In John 3:17 we see the contrast between the “saved” and the “condemned.” Condemnation implies that judgment has been passed upon us by the Judge, and we are all guilty of breaking God’s laws. If we are saved, we who were under condemnation are no longer condemned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to Jesus in 3:16, we would perish for being under condemnation. But Jesus gave His own life in place of ours, receiving in Himself our sentence of condemnation and death. When we place our faith in the Son, the condemnation passes away and we receive a new kind of life where God counts us innocent not guilty; accepted in His sight and not condemned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
All of us were “condemned already” (3:18). Judgment, guilt, and sin were passed on to us through Adam and Eve (Rom. 5:12-14). Adam as the head of humanity passed on these attributes of his life to us. Then Jesus became the head of a new humanity, and passes on to us His life when we trust in Him (Rom. 5:9-21).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There is no reason for God to condemn us. The Ten Commandments do that perfectly well. Being saved includes knowing the smile of God’s favor, not the frown of judgment. Saved is knowing your sins have been cast into the sea, and not held against you by God. Being saved is knowing your old life in Adam has passed away and all things are new because you are in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17, 21).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Christ came for a reason–to remove the curse of Adam. In Adam we bore the curse of condemnation, sin, and death. On the cross, Christ bore the curse to set us free from it. If you are saved, then you are no longer under God’s condemnation. If you have believed in the Son for salvation, then your sins were washed away and God no longer holds you guilty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But the good news needs to be communicated to all, for the blessings of Christ are not given by default to every newborn like the curse is. Condemnation is removed through faith in the good news of Christ, 3:18. The gospel points us to faith in Jesus so we will acknowledge He is the agent of the blessing, not ourselves. The saving is a gift of grace from God, not of human origin or personal merits (Eph. 2:8-10).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In 3:19, we find “the” condemnation instead of “condemnation” in general, such as that passed onto all through Adam. A unique condemnation seems to have been placed on humanity since Christ came because the truth is now available to open our eyes–namely, Christ and the Spirit that illuminates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Perhaps this is explained by Matthew 11:20-24, where Jesus judges Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum, cities in Galilee where Jesus preached continually. His reason for judgment was “because they did not repent.” Then He says that the judgment on them will be more severe because other cities, like Tyre and Sidon, Gentile cities, and Sodom and Gomorrah, wicked cities, would have repented had they witnessed what had transpired in Galilee. As a result, Sodom, reduced to dust and ashes for their crimes, will receive a more tolerant judgment than those who heard the truth from Christ and rejected it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The gospel light has come into the world, and “men loved darkness rather than light,” 3:19. Why they reject the light is “because their deeds were evil.” The word in Greek for evil is used to describe the Devil, so these are malignant people indeed. These hate the light because they don’t want to see their deeds as they really are, 3:20.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In 3:21, we see another group, “he who does the truth.” Not, he who does good, but the person who acknowledges the light the Spirit gives, recognizes his need of Jesus, and comes to the light. That person comes to the source that cleanses and transforms in such a way that his actions conform to the truth, and he receives a testimony that God is working in him, and not the Devil who works in the other group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Come to the light of God’s word and let it transform your life with daily study and obedience.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
In John 3:17 we see the contrast between the “saved” and the “condemned.” Condemnation implies that judgment has been passed upon us by the Judge, and we are all guilty of breaking God’s laws. If we are saved, we who … Continue reading