The Reverent One
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DOES GOD MEAN IT WHEN HE SAYS, “IF” ?
(The Twelve Big IF’s of the New Testament)
There are many powerful ifs found in the Bible. We will be taking a look at these vital verses and the one recurring condition they imply.
#1 “Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now He has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in His sight, without blemish and free from accusation – IF YOU CONTINUE IN YOUR FAITH, ESTABLISHED AND FIRM, NOT MOVED from the hope held out in the gospel.” (Colossians 1:21-23)
Let’s take a look at the word ‘if.’ If means ‘in the event that’ or ‘on the condition that.’ There is absolutely no way around what this verse is saying!
We are only presented as holy in God’s sight and free from accusation on the condition that we continue in our faith and in the event that we are not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. We do this by maintaining an established and firm position in Christ.
While it is true that we depend on the power of the Holy-Spirit and the power of God’s grace to sustain us, contrary to popular belief, we do indeed have a part to play in our salvation. “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, CONTINUE to LIVE in Him.” (Colossians 2:6)
Interestingly enough there are many powerful uses of the word ‘if’ that can be found in the Bible. We will only be taking a look at twelve of them. I did not feel the need to expound upon all of them seeing as they speak so well for themselves.
Please read the following verses prayerfully and thoughtfully as you consider the implications of these conditional verses on your own faith. For instance,
#2 Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, IF you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. (I Corinthians 15:1-2)
#3 Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples IF you remain faithful to my teachings.” (John 8:31 N.L.T.)
#4 "I am the vine; you are the branches. IF a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 IF anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.” (John 15:5-6)
#5 So, IF you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! (I Corinthians 10:12)
#6 …Christ is faithful as a son over God's house. And we are his house, IF we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast. (Hebrews 3:6)
#7 We have come to share in Christ IF we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first. (Hebrews 3:14)
#8 For IF you wander beyond the teaching of Christ, you will not have fellowship with God. But IF you continue in the teaching of Christ, you will have fellowship with both the Father and the Son. (II John 1:9)
#9 …women will be saved through childbearing – IF they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety. (I Timothy 2:15)
#10 What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? IF anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels." (Mark 8:36-38)
#11 Then he(Jesus) told this parable: "A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any. So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, 'For three years now I've been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven't found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?'
" 'Sir,' the man replied, 'leave it alone for one more year, and I'll dig around it and fertilize it. IF it bears fruit next year, fine! IF not, then cut it down.' "
#12 “Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because IF you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.” (I Timothy 4:16)
If we do not heed these words and watch our life and doctrine closely, but instead, bank on a false doctrine which blatantly contradicts the Bible, then we are indeed gambling with our own salvation.
Not only that, but we’d be doing so on the basis of teachings that were written over 1,500 years after Christ.
Teachings that originated from the logic and writings of a wicked man who had an instrumental role in burning Matthew Servetus alive for opposing his doctrine! (see John Calvin vs. Matthew Servetus)
Which fruit of the Spirit did that act entail?
This same man taught that God created all the unsaved people and gave them a soul only to be destined to never know Him and burn in hell for all of eternity!(total depravity)
Calvin also taught that God saves people against their will.(irresistible grace)
And that Jesus only died for a ‘special’ group of people rather than all of mankind.(limited atonement & unconditional election)
Surely, this is heresy and the original author is an antichrist.
Because this goes against the very fabric of Christ’s message to all of mankind that “there is forgiveness of sins for all who turn to Me.” (Luke 24:47b N.L.T.)
The Apostle Paul wrote to his sheep about this very thing. Paul feared that people like the Gnostics, as well as those such as John Calvin and the Synod of Dort would come along someday and alter the teachings of Christ.
And so he warned the flock not to flock so easily in just any direction particularly in regards to the gospel.
To the church of Corinth…
3But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 4For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough. (II Corinthians 11:3-4)
And to the church of Ephesus…
That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; (Ephesians 4:14 K.J.V.)
So, what do you think? Does God really mean it when He says 'IF?'
