…6 and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, as they confessed their sins. 7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance; 9 and do not suppose that you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father’; for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham.”

The mass of Jews went out to see John the Baptist and in turn be baptized by him. For many this was a genuine experience of repentance and confession of sins, to be sure. But mixed in with the wheat were the tares, to borrow against a parable Jesus later told. The religious leaders, Pharisees and Sadducees—religious/political parties who often were at odds with each other, but rallied together at times against a common enemy, namely Jesus—came as well. John, seeing through their duplicity at once, thundered at them with the strongest possible denunciation. Hardly what we would expect from the forerunner of Him who referred to Himself as “gentle and humble of heart” (Matt 11:28)!

One of the greatest misrepresentations of Christianity today is a gospel message that excludes the judgment of God. This may come as an over-reaction to past “hell-fire and damnation” methods of scaring people into the kingdom. Such pendulum swings are seldom good, and certainly not balanced. John’s message of preparation for Christ was not to be taken as a religious observance, the motions of which count for spiritual brownies points with God (or with people). No, a genuine response of repentance was demanded!

In fact, John calls them a “brood of vipers,” those creatures which poison with their bite and strike terror in the heart. John further intimates that the only reason for their outward conformity to his message of baptism was their fear of God’s anger. This is not an adequate motivation for repentance. Indeed, man-made religion often has at its center the terror of deity, both by the people and also as a tool of manipulation in the hands of its leaders. On the contrary, Paul tells us in Romans 2:4 that “the kindness of God leads … to repentance.”

John therefore challenges them to give proof of repentance. Words and religious observances are cheap. Being Jewish, or being related to people of faith is only of secondary benefit. What matters is personal integrity in approaching God. All depends upon this.

Lord, show me when I fall into just “going through the motions” of religious activity and not walking by humble faith. I confess my superficiality to You.”