Articles
God Has Conditions?
If one listened to the numerous TV and radio preachers and teachers, one might conclude that salvation doesn't cost anyone anything, and that God requires nothing of us. Who wouldn't like that to be true? I mean, if it's that easy, why isn't everyone saved? If God's done it all and will do it all, while we do nothing [or can do nothing], then salvation is just about the easiest thing we could ever hope for, right?
But it is nothing like it is so commonly portrayed and taught. Not at all. In fact, God does require something of us if we desire salvation — despite the numerous false messages being proclaimed. You see, God's salvation is conditional. That's right! God does require something of us, and if we do not do what He says we must, then we cannot expect the promises conditioned on our obedience! In fact, the very existence of commands necessarily infers obedience is demanded; therefore, man must certainly do something. To admit there are commands and, at the same time, say man can do nothing is nonsense!
To make the point a little clearer, let's take that little word found numerous times in the Bible: the word "if." Now, by definition [and I know you know this], the word if means "on condition that," and, "a condition, requirement, or stipulation." In further defining the word, the dictionary tells us it is "a condition on which something depends." The word if is a word that introduces a conditional clause; in other words, conditions must be met before something else happens.
Let's note a couple of examples: When I tell my son, "If you clean your room, you may have a cookie," even my eight-year-old son understands he must clean his room before he gets a cookie and, conversely, if the room is not cleaned, he doesn't get the cookie. As another example, writing computer code is quite often a matter of inserting an "if-then" command in the code; when the program is run, a condition or conditions must be met before a certain action is taken, and there is simply no way around it. It's as simple as that, and we can easily understand the "if-then" statement and its implications and demands.
With all this said, it should be easily understood that when God's word says, "If," we should expect a statement that follows that will be true if — and only if — the initial condition is met, and it will not be done if the condition is not met. Let's take a look at a few.
We Have Fellowship With God, IF… John wrote, “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). The statement is simple, and easy to understand; if we walk in the light as God is in the light, we have fellowship with Him; furthermore, if we walk in the light as He is in the light, the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin.
The Converse. Logically, if we do not walk in the light as God is in the light, we do not have fellowship with Him and the blood of Christ does not cleanse us from all sin.
God Will Forgive Us Of Sins, IF… Just a couple of verses later, John told the early disciples, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Again, the statement is simple and easy to understand; when a Christian sins, if he confesses his sin to God, God will forgive him and cleanse him of all unrighteousness.
The Converse. Logically speaking, if we do not confess our sin to God, He will not forgive us and He will not cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
We Are Christ's House, IF… In the verse previous to this, the writer spoke of how Moses was faithful over his house (Heb. 3:5), “but Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end” (Heb. 3:6). The statement is simple here, too; if we hold fast our confidence to the end, we can be called Christ's house. The confidence of which he speaks is the confidence in God's promises, and the certainty He is able to provide what He has promised [eternal life; See 2 Tim. 1:12]. The very possibility of these Christians falling away is the very reason this letter was written! The verses following (Heb. 3:12-4:11) point to the example of the unfaithful Israelites who failed to obtain their reward because they did not hold fast to the end, and the writer used their example as a warning, concluding, “Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience” (Heb. 4:11).
The Converse. Logically speaking, if we do not hold fast our confidence firm to the end, we cannot expect to be called the house of Christ.
We Are Partners With Christ, IF… This same writer will tell these disciples, just a few verses later, “For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end” (Heb. 3:14). Again, the statement is simple; if we hold firmly and resolutely to the faith we had at the beginning until the end, we will be called partners with our Lord.
The Converse. Logically, if we lose that resolve and confidence and we give up before the end, we cannot expect to be called partners with Christ.
I want to particularly note that in many commentaries, whose authors have in mind the false doctrine of "once saved, always saved," the writers argue that if one doesn't hold firm to the end they never were partners with Christ or, as noted in Heb. 3:6, never were a part of Christ's house. This is simply not true, and would make no sense, in light of the overall message of this letter and the audience to whom it was written [Christians]. Why warn Christians about falling away if they were never a part of Christ's house and were never partners? If there was not even a possibility of them "coming short" of the eternal rest (Heb. 4:1) or falling as did the Israelites (Heb. 4:11)?
The fact is, there are many more passages where conditional statements are made, especially regarding forgiveness and salvation, that do not have the word "if" in the text, but it is certainly implied. [For example: “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out” (Acts 3:19). The condition of sins being blotted out is repentance and conversion; if one does not do both, the sins will not be blotted out.] The only reason these passages give anyone any difficulty is because men enter into a study of God's word with preconceived ideas that don't conform to what God's word actually says. One doesn't need to "explain away" the obvious meaning of a passage if one is honest enough to admit they were wrong.
Yes, God has conditions for salvation! Jesus had to die for our sins; He had to be buried and then raised again. After He completed His part in God's plan for our salvation, then the message had to be preached to men, they had to hear it (Rom. 10:13-17) and accept it (believe, Acts 16:31); they had to repent and be baptized (Acts 2:38); and, as we have seen today, they have to remain faithful to the end. All of these things [and a few more not mentioned] are conditions for our salvation.
Have you met the conditions God set for salvation? — Steven Harper
