Verse 18 divides mankind into two classes—those who _believe in Christ_, and those who _do not believe_. The former are _not condemned_, and if they abide in Him will go on to everlasting life. The latter “are _condemned already_” for their not believing. This condemnation is not necessarily a final state, for if they “abide not in unbelief,” but turn to Christ in repentance and faith, they will be brought into His covenant of grace and salvation. But if otherwise, when God’s longsuffering patience has exhausted the pleadings, warnings, and wooings of the Spirit without response, a time must come when the word will go forth, “My Spirit shall not always strive with man;” and that state of condemnation become an abiding one, agreeably to Rom. ii. 4–10. “Or despisest thou the riches of His goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? But after thy hardness and impenitent heart, treasurest up unto thyself wrath, against the day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; who will render to every man according to his deeds:—To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: but unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil . . . but glory, honour, and peace to every man that worketh good” (Rom. ii. 4–10). It becomes, therefore, an all-important point to endeavour to draw from Scripture some of the chief conditions which are implied in these simple words, “_Believing in the Lord Jesus Christ_.” Our Lord has Himself given us an example of what He meant by it when He said, “I seek _not mine own will_, but _the __will of the Father_ which hath sent Me” (John v. 30). Jesus believed in the Father, and he that in like manner believes in the Son must seek, not his own will, but the will of Christ. Jesus said, “I am the Light of the world;” “he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” (John viii. 12). “I am _the way_, _the truth_, and _the life_; no man cometh unto the Father but by Me” (John xiv. 6). He is the _way_ to the Father, and the _only way_:—the very _Truth_ of God expressed in word and action,—in precept and example,—who “did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth” (1 Pet. ii. 22; and Isa. liii. 9),—and _the life_, the means through which alone spiritual life is given to a world dead in trespasses and sins. Our Lord further defines the characteristics of the two classes as follows:—“For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God” (John iii. 20, 21).