John 3:17-20 : “For God didn’t send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him. He who believes in him is not judged. He who doesn’t believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God. This is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their works were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the light, and doesn’t come to the light, lest his works would be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his works may be revealed, that they have been done in God.”

Although the world deserved to be judged, God was not trying to judge the world by sending Jesus. His intent was for us to accept His method of salvation by believing in His Son. It is easy for us to imagine an angry God that is eager to find fault, but this is not at all what the Bible says. God did not intend for man to not accept His salvation.

Jesus didn’t need to judge the world, because God already had according to this passage. Each person who continues to not believe in Jesus, is already under God’s judgment because he doesn’t believe in God’s Son. We start out not believing and we are already judged because of it.

John explains the reasoning behind this judgment. We don’t believe Jesus because we are aware that we are bad. Jesus is the light as I mentioned when we studied the first chapter. Jesus’ life exposes us to what we are doing wrong just like light exposes us. When God breaks through to us and cleans us up, we are able to start doing what is right and when we do what is right, we want to be seen so others can see God’s work in us.

When you do well because of God it brings glory to Him and that is something we want others to see, then they will have a chance to see the light and be influenced by God too:

1 Corinthians 10:31-33 : Whether therefore you eat, or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no occasions for stumbling, either to Jews, or to Greeks, or to the assembly of God; even as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of the many, that they may be saved.