Rejoran, thanks for your reply and please give me your attention for a moment though I know you are involved in another discussion. As you are 'Re-assembling' Christianity from the Bible you cannot rely upon assumptions. I call into question an assumption about 'Sin' in the above post, and I recommend that it is like a wrench falling into the cogs. It does not fit or turn. You have assumed that John's "Repentance for forgiveness of sins" is about erasing wicked deeds, but reconsider what is being said. It is a forgiveness of status, allowing gentiles to approach the throne of grace. (Hebrews 4:16), whereas before no one but the high priest could do so.
Purposeful sins are only forgiven through prayer and restoration, not through sacrifice; and they never were. John is talking about the other kind of sin, the sin of not being consecrated, or not being Jewish enough, not wearing tassels, not doing all the Jewish things. John preached that merely by repenting of evil acts a person was elevated in status, no longer needing to keep special rules. A soldier could be right with God. A tax collector could be right with God! Despite being unclean, despite dealing with dirty money they could be as a Jew and approach the throne of grace.
You in Church of Christ membership are aware of the multiple kinds of 'Sin' in the laws and prophets, that not all sins are the same. Some are wicked, some are iniquitous, some accidental and so forth. None of the sacrifices are for purposeful wicked acts. John the Baptist angered the pharisees, temple priests and Sadducee but they weren't angered by preaching repentance itself. They would have been joyful for someone to preach repentance as they themselves did! No, their problem was their 'Big brother' attitude toward Samaritans and unclean Jews like the big brother in Jesus story of the prodigal son, and they rejected the new status John the Baptist was preaching for all humankind.
I call your attention back to Luke 3:12-14 again. Consider what Jesus enemies would have said in his place -- what advice they would have given. They would have said "Repent of doing so and so and then also be circumcised and abide by all of the following....then you will be restored" Why didn't Jesus give the same advice? It is too obvious that of course a tax collector shouldn't ask for more than required. It is obvious that a soldier shouldn't accuse people falsely. It is plain in the Law that repentance is required to be forgiven of wicked deeds. No, this was not where Jesus and John b. differed from Israel's leaders. They removed the necessity of those leaders and preached a forgiveness that brought all humankind to equality with a Jew.
