We or at least most of us have already heard or even know the Bible verse John 3:16 but how many know verse 17, and perhaps verse 18?

John 3:16 “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.”

John 3:17-18 “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 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.”

Simple believe on Jesus and be saved! Saved from what? A condemnation for refusing the greatest gift ever given to man and choosing to go our own ways! Open your eyes, look at this topsy-turvy world do you really think it has the answers for what is right or wrong, true or false, good or evil and so on? I certainly do not and at every turn our dependence on ourselves and our own strength fails us – maybe not immediately but it is always inevitable everything crumbles into ruin. Even the Universe all around us, Sun, Moon and Stars do not equate to a drop in the bucket to just how big it is and we are completely without control to what fate could destroy us in a flash from the sky originating in space.

So why is it so hard to swallow that there really is something bigger than us? Something we were made a part of and something that truly gives us purpose? Open your eyes! The simplicity of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the Creator of the Universe reaching out to us who He created in His image. Are you one of His children? Do you know what it means to be saved?

Below is an excerpt from the famous Preacher Charles Haddon Spurgeon from 1860 and it is just as relevant today in 2018 as it was 158 years ago and I hope it acts as a wake-up call to some sleepy lost souls!

“Have I a man here who declares that he is pardoned and yet indulges in the sins which he pretends are forgiven? Sir, you have either deceived yourself, or else you are uttering what you know is untrue! He who is forgiven hates sin! We cannot be washed clean if we still persist in living up to our neck in filth. It cannot be possible that a man is pardoned while he still continues to wallow in abominable sin. “O yes,” but he says, “I am no legalist! I believe the Grace of God has made me clean, though I do go on in sin.” Sir, it is clear you are a legalist, but I will tell you what else you are—you are no child of God; you are no Christian; for the Christian is a man who uniformly hates sin! There never was a Believer who loved iniquity—such a strange thing as a pardoned sinner who still loves to be in rebellion against his God. “Yes,” but I hear another say, “Sir, that may be true; but I do not profess to be pardoned in any such way as you speak of. I believe my sins to be so small and little; that I have no need to go seeking mercy. Or if I seek it, I do not expect that I shall find it here. I dare say I shall fare as well as the best when I go into another world.” Poor fool! Poor fool! You are condemned already! The sentence of God has gone out against you— “Whoever believes not on the Son of God is condemned because he believes not.” And yet you, when your sentence is written out and your death-knell, perhaps tolling now, say your sins are little? They are so great, Sir, that the fires of Hell shall never expiate them and your own misery, in soul and body forever, shall never be a full equivalent for the iniquity you have committed against God! And so you don’t want to know that you are forgiven; you are content to take your chance with the rest? A chance, indeed, it is! But know, Sir, I feel so differently in my heart from you in that respect, that had I a doubt at this time about my sins being forgiven, I could not give sleep to my eyes, nor slumber to my eyelids, till I was assured that I had received God’s love in my heart. If at any time a doubt crosses my soul, I am the most wretched of beings! For surely, this is like light to the eyes, like friendship to the spirit, like drink to the thirsty and bread to the hungry—to know one’s self forgiven! Go out of this hall and say, “I am walking over the mouth of Hell and may slip in at any moment; I am hanging over Hell by a single hair and into a flame may be speedily hurled, yet I do not care whether I am damned or not.” Say it right out in broad English—say you are in doubt as to whether you shall go to Heaven or Hell—say, if you must go home today and in your upper chamber lie down on your narrow bed to die—say you are not sure whether you shall see the face of your God with acceptance and yet you are content! Speak like an honest man and like a fool, for such language is only the raving of a madman and a fool!

     Oh, I beseech you, never be content until you have sought and found a Savior! Yes, and until you are sure you have found Him, do not be happy with a, “perhaps,” or a, “maybe.” Do not rest your soul on chances, but make sure work for eternity. I bid you, Sirs, by the solemnities of eternity, by the fires of Hell, and by the joys of Heaven—get your foot on a Rock and know it is there!

Do not make guesswork of it. Put it beyond all chance. O dying Sinner! Do not let it be a question with you whether you shall be saved or whether you shall be damned! O frail Man, tottering on the brink of the grave—do not let it be a matter of uncertainty as to whether Heaven shall receive you, or Hell engulf you! Be sure of it one way or the other. If you can make your bed in Hell; if you can endure the everlasting burning; if you can suffer the anger of God when He shall tear you in pieces like a lion, then go on in your folly!
But if you would have a portion among them who are sanctified; if you would see the face of Christ and walk the golden streets—be sure that you are in Christ—be certain that you are trusting Him and be not satisfied till that is put beyond all question, beyond all argument, and all contention!”  (Bold or Italics emphasis mine)

The New Park Street Pulpit 1, Volume 6, www.spurgeongems.org – For Spurgeon Sermons online A SENSE OF PARDONED SIN, NO. 316, MAY 20, 1860, C. H. SPURGEON, AT EXETER, HALL, STRAND

Audio of sermon here: Sense of Pardoned Sin, A
PDF of the entire sermon here: #316 – A Sense of Pardoned Sin