John 3:19-21 NKJV

And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”

Now I know that Romans 8:1 states: There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. These are words that I live by and constantly hold onto because the enemy will often try to send you down his condemnation trail. However, I was intrigued when, in John 3, I came across these verses. 

Jesus is somewhat defining condemnation; it is pretty interesting. So what is condemnation? This is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

This is pretty telling and makes so much sense. This is a pretty familiar chapter; after all, John 3:16 is in this chapter, and it also has verses 17 and 18. God didn’t send Jesus to condemn the world, but to save them. However, he who does not believe in Jesus is condemned already. So condemnation is clearly based on your belief in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, who died for our sins and was raised from the dead. Jesus is the light, and those in darkness do not believe in the light. Jesus said that the men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 

Therefore, we can only be condemned when we don’t receive Jesus as Lord. Henceforth, the devil will constantly try to get us to question our salvation, God’s forgiveness, or our righteousness through Christ. So stand firm in your belief in Jesus, and any voice you hear contrary to that can only be one, satan’s deception. And remember, Romans 8:1 states: There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.

Additional Verses:

John 3:17-18 NKJV

For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.  18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.