GOD CAUSES INCREASE "I have planted, Apollos watered; but God GAVE THE INCREASE. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that GIVETH THE INCREASE. " (1 Corinthians 3:6-7) The True Role of Laborers In our text, Paul proclaims the true role of laborers in the Lord's work. He diffuses the "superman" mentality that dominates our times. With piercing effectiveness, he shows that no man causes spiritual "increase," however talented and wise he may be. At the very best, men provide something that God can increase, or cause to grow. -- Tomorrow:
A form of religion that does not rely implicitly upon the Lord is, at its very best, "a form of godliness" that "denies the power thereof" (2 Tim 3:5). A period dominated by this uncomely trait is called "perilous times" (2 Tim 3:1-5). During these "terrible times" (NIV), the shell of religion can be maintained by those who refuse to be godly. Such a time is a spiritually threatening period when men are actually drawn away from the Lord--a time when salvation is more difficult to appropriate. Souls are in greater jeopardy during such times, and the truth falls in the street (Isa 59:14). Spiritual famine -- a famine of hearing the Word of the Lord" -- descends upon men during such periods.
It is my persuasion that we are living in such an era. It has occasioned the rise of religious opportunists and hucksters that purvey carnality in the name of Christ. Few areas have been so corrupted by these pretenders as that of church growth and supposed spiritual advancement. Legion is the name of those who market methods guaranteed to increase attendance and stabilize believers. Vast religious empires are being built by these peddlers of balderdash. People flock to their workshops, read their books, and seek their counsel.
The spiritual condition of our times is generally known by the religious masses to be deficient. For every supposed flourishing church, there are a thousand dead ones -- and most every knows it. The state of things is so bad that anyone who can cram a large number of people into a building for one or two hours one time a week is thought to be some sort of spiritual guru. Their books sell and their lectures are widely sought. However, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are not prominent in their schemes.
It is not fashionable to oppose these purveyors of worldly wisdom, but oppose them we will! They do not bring the mind of Christ to the people, or bring them closer to the King of kings and Lord of lords. The strategies they have prepared and market are an attempt to produce fruit where the blessing of God is not found.
This is revolutionary in an opportunistic environment! There is only ONE seed that God causes to grow, and there is only ONE type of water that enables God to cause increase. All other growth and increase are spurious--they are not spiritually real, i.e., they are not recognized by heaven.
Neither the sower nor the seed, however good, can of themselves secure a harvest! The Husbandman is always the cause for increase, never the sower. Thus it is written, "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing greatness of the power may be of God and not from ourselves" (2 Cor 4:7). The Seed does not grow by itself! Its power is derived from its Author! The growing Seed transcends human analysis. Spiritual increase and harvest cannot be accounted for from an earthly point of view. It cannot be traced to a person or a finely tuned strategy. Those who make boasts of successful strategies have simply not told the truth.
How wonderfully this is declared in our Lord's parable concerning Kingdom productivity. "So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; and should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how" (Mark 4:26- 27).
By saying the sower "does not know," Jesus means the growth cannot be accounted for in the flesh. It does not grow because of the climate, or the individual who plants it. The answer for spiritual advancement cannot be found in the limited coffers of human wisdom. Progression to heaven is simply not subject to accurate human analysis. It is God, and God alone, who brings true spiritual increase.
PRAYER POINT: Father, in the name of Jesus, I thank You for doing what no human system can do.