03-13-2008, 02:11 AM
L E S S O N 18
“I Must Decrease” – The Instrument
We’re talking about the Second Universal Spiritual Principle, The Law
of Decrease, which states that “I must decrease.” We said that the
revelation of Self is the beginning of the decrease, repentance is the
process of the decrease, and “not I, but Christ” is the goal of the decrease.
Now we want to discuss the Instrument God uses to accomplish the decrease of
Self. According to the Scriptures, the Holy Spirit is the instrument God uses to
increase Christ, and the Cross is the instrument God uses to decrease Self.
When we talk about the
Cross in this instance we are
not referring to the cross
that Jesus died on for our
sins. We are talking about
the principle of decreasing
that is at work in every
disciple. Only Jesus can die
on the cross to pay the
penalty for the sins of the
whole world. But there is another cross that God uses to accomplish the work of
decreasing Self.
Matthew 10:38 says: “He that taketh not his cross, and followeth after Me, is not
worthy of Me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my
sake shall find it.”
Matthew 16:24 says: “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come
after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.”
Mark 8:34 says: “And when He had called the people unto Him with His disciples
also, He said unto them, Whosoever will come after Me, let him deny himself, and
take up his cross, and follow Me.”
Mark 10:21 says: “Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One
thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and
thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.”
Luke 9:23 says: “And He said to them all, If any man will come after Me, let him
deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.”
Luke 14:27 says: “And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after Me,
cannot be My disciple.”
This is what Paul means when he says, “I am crucified with Christ.” Did he mean
that he was personally with Jesus on the cross, suffering for the sins of the world?
No. He meant that, as a disciple of Jesus, he had accepted the death of Self.
Again, the death of Self does not mean the end of our existence. It just means the
end of our rebellion, the end of our old life, and the beginning of a new life.
This dying to Self and coming alive to God is daily experience. As Jesus is
increased, I am decreased. With each death, burial, and resurrection, I am getting
closer to the Goal of Decreasing: “Not I, but Christ.”
Here’s a quote from Lilias Trotter:
“Death is the gate of life. The Christian life is a process of deliverance out of one
world and into another, and death is the only way out of any world in which we
are.”
The cross looks like death and defeat. And it is... in one sense. In another sense,
the cross is the path that leads us to resurrection life – to ruling and reigning with
Christ. But God is far too wise to entrust His power to people who have not been
crucified – who have not accepted the decreasing of Self, so that Christ – instead of
Self – can receive the glory.
Here’s another quote from one of my writings:
“The Cross is the means by which God reduces us to Christ, that we may be raised
to new Life. What cannot be accomplished in a lifetime of self-effort is easily
accomplished in God through the Cross. We may take many shortcuts along the
way and attempt to escape the inevitable, the day we cease striving and meekly
accept the Cross we find everything is done for us.”
When we take up the cross daily, we are committing all that we have, and all that
we are, over to God. Some things will be crucified and buried forever. Other
things will be raised to life and given back to us after they have passed over to
resurrection.
It’s one thing to talk about it, but it’s a lot easier to understand it if we see it at
work in the lives of real people. So in our next lesson, we’ll take a look at a some
Biblical examples of the decreasing.
QUIZ
Lesson 18 – “I Must Decrease” – The Instrument
1. The instrument, or the means, through which God accomplishes the increase of Christ is the
Holy Spirit. The instrument through which God accomplishes the decrease of Self is
a) the Church
b) the world
c) the Cross
2. When Paul says, “I am crucified with Christ”, he means
a) the death of Christ affected Paul deeply
b) he has accepted the Decreasing of Self
c) he was with Jesus when He was crucified
3. Jesus says if anyone wants to be His disciple they must take up the Cross daily and follow
Him. This means
a) we must die for any sins we commit as a Christian
b) we must be willing to die like Jesus did
c) the Decrease of Self is a continual process
4. God is far too wise to entrust His power to people who have not been
a) crucified
b) educated
c) perfected
“I Must Decrease” – The Instrument
We’re talking about the Second Universal Spiritual Principle, The Law
of Decrease, which states that “I must decrease.” We said that the
revelation of Self is the beginning of the decrease, repentance is the
process of the decrease, and “not I, but Christ” is the goal of the decrease.
