He that believeth on him is not comdemned; but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.–John 3:18

It is delightful to start the day by reading some portion of God’s word that promises strength to resist temptation, or grace to endure trials, or supplies when funds are low, or rewards for our labor, or heaven as our future home, but sometimes it is more helpful to be reminded of the awful state of unbelievers. Such reminders causes us to rejoice in our deliverance and encourages us to witness to our unsaved loved ones. The following, written by James Smith in 1860, serves that purpose very well:

The unbeliever’s condemnation is for sin; but his condemnation is not merely for violating the law–but for refusing a pardon, presented to him by God as an act of infinite mercy.

Every unbeliever is presently in a state of condemnation!

He is condemned, BY WHOM? By God, the righteous Judge, the Judge of all.

He is condemned, FOR WHAT? Not merely for breaking the law–but for insulting the Lawgiver, by refusing a pardon, procured at no less a cost than the death of his Son, and presented in the everlasting gospel.

He is condemned, WHEN? Now, already! At this moment, while he reads these lines! The manacled criminal in his cell, waiting for the day of execution, is not more really condemned, than is every unbeliever!

He is condemned, TO WHAT? Ah, who can tell? His punishment is represented . . .
by blackness, darkness, and a horrible tempest!
By weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth!
By a lake of fire, a bottomless pit, and a gnawing worm which never dies!

He is condemned, WITH WHOM? The devil and his demons–and with most depraved of the human race!

He is condemned, BY WHAT? Both the law–and the gospel; both the Creator–and the Savior!

See then, every unbeliever’s state–he is condemned already! Yes, however moral the life, however amiable the disposition–he is condemned already! Condemned to be driven from God, from holy angels, from blessed believers; and to be associated with devils and damned souls forever! Condemned, just because he would not believe in Jesus–he would not accept the pardon–he would not be reconciled to God.

O strange infatuation! O fearful delusion! O astonishing power of sin!

Speaking of this verse, John Henry Jowett wrote: That was a long wait in preparation for a great mission. When God delays, He is not inactive. He is getting ready His instruments, He is ripening our powers; and at the Appointed moment we shall arise equal to our task. Even Jesus of Nazareth was thirty years in privacy, growing in wisdom before He began His work.

Another, unknown writer, said,God is never in a hurry but spends years with those He expects to greatly use. He never thinks the days of preparation too long or too dull.

The hardest ingredient in suffering is often time. A short, sharp pang is easily borne, but when a sorrow drags its weary way through long, monotonous years, and day after day returns with the same dull routine of hopeless agony, the heart loses its strength, and without the grace of God, is sure to sink into the very sullenness of despair. Joseph’s was a long trial, and God often has to burn His lessons into the depths of our being by the fires of protracted pain. “He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver,” but He knows how long, and like a true goldsmith He stops the fires the moment He sees His image in the glowing metal. We may not see now the outcome of the beautiful plan which God is hiding in the shadow of His hand; it yet may be long concealed; but faith may be sure that He is sitting on the throne, calmly waiting the hour when, with adoring rapture, we shall say, “All things have worked together for good.” Like Joseph, let us be more careful to learn all the lessons in the school of sorrow than we are anxious for the hour of deliverance. There is a “need-be” for every lesson, and when we are ready, our deliverance will surely come, and we shall find that we could not have stood in our place of higher service without the very things that were taught us in the ordeal. God is educating us for the future, for higher service and nobler blessings; and if we have the qualities that fit us for a throne, nothing can keep us from it when God’s time has come. Don’t steal tomorrow out of God’s hands. Give God time to speak to you and reveal His will. He is never too late; learn to wait. (Streams in the Desert)

Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.–Romans 8:21

Words cannot describe all the flaws and failures of this fallen world. Although we Christians are not “of it” we are “in it”, and that subjects us to a lot of suffering. Indeed we are “in it”, but not forever–there’s a better day a coming. We shall be liberated at last! James Smith had this mind on that day when he wrote these words in 1862:

No more disease, no more weakness, no more pain!

“The creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay–and brought into the glorious liberty of the children of God!”

We shall soon have ‘glorious liberty’!

The SOUL will be gloriously free:
free from every fetter that binds it,
free from every conflict that tries it, and
free from every burden that bows it down.

The BODY will be gloriously free! It will be a glorious body–like the body of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

No more disease, no more weakness, no more pain!
But health, strength, and ease will characterize it forever!

The whole person, body, soul, and spirit–will be in perfect liberty:
free from the curse–and every cross;
free from every foe–and all our fears;
free from every fault–and our numerous failings;
free from frailty–and free from folly;
free from all internal, external, and eternal evil.

It will be freedom crowned with glory–with . . .
glorious beauty,
glorious brightness,
glorious majesty,
glorious honor, and
ineffable splendor!

Eye has never seen, ear has never heard, nor has the heart of man ever conceived of anything so grand, so magnificent, so glorious–as what God has provided, and has in store for His people!