Amen Pastor Sean and Sister Dorine. We live in a world that is far from understanding what you write. Even His church is in a similar condition which we read of in this chapter. Israel had been so greatly deceived about what you say. God sent John to prepare a people to receive Jesus. But, even so, the nation knew Him not and murdered Him. What is the lesson for us? How much do we as a people understand? We are as a people poor, blind, and naked.
In the time of John the Baptist, greed for riches, and the love of luxury and display had become widespread. Sensuous pleasures, feasting and drinking, were causing physical disease and degeneracy, benumbing the spiritual perceptions, and lessening the sensibility to sin. John was to stand as a reformer. By his abstemious life and plain dress he was to rebuke the excesses of his time. Hence the directions given to the parents of John,--a lesson of temperance by an angel from the throne of heaven.....
As a prophet, John was "to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." In preparing the way for Christ's first advent, he was a representative of those who are to prepare a people for our Lord's second coming. The world is given to self-indulgence. Errors and fables abound. Satan's snares for destroying souls are multiplied. All who would perfect holiness in the fear of God must learn the lessons of temperance and self-control. The appetites and passions must be held in subjection to the higher powers of the mind. This self-discipline is essential to that mental strength and spiritual insight which will enable us to understand and to practice the sacred truths of God's word. For this reason temperance finds its place in the work of preparation for Christ's second coming.
This is pointed directly at God's Laodicean church today. Not only are we taught that we are saved when sinning a known sin, few understand that God is not restricting this to the ten commandments, but all of the moral law that we understand. If we sin a known sin, then we are not abiding in Christ and He in us. John was a representative of those who have been called to prepare a people to receive Jesus at His second coming. Are you and I reflecting the character of Christ? Have our hearts been purified, or do we retain selfishness and pride in it? How many understand that when we love Jesus with the whole heart, we possess all of the fruits of the Spirit not one is missing? It makes no difference whether we know this or not. When we surrender all to Christ, the Holy Spirit takes possession of the heart and brings with Him every one of the fruits. We manifest love, joy, peace, long-sufferings, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance, not one is missing.
"And now also," said the prophet, "the ax is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire." Not by its name, but by its fruit, is the value of a tree determined. If the fruit is worthless, the name cannot save the tree from destruction. John declared to the Jews that their standing before God was to be decided by their character and life. Profession was worthless. If their life and character were not in harmony with God's law, they were not His people.
In other Words: "So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His." Romans 8:8, 9.
Our reading today continues:
In the time of John the Baptist, Christ was about to appear as the revealer of the character of God. His very presence would make manifest to men their sin. Only as they were willing to be purged from sin could they enter into fellowship with Him. Only the pure in heart could abide in His presence.
Are we purged from sin? Do even know what this means? Do we have "pure" hearts free from unknown pride? There is no excuse for our ignorance, nor our sins. God has provided at great expense our Savior that can save us from sin.