John Series Part 15 Revelation 6: Man’s Condemnation, John 3:18–21 Series

John Series PART 15 Revelation 6: Man’s Condemnation, 3:18–21

(3:18–21) Introduction: God sent His Son into the world to save the world, but this does not mean that everyone is automatically saved. In fact, some are condemned and doomed. Jesus reveals man’s condemnation.

1. Who is condemned: not the believer but the unbeliever (v.18).

2. When is he condemned: already (v.18).

3. Why is he condemned (vv.18–20).

4. Who escapes condemnation (v.21).

1 (3:18) Condemnation—Faith: Who is condemned? Not the believer, but the unbeliever.

a. The believer is not condemned. Note three facts.

1) The critical importance of belief cannot be overstressed. Belief stays, prevents, arrests, and stops judgment. The person who believes on Christ …

• is acquitted as though he never sinned

• is released

• is not to be captivated again (by guilt, fear, bondage, shame)

• is not to be condemned (judged)

• is not to be dealt with in justice

2) The believer is saved. He is as guilty as the unbeliever, but there is one critical difference: the believer believes on Jesus Christ and has committed his life to Him. The believer is actively and diligently seeking Christ (He. 11:6). God will save any man who will believe and seek and honor His Son

3) The believer is released from condemnation because he believes on Christ. The believer believes that Christ died for his sins, in his place, as his substitute, paying the penalty for his sins (which was death).

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life” (Jn. 5:24).

“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” (Ro. 8:1).

“Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us” (

b. The unbeliever is condemned. Note two critical points.

1) Note who the unbeliever is. He is the person who has “not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” God has only one begotten Son. The man who has not already believed on God’s Son is the unbeliever. It does not matter who the man is or where he is; he is an unbeliever if he has not already believed on the only begotten Son of God.

2) Note what it means to be condemned or judged.

2 (3:18) Judgment—Condemnation: When is the unbeliever condemned? Already, right now. It is not that he is to be condemned; he is already condemned. At least three things are meant by being “judged already” (ede kekritai).

a. Condemnation is a sure fact. The unbeliever’s judgment is sure, so sure it is as though he has already been condemned. Nothing can change or stop the judgment from coming upon the unbeliever. Ignoring, denying, and struggling against the great day of judgment will not change one detail of the day. It is coming, and every single unbeliever will be judged.

b. The unbeliever is already under the present curse of sin. He is …

• without Christ

• an alien from the people of God

• a stranger to the promises of God

• without hope

• without God in the world (Ep. 2:12)

c. The unbeliever already stands guilty of all the sins he has ever committed; he is already condemned. The law of God already exists. Every time a man breaks the law of God, he immediately becomes guilty and is condemned. The judgment is already pronounced. The unbeliever must pay the penalty for every transgression of God’s law. He is already under the curse, the full force of the law.

“For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them” (Ga. 3:10).

“And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them” (Ga. 3:12).

3 (3:18–20) Condemnation: Why is the unbeliever condemned? Four reasons are given.

a. The unbeliever has not believed. The great sin of unbelief is that it neglects, ignores, denies, abuses, and rejects God’s Son.

? The dignity of God’s Son is ignored (see note—Jn. 1:1–2).

? The truth of God’s Son is not believed (see notes—Jn. 1:14).

? The goodness of God’s Son is not embraced (see notes—Jn. 1:14).

? The dearest thing to God’s heart is denied (see notes—Jn. 3:16).

? The name that is above every name is abused and cursed (Ph. 2:9).

? The only begotten Son of God is rejected (Jn. 3:16–19).