30 He must become greater; I must become less.
This verse is not merely advisable or fortuitous; it is the divine order for all believers. Christ’s interest and reputation should always be advancing while ours diminishing. The ultimate end, of course – whether we grasp this truth or not – is stated for us in the verses below:
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Phil 2:9-11 (NIV)
“One day every tongue will confess You are God; One day every knee will bow;
Still, the greatest treasure remains for those who gladly choose You now.” Vineyard Songs
The shrinking of self so that the Spirit may shine through is not a concept we readily hear from our pulpits today yet Jesus thought it important enough to address it in all four gospels. A sampling follows:
24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. 26 What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? Matt 16:24-26 (NIV)
23 Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it . 25 What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self? Luke 9:23-25 (NIV)
The saints of the past had a clear understanding of this. Take Paul, for instance, his words to the church in Corinth confirm his practice of Jesus’ command above:
5 For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. 6 For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. 7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11 For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. 12 So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. 2 Cor 4:5-12 (NIV)
“The kingdom of Christ is, and will be, a growing kingdom, like the light of the morning, like the grain of mustard seed. John was not at all displeased that the effect of this was the diminishing of his own interest: ‘I must become less.’ The shining forth of the glory of Christ eclipses the luster of all other glory. As the light of the morning increases, that of the morning star decreases. We must cheerfully be content to be anything, to be nothing, so that Christ may be all.” Matthew Henry
Just as Moses’ face reflected the glory of God after receiving the Law from Him – though he was not even aware of it - we too are to be a reflection of the glory of Christ – though also perhaps not even aware of it - as we bring forth the New Covenant through the power of the Holy Spirit. We find in Exodus:
29 When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the LORD. Ex 34:29 (NIV)
33 When Moses finished speaking to them, he put a veil over his face. 34 But whenever he entered the LORD's presence to speak with him, he removed the veil until he came out. And when he came out and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, 35 they saw that his face was radiant. Then Moses would put the veil back over his face until he went in to speak with the LORD. Ex 34:33-35 (NIV)
Paul brings us to this reasonable conclusion in 2 Corinthians:
7 Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, fading though it was, 8 will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? 9 If the ministry that condemns men is glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness! 10 For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory. 11 And if what was fading away came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts! 2 Cor 3:7-11 (NIV)
18 And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. 2 Cor 3:18 (NIV)
“Grant, therefore, O my God, that this beholding of Thee may be my constant exercise, and that by this means I may be strengthened cheerfully to follow thy pattern, and be daily more changed into the glorious image of thy love, patience, and humility, and thus be ripening for eternal life.” K. H. Von Bogatzky