7 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? 8 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. 9 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.”
This is almost a complete echo from what we saw yesterday in Matthew's gospel but for one exception: Matthew says John said these things to the Pharisees and Sadducees, but Luke says he said it to the crowds. In other words, the rebuke and challenge John made was especially pointed for the religious leaders, but it applied to a much more general audience. There is a lot of self-righteousness to be found. Often we hear charges of how hypocritical churches are or church leaders are, made by those who are themselves acting self-righteously in making their criticisms. John challenged each and every one to look at themselves. Am I looking at my "religious life" just as fire insurance to "escape the wrath to come", but having little impact on the way that I live? Am I trusting in the faithfulness of my forefathers, or is it a "faith of my own?" Am I bearing fruits in keeping with repentance, a turning away from my goodness to trust in Christ alone and compare myself to Him alone?
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