QUESTIONS PEOPLE ASK
Bill Craddock
How important is the word “IF” in man’s relationship with God?

     One of the first forms of logical reasoning we learn as children is the significance of the word, “IF.”  It is tragic that we do not remember the meaning of this word as we reach adulthood, especially in the realm of religion.
     Grammatically speaking, “if” is recognized as a conditional particle.  It refers to conditions or circumstances upon which certain consequences follow.
     “If” is a word that comes into play in so many areas of our lives.   It might involve opportunities, punishment, blessings, etc.  Always remember, if does not stand alone.  If you use the word “if” it must be in conjunction with something else.  “If” by itself stands for nothing and has no meaning.  However, when mother says, “Johnny, ‘if’ you eat your green beans you may have some ice cream,” now “if” means something.  Johnny knows that he will not get the ice cream without eating those terrible green beans.  How much does the ice cream mean to him?  Is it worth eating the beans?  “If” stands between Johnny and the ice cream.
   As we get older the “ifs” begin to come fast and furious and we hear this word many times each day.  “If you finish your homework, you may go out and play.”  “If you finish your work, you may use the car this evening.”  “If you take your medicine, you will feel better.” 
     Why is it that “if” is so well understood except in religion?  There are those who teach the impossibility of falling from the grace of God.  Jesus said, “If a man keep my words, he shall never see death” (John 8:51).  Does this text say that no one will ever be lost regardless of how he lives?  Certainly not!  It does affirm that no one who “keeps Christ’s word” will be lost. 
     But in this scripture the word “if” is critical for it states a condition.  Let us notice the word “if” in the following scriptures:
     IF we hold fast the word, we will be saved (1 Cor. 15:2).
     IF we faint not, we shall reap in due season (Gal. 6:9)
     IF we endure, we shall reign with him (2 Tim 2:12).
     IF we add the Christian graces we shall never stumble (2 Peter 1L10),
     IF we walk in the light, Christ’s blood keeps us free from sin (1 John 1:7).

     In each of the scriptures just cited, observe the leading conditional word, “IF”.  Also note the action verbs that are connected to “if”.  How can one, in the light of these texts, contend that the retention of one’s salvation is unconditional?  How can one say that God will save us no matter how we live our lives?  Eternal salvation cannot be considered without looking at the word “if”.  The bible is clear that our salvation is dependent upon our sincere and determined effort to pursue the will of the Son of God.

QUESTIONS PEOPLE ASK
Bill Craddock

If people today are under the New Testament covenant, why do we spend so much time in studying the Old Testament? Should we spend so much time studying the Old Testament?

It is true that we today are under the New Testament covenant of grace and truth, but it is also necessary that we have knowledge of the Old Testament to really understand the New Testament. The Apostle Paul wrote "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope" (Romans 15:4). In 1 Corinthians 10 Paul reminds the Christians of many of the mistakes and sins of the Israelites. In verse 11 Paul writes, "Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come." Question: how can I know the sins of the Israelites unless I study the Old Testament?

The truth of the matter is, we cannot understand the New Testament unless we know a great deal about the Old Testament. For example, we would not know that we are a part of the human race if it were not for the Old Testament. The Old Testament tells us that God made us (man) in His own image. "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth" (Genesis 1:26-28). How do we know that we are the human race and not one of the animal kingdoms? The very fact that we control animals and we are not controlled by someone else is proof that we are humans. God put man in charge. We have free will as God gave Adam and Eve. That we can think and reason, as no other part of God's creation, proves we are human.

If it were not for the Old Testament we would not know what sin is and what it does to our relationship with God. We learn all this in the first three chapters of Genesis. The Old Testament gives us the story of God preparing the world for the arrival of His Son, Jesus Christ, to be the savior of the world. We would never know this story if it were not for the Old Testament. There are over 300 prophecies of Christ in the Old Testament. Jesus stated in Matthew 5:17, "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets; I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill."

For some reason most people do not like to study history. As a former history teacher, one of the greatest jobs I had was convincing the students that they needed to know these historical facts. Folks, you cannot know where you are unless you know where you came from. It is impossible to understand God's scheme of redemption without knowing some of the history revealed in the Old Testament concerning God's dealings with man throughout the centuries.

We don't live under the old covenant. The New Testament reveals to us God's plan of salvation and how he wants us to live as his children. The Old Testament reveals how this salvation came into being.