James H. Cagle 

The Bible says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 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 love darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil” (John 3: 16-19).

Everyone is born a sinner, lost and undone, without God (Rom.3: 23). We are all, because of the Fall, born under condemnation (Rom. 5: 16, 18), with a sinful nature, and are seen by a thrice-holy God as His enemies (Rom.5: 10).

Under the justice system in America, a person is considered innocent until proven guilty and condemned.

Under God’s justice system, a person is guilty or condemned until he is made and declared innocent through faith in Jesus Christ.

There are only two classes of people on planet earth, the believers and unbelievers.

When individuals believes in Jesus Christ, they are declared innocent, righteous, forgiven and justified, because their sins are placed upon Jesus Christ, who shed His blood and died for their sins, and thereby took responsibility for their sins (2 Cor.5: 21; 1 Pet. 3: 18).

Believers are no longer condemned from that moment on (Rom.8: 1, 33, 34). They are seen by God as innocent, and from there they go on into purity by obedience to God’s Word (KJV) (Ps. 19; 1 Tim.1: 5).

Condemned is the natural state of every person until they get saved, – “. . . but he that believeth not is condemned already.”

The unbeliever is living every day in a state of condemnation and live in a state of unbelief. When the unbeliever is brought to the Great White Throne Judgment (Rev.20: 11-15), it is not to find out if he is guilty and condemned. No. He is at that Judgment because he is already condemned and is there to be sentenced to eternity in a place called Hell.

He is there “because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

James H. Cagle is a resident of Ray City.