All God’s promises have conditions attached. Apparently he’s made over 6,000 in Scripture, but I haven’t counted them. They are not unconditional. What do I mean?
Exodus 15:26: “If you listen carefully… and keep all his decrees… I am the Lord, who heals you.” See the “IF”? Another one: 2 Chronicles 7:14: “If my people… will humble themselves and pray…I… will heal their land.” There it is again. If. Conditional.
If God’s covenants are conditional, what are the conditions? Well, the condition to receive the promises through the Old Covenant is obedience. If we obey, he will bless. But we’re not very good at that, are we?
So the Lord made a New Covenant. It’s still conditional, but the condition has changed. Check out Matthew 21:22 “If you believe, you will receive what you ask for in prayer.” Still conditional, but the condition is no longer obedience. It’s faith! Here it is again: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Whoever believes – that’s the condition. It’s not automatic.
So why is it then that so many preachers just give us the good news, without the conditions? How many times have you heard this:– “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son.” They stop there. Or, “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son so that we may have eternal life.” Again, they have left out the condition.
Here’s another popular one! “God is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.” Stop. I know he can, he’s God! But here’s the whole verse:
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, (Ephesians 3:20). Do you see the “according to?” That means the promise is a) conditional, b) proportional, c) in the manner of, and d) as told by. There’s a whole sermon there! But let’s be careful not to tell only half the story.
Let’s keep our preaching from being half-baked!
Have a blessed month!
John F