Theology's Seesaw

Scripture Reading: John 3:22-30

“He must increase, but I must decrease…”

What John the Baptist said about the necessity of his decrease and Christ’s increase has been called in other contexts the seesaw of theology. What is meant by that is that there is a correlation between how we exalt God and/or ourselves. To the degree that we humble ourselves is the degree to which we can exalt Christ. Conversely, the degree to which we exalt Christ is connected to the degree to which we either humble or exalt ourselves.

Just like with a seesaw, one person is up and the other is down. Both can’t be up or down at the same time. Either we exalt ourselves and diminish Christ, or we exalt Christ and humble ourselves. John the Baptist hadn’t ever ridden or seen a seesaw, but if he had he might have pointed at it when he said, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” One was dependent on the other.