Les Feldick Bible Study

Is an unbeliever condemned now or only at the final judgment?

An unbeliever is condemned already, not merely awaiting a future final judgment. Jesus taught in John 3:18 that whoever does not believe is condemned already because they are born children of Adam, coming into the world under condemnation. This present condemnation stems from Adam, not from individual sins.

Les explains that God is always the seeker; no human being ever seeks God on their own. He directs attention to John 3:17-20, where Jesus says that the one who believes is not condemned, but the one who does not believe is condemned already. Les stresses that this condemnation is not delayed until a final judgment; it is the present condition of every child of Adam from birth. He illustrates it with the statement that we do not become sinners because we sin; we sin because we are sinners. We become sinners by being born of Adam, so every child of Adam detests the light, does not want the light, and is condemned already, as Jesus said.

John 3:18

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.