Matthew 3:7-8 - Seeker Sensitive?

"But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance." (Matthew 3:7-8, NIV)

What I appreciate about Chuck Smith and the Calvary Chapel movement, is that they have sought to present the truths of Scripture without softening the hard parts or overemphasising the easy parts.

In the last few years, I have heard less about the "Seeker Sensitive" movement, pehaps this is because of the rise of the "Emergent" church (little "c" because it is a social organization and NOT the true Church). But one of the hallmarks of both of these movements is that there is a reluctance to call sin what it is and proclaim the holiness of God.

Think about what it would be like to be John the Baptizer. You understand that you have been chosen to call your nation to repentance, you also understand that you have a cousing who is very different and may be the promised Messiah. You understand that the religious system in which you grew up is corrupt. On top of all this, your nation is being governed by an oppressive regime. This is not a good starting place for having a thriving ministry.

Yet, while all this is happening, there is a growing sense of spiritual poverty and people start coming to John to hear his call to repentance and submit to the baptism which is a symbol of that repentance.

While John is baptizing in the wilderness, the Pharisees and Sadducees come to participate. John sees them and calls them out, effectively refusing to baptize them. He is not very seeker sensitive or ecumenical.

To be balanced, I feel I should point out that "hellfire and damnation" preaching, unless it is guided by the Holy Spirit, will only produce external compliance which will only have a temporary effect. So, I do not draw the conclusion that we necessarily need to pound people into repentance from the pulpit.

The conclusion that I do draw from this passage is that we need to teach the Word of God in its entirety without worrying about whether someone is offended. Paul talks about the Cross being foolishness and a stumbling block to some who hear the Gospel.

The response of people is not our responsibility, it is our responsibility to teach truth and to be a witness to the truth.

My confession is that I often hold back from saying something for fear (such fear is never of God) of offending someone. Another aspect of my fear is that someone would (legitimately) come back with the rejoinder that I don't really live out my beliefs very well.

I choose today to be more open in sharing my beliefs with others. May God help me in this endeavor.