How does this verse connect with Revelation 20:15 about the final judgment? Verse under consideration John 3:18: “Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” Revelation backdrop Revelation 20:15: “And if anyone was found whose name was not written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” Shared focus: condemnation versus life • Both passages present only two possible outcomes—eternal life or condemnation. • John 3:18 explains the basis of condemnation now (unbelief in Christ); Revelation 20:15 shows the final, public verdict of that same condemnation. • The “book of life” in Revelation records those trusting Christ; John 3:18 identifies the same group as “whoever believes in Him.” Timing and certainty • John 3:18 speaks in the present tense—unbelievers “have already been condemned.” • Revelation 20:15 reveals the future courtroom where that present verdict is formally executed. • This harmony underscores the certainty of final judgment (Hebrews 9:27) while highlighting that saving faith must be settled before that day (2 Corinthians 6:2). The legal imagery • John 3:18 uses courtroom language (“condemned”). • Revelation 20:15 completes the legal process: sentence carried out in the “lake of fire.” • Romans 8:1 rejoices that “there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,” echoing the security given to names written in the book of life (Revelation 21:27). Why belief is decisive • Unbelief keeps a name out of the book (Revelation 20:15). • Belief establishes that name forever (Luke 10:20; Philippians 4:3). • This aligns with Jesus’ promise in John 5:24 that believers “have crossed over from death to life.” Practical takeaways • The present decision about Jesus carries eternal weight. • Assurance now (Romans 10:9–10) guarantees a place in the book then. • Evangelism matters because only faith in Christ rescues from the lake of fire (Acts 4:12). |
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