Matthew 3:1-8
1 In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” 3 For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.’” 4 Now John wore a garment of camel's hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, 6 and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bear fruit in keeping with repentance.
John the Baptist called all the people to repentance (verse 2). But when the Pharisees and Sadducees came to him, he warned against a false repentance: "bear fruit in keeping with repentance" (verse 8). He knew that it was one thing to proclaim faith and repentance, and another thing to actually live it. Likewise we need to be careful of a cheap grace where we apologize and verbally repent but don't really change our hearts. True repentance should produce a change in behavior (fruit). It goes beyond being sorry for our bad behavior, to truly desiring a change.
Lord, help me to truly repent and change.
1 In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” 3 For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.’” 4 Now John wore a garment of camel's hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, 6 and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bear fruit in keeping with repentance.
John the Baptist called all the people to repentance (verse 2). But when the Pharisees and Sadducees came to him, he warned against a false repentance: "bear fruit in keeping with repentance" (verse 8). He knew that it was one thing to proclaim faith and repentance, and another thing to actually live it. Likewise we need to be careful of a cheap grace where we apologize and verbally repent but don't really change our hearts. True repentance should produce a change in behavior (fruit). It goes beyond being sorry for our bad behavior, to truly desiring a change.
Lord, help me to truly repent and change.