Matthew 3:7-10 / Luke 3:7-9
Isn’t that nice…
A lot of people think they have this “eternal life” thing all worked out, it’s a done deal. They said a prayer, lived a moral life, and attended all the right rituals, and now they can’t be bothered with matters of the heart. They are spiritually smug, and will turn quite sour if you dare bring up the ongoing fruit of repentance to them.
Most have never felt the condemnation of sin. They may have had a pang of conscience here or there, but they never actually turned their heart toward God after they felt better. Oh, they want Jesus to save them all right, but they sure aren’t going to follow Him while they still have their own life to lead.
John the Baptist didn’t play games with the souls of men. Many were coming to see, confess, and get baptized, but John, seeing the religious leaders, didn’t try to avoid confrontation. No, he went right at the hypocrites. Not those who did bad things and admitted it, but those who didn’t think they needed any mercy and grace.
They assumed that John was speaking only to the rank and file; but John said that the hypocritical religious leaders needed a baptism of repentance as much as anybody. Don’t fool yourselves, he says to them…and to you (Matthew 7:21-23 / Luke 6:45-46).
Many come to see the religious ceremony but lose the significance of it. They act so happy for the person who “turns their life around” not realizing all the while the evidence is mounting against them. Another brand plucked from the fire, manifest before their eyes, yet they burn in their hearts as ever they did. Some might even “get wet” but they never submit to the repentance and faith it embodies (Psalm 51:17).
No comments:
Post a Comment