Articles
The Conditional Clause
The Conditional Clause
Bryan Garlock
The word “if” implies a condition on which something depends (dictionary.com). Many times in scripture, it is a conditional clause in which both God and the devil operate. For example, the devil used “if’s” when tempting our Lord: “And the tempter came and said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread’” (Matt. 4.3; cf. vv6, 9). Many times, people entice others with “if you want to be cool, you’ll drink with us” or “if you want to be cool, you’ll smoke with us” to “if you love me, you’ll have sex with me”. The devil is good at using conditional clauses with pleasurable outcomes.
Our God has also chosen to operate on conditions. In fact, from the very beginning God said, “If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it” (Gen. 4.7, ESV). Additionally, God ended on a condition: “I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book” (Rev. 22.18-19, ESV).
Unfortunately, much of the religious world denies this because they believe that since God’s love is unconditional, then the salvation He offers is as well. Interestingly, the mainstream religious world teaches that God requires faith, but nothing more. This is a contradiction of their own belief because faith is a condition to be saved (John 3.16)! Further, every time one teaches “…If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink” (John 7.37, ESV), and “…If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples” (John 8.31, ESV), he has admitted that Jesus places big “ifs” on salvation.
Another conditional word found within Scripture is “unless”. For example, the Psalmist said, “Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain…” (Psalm 127.1, ESV). Elsewhere, Jesus taught, “…unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3.3, ESV). (Notice that the word “unless” is conditional; however, when replaced with its synonym “if…not”, it reads, “if one is not born again he cannot see the kingdom of God”.)
For the Christian, the “if” passages bring obligations and privileges. Notice the following passages:
- “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him” (Romans 8.16-17, ESV). Paul taught that if we are children we have privilege of an inheritance, provided (same thing as “if”) we suffer with Christ – meaning that we endure suffering and remain faithful till the end instead of giving in and giving up. The only way to be an heir of God is to meet this condition.
- “…he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard…” (Colossians 1.22-23, ESV). How can we be presented as holy and blameless? If we continue in the faith!
- “The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful—for he cannot deny himself” (2 Timothy 2.11-13, ESV). When do we enjoy the privilege of reigning with Christ? When (if) we endure! Notice that these passages all teach that one can lose their salvation and that the salvation offered by an unconditional loving God is conditional! These passages and more unequivocally prove that once saved always saved is a lie! The question is, “Are we willing to be honest with these texts?”
- “For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his” (Romans 6.5, ESV) and “Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him” (Romans 6.8, ESV). Though talking to Christians, this conditional clause shows that if one has not been baptized in the name of Jesus for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2.38; 22.16), then he has not been “united with him in a death like his”, “united with him in a resurrection like his”, nor will he “live with him”.
There are hundreds of conditional clauses throughout Scripture, many which direct one to become a child of God. For example, Peter placed conditions on salvation when he taught “…Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins” (Acts 2.38, ESV). This writer has heard people claim, “There’s nothing for you to do, Jesus has done it all!” and in the same breath, “All you have to do is believe!” To say that you must do one thing and at the same time you must do nothing is contradictory. The question we must ask ourselves is, “Will we follow God’s conditions for salvation or Satan’s deception which leads to condemnation?” One is the truth that sets us free (John 8.32) and the other is a lie that condemns us (2 Thess. 2.10-12)! BG
