8 Jul 2014
Matthew 3:7-10
Matthew 3:7: “But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:
9 And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.”
John knew the Pharisees well, and he was not impressed by them. The Pharisees were self-righteous; they apparently believed that just being Jewish was enough to earn them the right to enter Heaven. They wanted to be outwardly righteous, but they had no concern about inner righteousness. So John rebuked them and told them to earnestly seek repentance, not self-righteousness.
Things have not changed very much since that time. People today still believe that they are good enough to enter Heaven on the basis of their own good works. They aren’t interested in Jesus and don’t believe that they need Him. In fact, they don’t hesitate to judge God and criticize Him for the various things He’s done! They seem to honestly believe that they are more righteous and more wise than God Himself.
John had a response to that line of thinking:
Matthew 3:10: “And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.”
The consequences are real and eternal. Today people don’t believe in a God that is dangerous, and they don’t fear Him – but that will change when the Tribulation begins and the world gets a front-row seat to the awesome wrath of God. God is not to be trifled with.