Luke 3:7-14

He said therefore to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire." And the crowds asked him, "What then shall we do?" And he answered them, "Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise." Tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, "Teacher, what shall we do?" And he said to them, "Collect no more than you are authorized to do." Soldiers also asked him, "And we, what shall we do?" And he said to them, "Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages."

— Luke 3:7-14

We have, in these verses, a specimen of John the Baptist's ministry. It is a portion of Scripture which should always be especially interesting to a Christian mind. The immense effect which John produced on the Jews, however temporary — is evident, from many expressions in the Gospels. The remarkable testimony which our Lord bore to John, as "a prophet greater than any born of woman," is well-known to all Bible readers. WHAT THEN WAS THE CHARACTER OF JOHN'S MINISTRY? This is the question to which the chapter before us supplies a practical answer.  

We should first mark — the holy boldness with which John addresses the multitudes who came to his baptism. He speaks to them as a "brood of vipers!" He saw the rottenness and hypocrisy of the profession which the crowd around him were making, and uses language descriptive of their case. His head was not turned by popularity. He did not care who was offended by his words. The spiritual disease of those before him was desperate, and of long standing — and he knew that desperate diseases need strong remedies! Well would it be for the Church of Christ, if it possessed more plain speaking ministers in our days — like John the Baptist. A morbid dislike to strong language; an excessive fear of giving offence; a constant flinching from directness and plain speaking — are, unhappily, too much the characteristics of the modern Christian pulpit. Uncharitable language is no doubt always to be deprecated. But there is no charity . . .   in flattering unconverted people,   in abstaining from any mention of their vices,   or in applying smooth names to damnable sins! There are two texts which are too much forgotten by Christian preachers. In one it is written, "Woe unto you when all men shall speak well of you." Luke 6:26. In the other it is written, "Am I now trying to win the approval of men — or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were trying to please men — I would not be Christ's servant." Galatians 1:10  

We should mark, secondly — how plainly John speaks to his hearers about Hell and danger. He tells them that there is a "coming wrath!" He speaks of "the ax" of God's judgment — and of unfruitful trees being "thrown into the fire!" The subject of HELL is always offensive to human nature. The minister who dwells much upon it — must expect to find himself regarded as barbaric, violent, unfeeling and narrow-minded! Men love to hear "smooth things," and to be told of peace, and not of danger. Isaiah 30:10. But the subject of Hell is one that ought not to be kept back, if we desire to do good to souls. It is one that our Lord Jesus Christ brought forward frequently in His public teachings. That loving Savior, who spoke so graciously of the way to Heaven — has also used the plainest language about the way to Hell. Let us beware of being wise above that which is written, and more charitable than Scripture itself. Let the language of John the Baptist be deeply engraved on our hearts. Let us never be ashamed to avow our firm belief, that there is a "coming wrath" for the impenitent; and that it is possible for a man to be lost, as well as to be saved. To be silent on the subject — is dreadful treachery to men's souls. It only encourages them to persevere in wickedness, and fosters the devil's old delusion in their minds, "You shall not surely die!" Genesis 3:4 That minister is surely our best friend — who tells us honestly of danger, and warns us, like John the Baptist, to "flee from the wrath to come!" Never will a man flee — until he sees that there is real cause to be afraid. Never will he seek Heaven — until he is convinced that he is on his way to Hell. The religion in which there is no mention of Hell — is not the religion of John the Baptist, or of our Lord Jesus and His apostles!  

We should mark, thirdly — how John exposes the uselessness of a repentance which is not accompanied by fruits in the life. He said to the multitude, who came to be baptized, "Bring forth fruit worthy of repentance." He tells them that, "Every tree which does not produce good fruit — is hewn down and cast into the fire!"

This is a truth which should always occupy a prominent place in our Christianity. It can never be impressed on our minds too strongly, that religious talking and profession are utterly worthless — without religious doing and practice. It is vain to say with our lips that we repent — if we do not at the same time repent in our lives. It is more than vain. It will gradually sear our consciences, and harden our hearts.

To say that we are sorry for our sins is mere hypocrisy — unless we show that we are really sorry for them, by giving them up. Doing is the very life of repentance. Do not merely tell us what a man says in religion — tell us rather what he does. "The talk of the lips," says Solomon, "tends only to poverty." (Proverbs 14:23.)  

We should mark, fourthly — what a blow John strikes at the common notion, that connection with godly people can save our souls. "Do not begin to say to yourselves," he tells the Jews, "we have Abraham as our Father; for I say unto you that God is able to raise up children of Abraham from these stones."

The strong hold that this false notion has gained on the heart of man, in every part of the world — is an affecting proof of our fallen and corrupt condition. Thousands have always been found, in every age of the church — who have believed that connection with godly men made them acceptable in the sight of God. Thousands have lived and died in the blind delusion, that because they were allied to holy people by ties of blood or church-membership — they might themselves hope to be saved.

Let it be a settled principle with us, that saving religion is a PERSONAL thing. It is a business between each man's own soul, and Christ. It will profit us nothing at the last day, to have belonged to the Church of Luther, or Calvin, or Cranmer, or Knox, or Owen, or Wesley, or Whitfield. Did we have the faith of these holy men? Did we believe as they believed — and strive to live as they lived — and to follow Christ as they followed Him? These will be the only points on which our salvation will turn. It will save no man to have Abraham's blood in his veins — if he did not possess Abraham's faith and do Abraham's works.  

We should remark, lastly, in this passage — the searching test of sincerity which John applied to the consciences of the various classes who came to his baptism. He bade each man who made a profession of repentance — to begin by breaking off from those sins which especially beset him. The selfish multitude must show common charity to each other. The publicans must "exact no more than their due." The soldiers must "do violence to no man, and be content with their wages."

He did not mean that, by so doing, they would atone for their sins, and make their peace with God. But he did mean that, by so doing — they would prove their repentance to be sincere.

Let us leave the passage with a deep conviction of the wisdom of this mode of dealing with souls, and especially with the souls of those who are beginning to make a profession of religion. Above all, let us see here — the right way to prove our own hearts.

It must not content us to cry out against sins to which, by natural temperament, we are not inclined — while we deal gently with other sins of a different character. Let us find out our own particuliar corruptions. Let us know our own besetting sins. Against them, let us direct our principal efforts. With these, let us wage unceasing war.

Let the rich break off from the rich man's sins — and the poor from the sins of the poor. Let the young man give up the sins of youth — and the old man the sins of old age. This is the first step towards proving that we are in earnest, when we first begin to feel about our souls.

Are we real? Are we sincere? Then let us begin by looking at home — and looking within.