3/15/23
We too often miss what this two-letter word means.
I have written many articles on the if/then clauses. See the book of Jeremiah for a few if/then clauses:
“If you will return, O Israel,” says the LORD, “return to Me; and if you will put away your abominations out of My sight, then you shall not be moved.” – Jeremiah 4:1
“For if you thoroughly amend your ways and your doings, if you thoroughly execute judgment between a man and his neighbor, “if you do not oppress the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place, or walk after other gods to your hurt, “then I will cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers forever and ever.” – Jeremiah 7:5-7
“If you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you, then how can you contend with horses? And if in the land of peace, in which you trusted, they wearied you, then how will you do in the floodplain of the Jordan?” – Jeremiah 12:5
“For even your brothers, the house of your father, even they have dealt treacherously with you; yes, they have called a multitude after you. Do not believe them, even though they speak smooth words to you. “I have forsaken My house, I have left My heritage; I have given the dearly beloved of My soul into the hand of her enemies.” – Jeremiah 12:16,17
“She languishes who has borne seven; she has breathed her last; her sun has gone down while it was yet day; she has been ashamed and confounded. And the remnant of them I will deliver to the sword before their enemies, says the LORD.” – Jeremiah 15:19
“And it shall be, if they refuse to take the cup from your hand to drink, then you shall say to them, Thus says the LORD of hosts: You shall certainly drink!” – Jeremiah 25:28
These are but a few examples taken just from Jeremiah. Nearly every book has the if/then clause.
Second Chronicles 7:14 is a classic example: “if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” This, like all if/then clauses, proves that there are conditions to God’s promises.
“IF”
Definition of “if”: “In the event that, whether; used as a function word to introduce an exclamation; expressing a wish or command.” If God requests, asks, demands something of us, and we refuse, then He is not obligated to do what He has promised or spoken. In other words, conditions must be met before He acts. In short, even our salvation is conditional. He offers His Son to us, but we must repent before we obtain salvation. John the Baptist preached repentance (Matthew 3:1-2). Jesus Himself taught repentance (Matthew 4:17). Peter taught it too (Acts 2:38). NO REPENTANCE, NO REMISSION OF SINS! Peter preached, “Repent, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out” (3:19). Paul spoke about repentance to King Agrippa in Acts 26:19-20.
Go through your Bible and search out the if/then clauses.
Romans 12:18
This is another way the word “if” is used – in the sense of “perchance”:
“If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.” – Romans 12:18
Some other versions read:
RSV — “If possible, so far as it depends upon you, live peaceably with all.”
NIV — “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”
ESV — “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.”
Well, we know this is pretty impossible. The Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, shows us that the world of men has been one of war, interspersed with peace. Look at the life of Jesus alone, who is called the Prince of Peace! And Isaiah was continually confronted with hostilities from his own countrymen, the Jews. Since he stood for truth, he was hated, rejected, and finally murdered! They sawed him in half!
One minister noted that Paul, the author of Romans, reinforces the importance of our dealings with others by reminding us about the way we must treat our enemies (12:20-21).
The “IF”
“Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members?” – James 4:1
That was in reference to what James wrote previously:
“But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.” – James 3:14-18.
You can see that wars and fights can be literal or figurative.
Psalm 89:30–32 … Back to IF/THEN
“If his sons forsake My law and do not walk in My judgments, if they break My statutes and do not keep My commandments, then I will punish their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes.”
If we want peace in our lives, if we want to be in victory over the world, the flesh, and the devil, then we must do what is required of us – walk in His ways, do what is right. “Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace” (James 3:18). I like that one version which reads, “The fruit of righteousness is for those who cultivate peace” (NAB).
In Short
In short, to love the world, the flesh, and to do the deeds of the devil, makes us enemies of God.
In these times, Church and State are definitely divided. In fact, division is EVERYWHERE in ALL REALMS. Fightings, conflicts, heated debates all spell “out of order.” It is not possible to have peace with all men, but it is possible to have and keep peace between us and God. And it’s true, it takes work.
When the Lord expressed and appeared to Solomon and spoke to him, he said, “Now if you walk before Me as your father David walked, in integrity of heart and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded you, and if you keep My statutes and My judgments, then I will establish the throne of your kingdom over Israel forever, as I promised David your father, saying, You shall not fail to have a man on the throne of Israel. But if you or your sons at all turn from following Me, and do not keep My commandments and My statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods and worship them, then I will cut off Israel from the land which I have given them; and this house which I have consecrated for My name I will cast out of My sight. Israel will be a proverb and a byword among all peoples” (1 Kings 9:4-7).
All of us are to be soldiers of Christ (1 Timothy 1:18; 6:12; 2 Timothy 2:3; et al.). We fight in the Spirit against spiritual forces, while we are to be at peace with our Lord and Savior. And, if it is possible, we are to be at peace with others, especially those in the Christian camp.
The Debate
Exodus 23:22 says, “But if you indeed obey His voice and do all that I speak, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries.” Going back even further, we read, “Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine” (Exodus 19:5). Numbers 33:55 reads, “But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then it shall be that those whom you let remain shall be irritants in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and they shall harass you in the land where you dwell.”
I’ll end with first John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Read: Proverbs 28:13; Romans 3:24-26; Psalm 51:2; et al.
My point with this whole article is to show you just how important the word “if” is Biblically. We must confess our sins, we must REPENT; for confession and repentance go hand-in-hand. Without these two, we do not get forgiveness!
If we do not obey, then we do not receive God’s promises and blessings. We can choose denial, avoidance or deflection of responsibility, or we can choose obedience, adherence to His will, and take responsibility. Our very well-being is conditional.
— Gen Jim, POW
P.S. For more (If Articles) and other articles click HERE