritual Principle is found in the second half of John 3:30, and says
that
a) He must decrease
b) I might decrease
c) I must decrease
2. The Law of Increase in John 3:30 tells us that
a) God wants us to be prosperous
b) the more you give the more your receive
c) Jesus must increase
3. The Law of Decrease in John 3:30 tells us that
a) Self must decrease
b) the poor get poorer
c) if you sow sparingly you’ll reap sparingly
4. Since both Universal Spiritual Principles work together to create a “holy balance”, we have to
remember that
a) Jesus must increase but we don’t have to decrease
b) both the increasing and the decreasing is optional
c) both the increasing and the decreasing are necessary
5. The Second Universal Spiritual Principle is referred to as a “negative law” because
a) no one likes to decrease
b) something is taken away from us
c) dying to Self is hard work) if you sow sparingly you’ll reap sparingly
4. Since both Universal Spiritual Principles work together to create a “holy balance”, we have to
remember that
a) Jesus must increase but we don’t have to decrease
b) both the increasing and the decreasing is optional
c) both the increasing and the decreasing are necessary
5. The Second Universal Spiritual Principle is referred to as a “negative law” because
a) no one likes to decrease
b) something is taken away from us
c) dying to Self is hard work
