Just Us Sinners Forgiven in Christ!

Luke 3:7-9 New International Version

7 John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 9 The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”

Tuesday - January 11

We love to choose sides. Our side is “right” which is another way of saying that our side is “righteous” or good. The other side is bad, wrong, or even evil! In our modern world, especially when it comes to politics, this is what is often called “polarization.” We separate everyone into opposite ends of the good-bad spectrum. The Bible, and in the passage John in particular, says, “Don’t you dare! You brood of vipers!” The Jews tried to play the “Us vs. Them” game through biology and ancestry. John would not let them off the hook! Instead, John told them the truth. Each and every one of them was a sinner who needed forgiveness and repentance. They were all in the same boat together. No Us vs. Them. Just US sinners who are forgiven in Christ.