'Repent Ye'

Today, Jesus is ushered into our presence in Spirit, but John the Baptist had the privilege of ushering Him in person through preaching repentance in the wilderness of Judaea.  John the Baptist said, "Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matthew 3:2 KJV).  "Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region about Jordan, And were baptized of him in Jordan, And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins" (vs. 5, 6).

Even the Pharisees and Sadducees attended the baptism.  John the Baptist said to them, "O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from wrath to come" (v. 7)? The wrath to come was described metaphorically in verses 8 and 10 that a person (tree) would be cut down and cast into fire who (that) did not repent (produce good fruit). 

According to Layman's Bible Encyclopedia, "...[r]epentance affects the whole man.  It is not merely a substitution of one set of external actions and observances for another set, but an inward turning, a recognition and disavowal of one's sin coupled with the embracing of a new way of life, a life in conformity with the teachings of Christ...".

John the Baptist proclaimed that he 'baptized with water unto repentance' and Jesus baptized 'with the Holy Ghost, and with fire" (v. 11).   John the Baptist also described Jesus as coming with a "...fan in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire" (v. 12).  These words are another way of describing the wrath to come.  The wheat in the day of wrath will be the people who have repented.  The chaff will be those who have not repented.

"Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.  But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness.  Then he suffered him.  And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (vs. 13-17).