When John the Baptist went out preaching repentance and baptism, even Pharisees and Sadducees took notice. They came out to hear him and to be baptized. But he called them out calling them a brood of vipers and wanting to know who warned them to flee the wrath to come! Many think that John is utterly rejecting them, but he is making sure they understand what they are doing. They think they are righteous, so why would they need repentance? But if they need repentance, then they are not really righteous! We need to be wary ourselves of thinking we are good to go in this life and must continually return to this call of repentance and need to bear fruit that reflects our repentance.
Image: St. John the Baptist Preaching, Mattia Preti, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons