I have been thinking about the word “IF”. The word “IF” occurs 1,595 times in 1,420 verses in the KJV. If is a “conditional clause” according to Strong’s Concordance.
According to Collins online Dictionary, “A conditional clause is part of a conditional sentence, which consists of two main components: the if-clause (the condition) and the main clause (the result). The conditional clause sets up a scenario that must be met for the main clause to occur. For example, in the sentence “If it rains, we will stay indoors,” “If it rains” is the conditional clause, and “we will stay indoors” is the main clause.
Sorry about the English lesson here, but I needed to explain the word “IF”. We use it daily in our conversations. With our children, we teach them that “IF” they do not behave there will be consequences. The consequences are both ways. If you behave there will also be consequences, but usually we all like consequences that benefit us or bring us pleasure.
The Lord gives us a lot of consequences in His Word. Genesis 4:7 is one example. The Amplified version says it this way, “If you do well [believing Me and doing what is acceptable and pleasing to Me], will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well [but ignore My instruction], sin crouches at your door; its desire is for you [to overpower you], but you must master it.”
From the get-go, God gave us simple directions for a good life. “IF” we do well we will be accepted. “IF” we do not, we could be overpowered by sin. Sin is a topic for another article as to what the word sin actually means.
Before you tell me that “we live under grace. We are saved. Jesus already paid the price”, look at what Romans 8:13 says in the Amplified Version “ “for if you are living according to the [impulses of the] flesh, you are going to die. But if [you are living] by the [power of the Holy] Spirit you are habitually putting to death the sinful deeds of the body, you will [really] live forever.”
If you do this you shall live, if you do that you shall die! God does not change. Just because Jesus paid the price for our sin, we still have the responsibly to live a life acceptable to Him. We should not be habitually sinning.
Let’s try to live a life acceptable to our Lord.
