Luke 3:1-14
8 Bear fruits worthy of repentance.
There is that 'R' word, repentance. John the Baptist tells the crowd that repentance must actually mean something. There must be a change of heart that will produce a change in behavior. Just getting a bath does not make the heart clean.
Eugene Peterson translates the passage this way. 7When crowds of people came out for baptism because it was the popular thing to do, John exploded: "Brood of snakes! What do you think you're doing slithering down here to the river? Do you think a little water on your snakeskins is going to deflect God's judgment? 8It's your life that must change, not your skin. And don't think you can pull rank by claiming Abraham as "father.' Being a child of Abraham is neither here nor there--children of Abraham are a dime a dozen. God can make children from stones if he wants. 9What counts is your life. Is it green and blossoming? Because if it's deadwood, it goes on the fire." (The Message)
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