99. God Gives the Increase
1 Corinthians 3:6-7 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 giveth the increase.
Human believers in Christ, like Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, Teachers, and such do the planting and watering of souls at the impulse and instigation and direction of the Lord, the Holy Spirit. God uses people to witness to Jesus Christ and preach the Gospel. It is the preaching of Christ crucified that plants new seed and nourishes that seed in believing souls. Believing people are necessary in the propagation and growth of the Gospel among humanity in general and in the individuals in particular.
But human beings, myself included, have no power or effect in causing faith to spring up or to grow up. It is God alone who gives the increase, both the birth and the growth of the Christian. God uses people to preach the Gospel; the Holy Spirit uses the Gospel to birth faith and grow fruit. He promises to give the increase. That’s a good thing, because we cannot make it happen. As much as we would like to change people and even change ourselves we cannot do it. We can only preach the Gospel and witness to Christ. God does the actual work. He promises to do it and we can count on Him to do as He promises.
We are in need of increase. We need God to give the increase. Therefore we need to hear the Gospel as often as humanly possible. God has chosen to use the preached Word, the Gospel, and without the Gospel there will be no birth or growth. The best that the best churches and preachers can do without the Gospel is bear and produce empty, fake, pretend Christians, who may make an effort to look like Christians but have no faith or fruits. The Law and Morality and Religion without Christ produce pharisaic hypocrites.
Our job and our call is to plant the Gospel and water the Gospel in the lives and hearts of human persons. God’s job is to give the increase. God’s Word will not return void. Since we trust the Promise of Increase we will do everything we can to support and promote the preaching of the Gospel and the churches that do so. Only God increases, only God makes a difference; only God changes lives; only God saves souls. The planter and the waterer are nothing; but, on the other hand, God needs them and uses them, and He promises the increase.