How welcoming was John the Baptist to “the
crowds that were coming out to be baptized by him” (Luke 3:7)?
He called them, “Brood of vipers!” (Luke 3:7).
Was it because they told him that they won't repent
of their sins?
Since they came to him to be baptized after he proclaimed the
baptism of repentance to them, they likely claimed that they will
and/or want to repent of their sins.
Then why did John call them, “Brood of vipers!”?
They lacked the “fruits worthy of”
- i.e., that serve as evidence of - “repentance”
(Luke 3:8).
What was the fall back claim by those who
lacked such fruits?
Pedigree: “We have Abraham as father”
(Luke 3:8). The Jews believed that being born a Jew - being a descendant
of
Abraham - automatically gave them the right to be saved.
What do “stones” (Luke 3:8) become when pulverized?
A mound of dust.
How much of an exaggeration is “God is able to raise
up children to Abraham from these stones” (Luke 3:9)?
“And the LORD God formed man from the dust of the
ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man
became a living being” (Genesis 2:7).
So what was John the Baptist saying to the Jews?
Their pedigree affords them no 'right' to salvation, which is the
prerogative and the gift of God.
What pedigree do some people claim today to evince
their salvation?
“My mother is a Christian.”
“My father is a pastor.”
“I've been attending your church.”
Where is the “fire” (Luke 3:7)?
In hell, where the “wrath” (Luke 3:7) of God awaits
those who claim to repent of their sins and may even have been baptized but do not
“bear fruits worthy of repentance” (Luke
3:8).
What do most pastors shy away from when qualifying
the people who come to them to be baptized?
Asking about some of the sins from which they have even decided to
repent, let alone assessing whether or not they are bearing
“fruits worthy of repentance.”
Why don't they qualify baptism candidates as John
the Baptist qualified them?
Baptisms grow the size of their church and can be reported to assert the
effectiveness of their ministry.
What has been the result?
Millions of baptized “Christians” who don't bear fruits worthy of
repentance, and remain in sin, unsaved, hell-bound.