Take Heed, reader:
"For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, REPENTED NOT AFTERWARD, THAT YE MIGHT BELIEVE HIM." (Matthew 21:32)
Did you miss it? It was the All Caps words you were to take heed to.
Herein is the basic steps of initial salvation taught -
1. Repentance, leading to
2. Faith, thus, leading to
3. Regeneration.
I find very intriguing the implication in this verse - that Jesus is laying the blame of unbelief upon the Chief priests and elders.
Dear readers, Self-righteousness kills.
Praise God! He came to me and convicted me that my righteousness would not do; that my love would not do - But His will! Hallelujah! May I go to heaven shouting His merits!