“IF” – It’s A Big Word!

by Bill Fairchild

“If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 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 1:6-7).

Some of the most profound truths come in small packages! The word “if” is interesting for a number of reasons, not the least of which is when it appears in the Bible. The word “if’ speaks directly to our responsibility to God, the world, our family, friends, brethren, and life or death!

Most promises in the Bible have conditions and the word “IF” speaks to those conditions. Our responses to God’s commands affect our relationship with Him and determine our receiving from Him blessings, opportunities, or consequences.

“IF” is one of the first words a child begins to associate with logical thinking. Our children/grandchildren quickly get the significance of “If.”

For example, a big “if” that we hear around our house with the little ones is “If you will clean up your toys… we will go somewhere you would really like to go to!” Boom, the toys are picked up. Well, most of the time! When the little ones grow up into bigger ones it's “If you will just finish your homework or clean up your room, then you can go out and be with your friends.” Amazingly, what seemed tedious and was going to take forever suddenly becomes doable!

The use and frequency of this little word “IF” is not without significance in our daily lives, but when viewed in the Book of God, it suddenly becomes obscure and passed over without due thought to the intended lesson being introduced.

Jesus used the word “IF” frequently during His earthly ministry. Almost half of the 574 appearances in the New Testament of this little word are found in the four Gospels. Here is the point we want to emphasize - Jesus always put the “IF” on man’s side and never on God’s side! Interesting, isn’t it? Jesus was not bargaining. He was stating the truth! Look at the following statements by Jesus Himself and then consider the implications if not heeded:

“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.” (John 15:7) So, why wouldn’t we want to do as He says?

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34,35) So, why wouldn’t we want to love as He loved?

“You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.” (John 15:14) So, why wouldn’t we want to be a friend of Jesus?

“If you love Me, keep My commandments.” (John 14:15) So, do you love Him enough to keep His commandments?

Not one of us is perfect, that’s why Jesus Christ came down from heaven and gave His life, shed His blood to redeem us from the slavery of sin and reconcile us back to the One who created us, God! Make no mistake, He is for us (Psalm 56:9)!

So, what it always comes down to is this - are we going to choose His way or our way, life and obedience or self and disobedience? Each of us must make the call!

“Now by this we know that we know Him if we keep His commandments” (1 John 2:3).

The Christian’s Mission

By Jeff Curtis

When we consider Jesus’ final instructions to His apostles in Mark 16:14-16, we should be struck by both the completeness and the incompleteness of the Lord’s ministry. Jesus came into the world to fulfill the purpose that His Father had given Him. On the Thursday night before His death, His fulfillment of that purpose was so near completion that He could say to His Father in prayer, “I glorify You on earth, having accomplished the which You have given Me to do” (John 17:4). He had been perfectly obedient to His Father. At the same time, we observe a glaring incompleteness that demands attention. Jesus began His ministry by preaching, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt.4:17). This message was His continual proclamation for roughly 3 ½ years. When He approached the end of His ministry, He was still forecasting the coming of the kingdom (Mark 9:1). He told His apostles, as He led them to Mount Olivet, where He would ascend to the Father, that in a few days the Holy Spirit would come upon them and they would receive power (Acts 1:4-5). When Jesus blessed His apostles and ascended through the clouds, ending for all time His own earthly ministry, the kingdom still had not arrived. It was due to arrive soon, but it had not yet come.

What was Jesus’ ministry meant to accomplish? He didn’t come to end something, but to begin something. His ministry set in place the greatest of all missions. The greatest event of all time was Jesus’ earthly ministry. The Old Testament looked backward to it. It is the heart of the Bible, expressed in what we call the “Great Commission.”

When Jesus gave His final message to His disciples before His ascension, He told them that He had all authority and identified Himself as the designated head of the Christian Era that was beginning. He then commanded them to “make disciples of all the nations” (Matt.28:19). He also indicated that, as the masses accepted the gospel message, the disciples were to baptize believers in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit (Matt.28:19). Those being commissioned were then to teach the ones who had been baptized everything that Jesus had taught them that, as they carried out His commission, He would be with them and all the others who would come after them until “the end of the age” (Matt.28:20).

Meetings for 2023

March 12-16 – Paul Smithson

June 18-23 (Song service on Friday evening) - Jim Deason

October 22-27 – Jarred Jacobs

Our next meeting is quickly approaching. I hope you are already making your plans accordingly. Let’s not forget that on the Friday night of that week, Brother Deason will be leading us in a song service.