When (John) saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to His baptism He said to them, “Brood of Vipers Who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” Matthew 3:7
When John saw those coming to his baptism who showed no compassion, no generosity, calling for adherence to the Law of God but failing to obey themselves, he did not turn a blind eye.
John calls these Pharisees and Sadducees a brood of vipers or 2nd generation vipers. These individuals were following in the footsteps of their parents and John asked, “…who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” John had great audiences who came to him and many of these individuals were on different levels in life. However, all who came to John’s baptism needed to prepare for the coming Kingdom bybearing fruits worthy of repentance.There must be evidence of this change.
Claiming to have a changed heart and to no longer be of this world is one thing, but if that declaration is not accompanied by fruits of repentance, can we truly say we have changed?
The Pharisees and Sadducees receiving John’s baptism was not enough, they needed to bear fruits of repentance. Without repentance their baptism meant nothing. There must be a change of heart that results in a change of life. This principle is still true today. Baptism alone is insufficient without a change of heart. This change will be evident in the fruit that we bear.
Prospering Pathway 
Amen! We need to remember John was speaking to those who considered themselves to be righteous. We need to search our own lives daily and head the warning of John.
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Amen, thanks for the good thought.
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