But when he saw many 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 Bear fruit worthy of repentance. 9 Do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor’; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham.

Why did John chastise the Pharisees and Sadducees when they too were coming for baptism? They must have been approaching it to be seen by others as righteous, or simply out of empty show, with no change of heart. Or perhaps they were like the man Jesus spoke of who took his place in the front of the synagogue and prayed “I thank you God that I am not like other men.”

The same warning is given to us today. When we are present in Church each week, are we there out of habit, custom or show? Our attitude during the service and the fruit we bear during the week will tell us. God wants a repentant and contrite heart, not a lying and boastful heart that imagines itself sinless. Every man is a sinner and in need of repentance every day.

John’s warning is a precursor to the Christ of the Second Coming. “I know your works; you have a name of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up.” (Revelation 3.1) So even if we are regarded by others as pious it is meaningless. It is demanded of us, not asked, that we change the interior person. Again, “I know your works; you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were either cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I am about to spit you out of my mouth. For you say, ‘I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing.’ You do not realize that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.” (Revelation 3.15-17).

Let us watch ourselves today and throughout the week. Few to none of us will not act pious for show, or perform religious acts outwardly only, or think ourselves above our brothers and sisters, or take the front seat at Church and thank God “that we are not like other men.” The one who left the synagogue justified, the ones who received John’s baptism rightly in preparation for Jesus, is the one who beat and groaned from their soul: “O God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” And then took this repentance out into their lives, changed their lives and bore fruit worthy of the kingdom.