Now we want to discuss the Instrument God uses to accomplish the decrease of
Self. According to the Scriptures, the Holy Spirit is the instrument God uses to
increase Christ, and the Cross is the instrument God uses to decrease Self.
When we talk about the
Cross in this instance we are
not referring to the cross
that Jesus died on for our
sins. We are talking about
the principle of decreasing
that is at work in every
disciple. Only Jesus can die
on the cross to pay the
penalty for the sins of the
whole world. But there is another cross that God uses to accomplish the work of
decreasing Self.
Matthew 10:38 says: “He that taketh not his cross, and followeth after Me, is not
worthy of Me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my
sake shall find it.”
Matthew 16:24 says: “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come
after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.”
Mark 8:34 says: “And when He had called the people unto Him with His disciples
also, He said unto them, Whosoever will come after Me, let him deny himself, and
take up his cross, and follow Me.”
Mark 10:21 says: “Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One
thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and
thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.”
Luke 9:23 says: “And He said to them all, If any man will come after Me, let him
deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.”
Luke 14:27 says: “And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after Me,
cannot be My disciple.”
This is what Paul means when he says, “I am crucified with Christ.” Did he mean
that he was personally with Jesus on the cross, suffering for the sins of the world?
No. He meant that, as a disciple of Jesus, he had accepted the death of Self.
Again, the death of Self does not mean the end of our existence. It just means the
end of our rebellion, the end of our old life, and the beginning of a new life.
This dying to Self and coming alive to God is daily experience. As Jesus is
increased, I am decreased. With each death, burial, and resurrection, I am getting
closer to the Goal of Decreasing: “Not I, but Christ.”
Here’s a quote from Lilias Trotter:
“Death is the gate of life. The Christian life is a process of deliverance out of one
world and into another, and death is the only way out of any world in which we
are.”
The cross looks like death and defeat. And it is... in one sense. In another sense,
the cross is the path that leads us to resurrection life – to ruling and reigning with
Christ. But God is far too wise to entrust His power to people who have not been
crucified – who have not accepted the decreasing of Self, so that Christ – instead of
Self – can receive the glory.
Here’s another quote from one of my writings:
“The Cross is the means by which God reduces us to Christ, that we may be raised
to new Life. What cannot be accomplished in a lifetime of self-effort is easily
accomplished in God through the Cross. We may take many shortcuts along the
way and attempt to escape the inevitable, the day we cease striving and meekly
accept the Cross we find everything is done for us.”
When we take up the cross daily, we are committing all that we have, and all that
we are, over to God. Some things will be crucified and buried forever. Other
things will be raised to life and given back to us after they have passed over to
resurrection.
It’s one thing to talk about it, but it’s a lot easier to understand it if we see it at
work in the lives of real people. So in our next lesson, we’ll take a look at a some
Biblical examples of the decreasing.
QUIZ
Lesson 18 – “I Must Decrease” – The Instrument
1. The instrument, or the means, through which God accomplishes the increase of Christ is the
Holy Spirit. The instrument through which God accomplishes the decrease of Self is
a) the Church
b) the world
c) the Cross
2. When Paul says, “I am crucified with Christ”, he means
a) the death of Christ affected Paul deeply
b) he has accepted the Decreasing of Self
c) he was with Jesus when He was crucified
3. Jesus says if anyone wants to be His disciple they must take up the Cross daily and follow
Him. This means
a) we must die for any sins we commit as a Christian
b) we must be willing to die like Jesus did
c) the Decrease of Self is a continual process
4. God is far too wise to entrust His power to people who have not been
a) crucified
b) educated
c) perfected