Then Jerusalem was going out to him, and all Judea, and all the district around the Jordan; and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, as they confessed their sins. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, "You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? "Therefore bring forth fruit in keeping with repentance; Matt. 3:5-8
In these verses, there is an interesting point that John makes. Many were coming from all around the area and being baptized. The Pharisees and Sadducees were also but they are rebuked by John because they did not bring forth fruit in keeping with repentance. What was the fruit in keeping with their repentance?
I have heard that it is the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Gal 5:22) or works that were evidence of repentance. It is, rather, confession. Those in the district were coming out and were being baptized as they confessed their sins. The Pharisees and Sadducees came too but were stopped short. John said to bring forth fruit in keeping with repentance. That did not mean that they had to leave and then come back after they changed or brought evidence of change. It only meant that they needed to confess their sins, at that exact moment, which they were unwilling to do.
Repent is to rethink and agree on, i.e., “I agree that this is in violation of a holy God.” Confession is to verbalize that agreement - - the “fruit” of repentance..
Pride keeps us from confessing.
