There is a great plague upon mankind, and it has been prevalent for six thousand years

There is a great plague upon mankind, and it has been prevalent for six thousand years. It is called unbelief, and it may be more clearly stated as disbelief. Disbelieving God is what started the whole downward spiral for mankind in the garden of Eden. The serpent suggested to Eve that God was withholding something good for them, and in doing so called God a liar (Gen. 3:1-5). She leaned on her own understanding, decided to believe the serpent's report rather than God's word, and the rest is history; very sad and unfortunate history. That sin of disbelieving God in favor of believing a lie of the devil is still the ONLY thing wrong with fallen man. Everything else is just a symptom of the root disease of disbelieving God. I know what I'm talking about; I see it up close and personal every day with a myriad of folks. Most people are just living in abject unbelief, going about living their lives for this present world's sake, and depriving themselves of the glorious love and peace that God has for them. Many however are living partly after "the kingdom of God, and his righteousness," and partly after unbelief. Either way is a losing formula, and will deprive you of being in harmony with God, and either one will leave you with fears, apprehensions, and all the rest of Satan's tricks. Let me lay down the only formula that results in "righteousness, and peace, and joy, in the holy Ghost:" "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" (Rom. 14:17; Jn. 3:16,17). That's right, it really is that simple. Jesus came to this world to make a way for us to be reconciled to God, and he IS that way (Jn. 14:6). If we fully trust in his love for us, he will quite simply, and quite powerfully "shed abroad [his love] in our hearts by the holy Ghost, which is given unto us [if we truly believe]" (Rom. 5:5; Jn. 7:38,39). The problem is that a whole lot of folks choose to believe the devil's lie, that Jesus DOES condemn us for some reason or another. I see it all the time, people who HAVE received the Spirit getting turned around in confusion by the tricks of the devil, telling them that they are condemned. Friend it is the DEVIL who is condemned by God, NOT US! That is why he is so masterful at his art of deception, because he is SO CONDEMNED HIMSELF. But we dishonor God by not believing HIS report, and believing instead the false report of Satan and his horde of liars. This is a serious issue my friend, and in fact it is the ONLY issue at hand. If we fully believe God's love and power toward us, we are going to bear the fruit of that faith. If we DISBELIEVE his love and power toward us, we are going to bear the fruit of unbelief.

Jesus made it clear what the source of condemnation is, in his words immediately following those from John 3:16,17 quoted above: "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" (Jn. 3:18). John echoed this simplistic reality for us as well: "For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God" (Jn. 3:20,21). The only legitimate reason for condemnation is sin, meaning disbelieving God's love. John makes the point even more clearly: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (I Jn. 1:9). If we have fallen short, what do we do about it? We believe God's love for us, that he WILL forgive us and renew us in his righteousness, just as the beloved apostle said. If we do not earnestly repent of failure, it can only be because we are NOT believing God's love for us, but rather we are believing the devil's condemning report that we need to just stay right where we're at, meaning in sin. That is a lie, and if we believe that lie, guess where it leaves us? That's right, in sin, right where man has needlessly been for six thousand years. And it is abundantly needless now, seeing "we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: [who] is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world" (I Jn. 2:1,2). Dear friend, there is absolutely no reason under God's sun for any of us to remain under condemnation or in sin. God's love in the Lord Jesus Christ has the power to free us from all sin and condemnation, and in fact that is EXACTLY WHY Jesus came to this word, as noted from the scriptures above in this article. If you are confessed up, and repented up, DON'T BE CONDEMNED; for Jesus is NOT condemning you for anything that is past. Let the devil keep all of his condemnation for himself, and for those who would rather believe his report and live under his harsh dominion. God has a pasture of joy and peace for his sheep to graze in, and his sheep are those who believe HIS report: "And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers" (Jn. 10;4,5). So rejoice my friend, for God loves you. Not only so, but we are assured that he NEVER CHANGES! Not convinced yet? Well, let's try one more time then: "What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? ... For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Rom. 8:31-35,38,39). Amen, and God bless!