John 3:36

He that believeth. Literally, “he that keeps on believing.” To be once “in grace” is not sufficient; a man must remain “in grace” if he would enter the kingdom. A man’s standing before the Father is determined by his attitude toward the Son. See on chs. 1:12; 3:15,16.

Believeth not. Greek apeithed, literally, “to be disobedient,” as in 1 Peter 2:7, 8.

However, apeithed refers to a rebellious state of the mind and the will rather than to overt acts of disobedience. Compare Eph. 5:6, where the noun form of the same word is translated “disobedience.” The state of mind determines the course of the life. Compare John 3:18.

Not see life. That is, not participate in eternal life (see v. 16; see on v. 3). A man cannot reject Christ and expect to gain eternal life directly from the Father.

The wrath of God. See on Rom. 1:18. For the same word translated “anger” and used of Christ see on Mark 3:5. “The wrath of God” is directed against all sin. God has provided a way by which men may escape from the clutches of sin, but if they refuse to be separated from it, they will inevitably share its fate and be obliterated with it.