John the Baptist: Witness to God's Righteousness

John the Baptist preached the righteousness demanded by God, earned by Christ through His obedience unto death, then was accepted and imputed by God. And this, at the cross! John heard Jesus speak of righteousness at His baptism and he was taught it by God's Spirit. John called on his generation to repent of sin and false religion, which was both ignorant of and opposed to God's righteousness.