“He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.” (John 3:18-21)

The condemnation described by Jesus is not because of disbelief in the gospel as most promote. This condemnation is the natural condition of every man in a state of unregeneracy. All men are condemned, except those for whom Christ died!

In these verses, Jesus is expanding His explanation of the nature of a person dead in their sins. He compares the desire of a person who wants to do evil to the desire of a person who wants to do good.

Many crimes are committed at night so that the darkness will conceal the evil acts. So it is with those who seek to practice evil. They will not come to the light because they have no desire to have their deeds revealed. A wicked person will not come to Jesus of his own free will. It does not matter how appealing we make the gospel by watering it down or flat our changing it. A wicked person likes the darkness of sin. He will not come to the Light of the world because he has no desire to do so!

But the spirits of those who have been born by the Spirit of God cry out WITH the Holy Spirit that they are sons of God.

“The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:” (Romans 8:16)

This one continuous cry by our spirit is that seed in us longing for the Light. That is why it is so important for us to preach the gospel whenever and wherever we can. So that those whose spirits burn for the Lord can come to an understanding of what Christ has done for them. Their belief of the gospel does not make them a child of God but it does give them the name of their Savior in Whom they may hope!