The Baptist’s Testimony

John, the Lord’s forerunner, had preached repentance to Israel; they were not to boast in their birthright, as if being children of Abraham in the flesh rendered them members of God’s family; and more, the ax was about to be laid to the root of the tree, every man, woman, and child should be known by his fruits. Such as bore good fruit should be reserved for blessing; the others should be cut down and cast into the fire of judgment. God looks at the heart; He judges not as man judges; privilege enhances responsibility, but does not fit for God; the end is before us all. What are we individually in His presence? We may apply John’s teaching to ourselves, for we are brought up within the circle of the blessings of Christianity, even as Israel was encircled with the blessings of the truth of God in their day. Yet woe to us if we assume that because we are professing Christians we are also God’s children. The ax will soon be laid to the root of the trees, and the question will be what fruit did we bear? not in what garden were we planted. Thank God we are planted in Christendom, where we have an open Bible, and hear of God and of Christ! But are we living trees, bringing forth good fruit for God?
As John preached, the hearts of the people were moved; the Holy Spirit made them feel their sins, and multitudes came into the desert to be baptized with his baptism of repentance unto the remission of sins. There was in those days an attractiveness to men’s hearts in a testimony to human vileness and hypocrisy. Publicans and sinners, Pharisees and teachers, came to hear the truth about themselves. They left their cities, and sought the unsparing preacher in the wilderness, who denounced their sins and falsehoods, and warned them of wrath to come. True, indeed, now it is the day of grace, and God’s testimony is of completed righteousness for and grace to guilty man; but we may err in using soft words only. Open sin and religious hypocrisy are now as surely dragging men’s souls to perdition as in the time when John, the forerunner of Jesus, awoke the sleepers of Judea by his thunders against evil and iniquity.
The hills were laid low, and the valleys exalted under his testimony; the proud fell down, and the humble were lifted up, and thus were hearts prepared for Jesus.
Is there not a want of the hammer that breaks the rock in pieces in the preaching of our day? If the awful verities of sin and hypocrisy were exhibited before the consciences of men, there would be more heart-need of a Saviour from sin and hypocrisy in their souls. The Holy Ghost wrought mightily in those days, convincing of sin, and creating a need for Him who was then coming; may God revive a sin-convicting, soul-stirring testimony before the Lord’s coming again.