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Devotions from Gospel Chapel Ministries HOME SERMONS SERMON NOTES
BELIEVER OR NON BELIEVER
"He must increase, but I must decrease." (JOH 3:30)
The central theme that we find in JOH 3:22-36 is found in the words of our text, "He must increase, but I must decrease." The spiritual state of the church under Judaism at the time of Christ’s ministry was well described by the prophet in ISA 60:2-3, "For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth…." He is referring to spiritual darkness. This is teaching us is that at the time of the coming of Christ both the world and the church, the Israel of God, would be in a state of spiritual darkness.
"For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. [The prophecy of Christ: that light will be risen upon thee.] And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising."
As we see the world ripening for the Second Coming of Christ, we see history repeating itself. We see the darkness that has come upon the world in a spiritual sense. All the darkness is centered in one major problem, and that is the doctrine of the Pharisees. The "leaven of the Pharisees," or we’ll say, this "puffing up," in religion. Everybody aspires to be important, and if you’re going to talk about something, you expect to receive recognition. You have to remember to recognize this author, to give attribution to that man, and if you read the Bible, which apostle said this and which apostle said that: the eyes are always upon a man.
The problem was that they never understood what the Lord Jesus said, "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up." (JOH 3:14) How was that serpent lifted up? Those who looked unto that brazen serpent lived. There is death in anything outside of Christ, and those who look unto Christ live.
It doesn’t make any difference what keeps our eyes off Christ, even John the Baptist,
the very forerunner of Christ can be raised up above Christ in the minds of men.
This state of "gross darkness" which covered the Jews is so evident from the way JOH 3:22-36 begins. It says, "After these things." After what things? After Nicodemus, the ruler of the Jews, had come to Jesus by night to seek the knowledge of the way of salvation. Jesus had just told him that except a man be born again, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. He had just told him what it was to be born again: to be born of water and of the Spirit (of the Word - the washing of the water of the Word - and the washing of regeneration of the Holy Spirit). "Except ye be born" in this manner you cannot enter the kingdom.
After Jesus had taught all these things, He pointed out that He must be lifted up as the serpent was lifted up in the wilderness. He pointed out that in the way of obedience - as they obeyed - the miracle of regeneration took place. If they refused to obey, if they refused to look to Him, they died. It is in the way of obedience that the miracle of regeneration takes place. We obey, and as we obey, the miracle is performed.
"After these things" includes how the Lord Jesus had told Nicodemus that the Son of Man must be "lifted up: That whosoever believeth…should not perish, but have eternal life." (JOH 3:14-15) It was after He had told him that "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth…should not perish, but have everlasting life." (JOH 3:16) It was after He had so clearly explained what it meant to believe.
See how beautifully the Lord Jesus follows the command to believe with such a perfect illustration of what it means to believe. "For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned [he won’t come under this condemnation] but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." (JOH 3:17-18)
Watch the beautiful distinction that Christ now places between those who believe and those who believe not (verse 19): "And this is the condemnation," those who believe not are under this condemnation. Examine your heart.
Here’s how you distinguish between believer and nonbeliever. Christ set it out so beautifully. "He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already…And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light." (JOH 3:18-20a)
Has your heart been washed by the regeneration of the Holy Ghost? Have you been cleansed by the washing of the water of the Word? Then you won’t love sin. He that "hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved." (JOH 3:20b) He gives the definition of those who believe (verse 21): "But he that doeth truth cometh to the light." See the obedience. Amen
"I am," says Christ, "your glorious Head,"
(May we attention give,)
"The Resurrection of the dead,
The Life of all that live.
"By faith in me the soul receives
New life, though dead before;
And he that in my name believes,
Shall live to die no more.
Fulfil thy promise, gracious Lord,
On us assembled here;
Put forth thy spirit with the word,
And cause the dead to hear.
To thee we look, to thee we bow,
To thee for help we call;
Our Life and Resurrection thou,
Our Hope, our Joy, our All.
Our sermons and devotions are a ministry of Gospel Chapel located in Conrad, Montana. We also have a daily devotion and sermon notes on-line. We pray this devotion has been a blessing to those who read it. Thank you.