One of the greatest struggles I have is that of instant maturity. It seems to me that I should be a perfect Christian once I became a Christian. My relationship with Jesus has entitled me to many things, but instant maturity does not seem to be one of them. In theology they talk about this in context of positional and progressive sanctification. Not one to dabble too greatly in theology, I would like to take a moment to once again see what scripture has to say.In the current passage we see John’s disciples once again concerned that more people are following Jesus, and John again reminding them that that was the plan from the beginning. His response in verses 29-31 is a pleasure to consider as John describes his relationship with Christ: “The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. He must become greater; I must become less. The one who comes from above is above all…”Once again I would like to quote Jason Henderson from his book The Lie and The Light:“There is the objective finished work of God in Christ, and then there is the subjective experience and conformity to that work as Light shows us what is real. But do not be confused – once you are born again, nothing other than Light is necessary to bring you into alignment with what He has done. Nothing other than the revealing of Christ can conform you to His image. The only reason that you and I do not fully occupy, experience, enjoy, and express the finished work of the cross is because in the absence of His Light we are still defined by the Lie. But in the Light of His appearing, faith begins to catch up with God’s finished work. In other words, what the cross made real begins to appear and feel real to your soul. You realize that you have not only come to know something different, but you have come to a different kind of knowing. This is a knowing that does not come from you but rather is given to you. Every other kind of knowing is fine for everything other than spiritual reality. But to “know the things that have been freely given by God” (1Co ), you must come to see by His Light. The natural man does not understand the things of the Spirit. They must be revealed (1Co ). But if we are willing to part with the Lie, God is present to reveal His Son. If we will suffer the loss of all that we wrongly thought to be “good for food…pleasant to the eyes, and desirable to make one wise” (Gen 3:6), the Light will show us the fullness of our salvation. We will see the finished work of the cross, walk in the truth, and live free from the Lie.”