Appeal
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people. They came to receive baptism at the hand of John that they
might better carry out these designs.
John read their motives, and met them with the searching inquiry:
“Who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” Had they
heard the voice of God speaking to their hearts they would have given
evidence of the fact by bringing forth fruit meet for repentance. No
such fruit was seen. They had heard the warning as merely the voice
of man. They were charmed with the power and boldness with which
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John spoke, but the Spirit of God did not send conviction to their hearts
and as the sure result bring forth fruit unto eternal life. They gave
no evidence of a change of heart. Without the transforming power of
the Holy Spirit, John would have them understand that no outward
ceremony could benefit them.
The reproof of the prophet is applicable to many in our day. They
cannot gainsay the clear and convincing arguments that sustain the
truth, but they accept it more as the result of human reasoning than of
divine revelation. They have no true sense of their condition as sinners,
they manifest no real brokenness of heart; but, like the Pharisees, they
feel that it is a great condescension for them to accept the truth.
None are further from the kingdom of heaven than self-righteous
formalists, filled with pride at their own attainments, while they are
wholly destitute of the spirit of Christ; while envy, jealousy, or love
of praise and popularity controls them. They belong to the same class
that John addressed as a generation of vipers, children of the wicked
one. Such persons are among us, unseen, unsuspected. They serve the
cause of Satan more effectively than the vilest profligate; for the latter
does not disguise his true character; he appears what he is.
God requires fruit meet for repentance. Without such fruit our
profession of faith is of no value. The Lord is able to raise up true
believers among those who have never heard His name. “Think not
to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say
unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto
Abraham.”
God is not dependent upon men who are unconverted in heart and
life. He will never favor any man who practices iniquity. “And now
also the ax is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which
bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.”
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