Matthew 3:1,2

Matthew 3:1,2 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. John the Baptist is Jesus’ first cousin and six months older than Jesus. He was the fiery preacher who came before Jesus and warned the people to repent. Many listened and came out into the wilderness to hear this interesting preacher. He “told it like it was.” When the Pharisees and religious leaders came out into the wilderness to see what all the excitement was about, John boldly told them that they were a bunch of snakes and needed to repent. John wasn’t rude; he was just honest and everyone liked his honesty. But the people who repented still weren’t saved. Salvation is by faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The people who obeyed John and repented of their sins were half-way to salvation. Salvation is like a bird with two wings. Another way to see salvation is like the two opposite sides of a single coin. You must repent of your sins and trust in Jesus Christ. But like the bird and coin, repentance and faith are the same thing. As you turn away from your sins you are also turning toward Jesus. Remember, repentance and faith.