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‘IF’ The Biggest Little Word

Jesus says, “If you love Me keep My commandments” (John 14:15) and again in verse 21 “He who has My Commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves Me; and he who loves Me shall be loved by My Father, and I will love him, and will disclose Myself to him.” And again “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My Word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him, and make Our abode with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My Words; and the Word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father’s who sent Me.” (v. 23-24).

Now, there is a lot of meat in Jesus’ statements here. What is a Commandment? Is He talking about the Ten Commandments? Is He talking about only what He says in the New Testament? He explains in verse 23 and 24 “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My Word” and “He who does not love Me does not keep My Words.” So, His Commandments are His Words. And our obedience to His Words is proof of our love for Him! This is also the definition of faith.

It is interesting to note here that the word Deuteronomy in Hebrew is “Haddebharim” meaning “The Words”. Jesus and the Apostles quote and refer to Deuteronomy more than any other book of the Bible. Now these are Moses’ words, but given by Jehovah. Or, better yet, Jehovah’s words given by Moses! Deuteronomy is the New covenant given to Israel before they enter the promise land, but never ratified by blood, until Jesus dies on the stake.

Since Jehovah is the God of the Old Testament and speaks through Jesus (the Son of man), [see our writing “In The Beginning Was The Word”] (John 1:1-5, v. 18, and Heb. 1:1-3) and Deuteronomy is the Second Covenant (the Moab Covenant), these are the words He speaks of in John v. 14. And not only this, but in Matthew Chapter 4, Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 8:3—“Man shall not live on Bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. He also quotes Deuteronomy two more times when He is being tempted by the devil.

Now, let’s get to some “Ifs” in Deuteronomy. The first time we see ‘If’ in Deuteronomy is in Chapter 4 verse 29: “But from here you will seek the Lord your God and you will find Him if you search for Him with all your heart and all your soul.” 30: “When you are in distress and all these things have come upon you, in the latter days, you will return to the Lord your God and listen to His voice.” ‘If you search for Him with all your heart and all your soul’, now that is a big If. Are we searching for Him with all we have? Or, are we letting someone else do that for us because we don’t have enough time?

Paul said “search out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” Ultimately we are responsible for our own salvation, not our pastor or our teachers, they are responsible for what they say, but we are to make sure they are correct. Most Preachers and teachers today are teaching traditions of men as they learned from their predecessors, not from God’s word taught by the Holy Spirit (God’s Power). We must learn that God is right and the world is wrong. We must believe God’s Word, and pray for understanding.

Now, let’s look at verse 30 in Chapter 4 of the book of Deuteronomy. ‘When you are in distress and all these things have come upon you, in the latter days, you will return to the Lord your God and listen to His voice’. What are “these things” Moses is talking about? When you read all of Chapter 4 you will see he is talking about straying from God’s covenant and making idols. Man has made idols out of everything from men and women, to animals, to the sun and moon and stars. People make idols out of their jobs, their spouses, their children, their leaders, their possessions, almost anything you can imagine. People have made an idol out of certain translations of the Bible, and even the image of a cross (In the literal translation of the Bible, Jesus is killed on a stake ‘or tree’. (See John 3:14 and Numbers 21:9). It wasn’t until around 325 A.D. that the tradition of the cross comes into Christianity with Constantine allowing pagan thought to creep into the Church). We are not to put anything before God. We must even think about pictures of Jesus, because no one knows what he looked like. Moses also says in verse 30, ‘in the latter days, you will return to the Lord your God and listen to his voice.’ People can’t agree about much in the word of God, but most will agree that we are living in the last times. Go to chat rooms on the internet, talk to people in your church or your community and most will agree the signs are there, we are in the latter days. Are we ready to return to the Lord our God and listen to His voice? We need to stop listening to men and start listening to God!

Now, let me get back to some more ‘Ifs’. Let’s see what John has to say in his epistle.

I John 1:6-10

6: If we say we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth;

7: but if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin.

8: If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

9: If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

10: If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

I John 2:1-6; 15-19; and verse 29:

1: My little children, I am writing these things to you that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous;

2: and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.

3: And by this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments.

4: The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him;

5: but whoever keeps His Word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him:

6: the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.

15: Do not love the world, nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

16: or all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.

17: And the world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God abides forever.

18: Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have arisen; from this we know that it is the last hour.

19: They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, in order that it might be shown that they all are not of us.

29: If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone also who practices

righteousness is born of Him.

I John 3:13 and 20-22:

13: Do not marvel, brethren, if the world hates you.

20: Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God;

21: And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His Commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight.

22: And this is His Commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us.

I John 4:11-13

11: Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

12: No one has beheld God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us.

13: By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.

I John 5:14-17:

14: And this is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.

15: And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.

16: If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask and God will for him give life to those who commit sin not leading to death. There is a sin leading to death; I do not say that he should make request for this.

17: All unrighteousness is sin, and there is a sin not leading to death.

Now, that is a lot of ‘Ifs’. This is the most ‘ifs’ I could find in such a short space. Let’s look at some of them in I John Chapter 1:6-10.

6: If we say we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth;

What does John say here? He says ‘If’ we say we are Christians (spiritual Israelites) and do not live as Christians we lie and are Hypocrites. This is the same thing as the Third Commandment (ref. Deut. 5:11; Ex. 20:7). You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain; for the Lord will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain.

Verse 7: But ‘If’ we walk in the light as He himself is in the light, we have

fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin.

John says ‘If’ we walk in the light, or do what He shows us in His Word, we will

have good relations with other believers and Christ’s blood covers our unintentional

sins.

Verses 8-10:

8: ‘If’ we say that we have no sin we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.

9: If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

10: If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His Word is not in us.

John says here that If we say we have no sin we are liars and Christ is not in us, but If we admit we are weak and slip up unintentionally He forgives us and cleanses us.

I John 2:1-2

1: My little children, I am writing these things to you that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous;

2: and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world

Here John says if we sin we have a go-between (or helper) with the Father—Christ, and Christ is the satisfaction for our sins, because He lived a sin-free life and was a perfect sacrifice for our sins. The Father will not dwell around sin unless it is covered by a perfect sacrifice. This is why no one in the Old Testament knew the Father, because Christ had not come to be the perfect sacrifice yet (see John 1:18).

I John 2:3-6

3: And by this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His Commandments.

4: The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His Commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him;

5: but whoever keeps His Word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him:

6: the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.

In verse 3, we see those Commandments again: If we keep His Commandments we know Him. Verse 4: If we don’t keep them, we don’t know Him and we lie and are hypocrites (or actors). Verse 5: Whoever keeps His word (which is His Commandments) shows God’s perfect Love. We keep His Commandments because we Love Him! Verse 6: If we say we are His we should imitate Him. Did Jesus wash the disciples’ feet? Did Jesus keep the Sabbath? Did Jesus keep God’s appointed times and His covenant? Should we?

I John 2:15-17

15: Do not love the world, nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

16: For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.

17: And the world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God abides forever.

John tells us here If we love the world and the things of the world more than the Father’s things, we are not in His will. What is His will? Everything He tells us in His Word (the Bible).

18: Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have arisen; from this we know that it is the last hour.

John says the antichrist is coming at the last hour, and many antichrists were already around in John’s time teaching lies, and we still have plenty around today.

29: If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone also who practices righteousness is born of Him.

Everyone who practices righteousness is born from God! What is righteousness? Psalms chapter 119 explains righteousness. It’s God’s character, it’s what we should be striving to be like! This life is a test to see if we will believe Him into obedience. When we are born again and receive His Spirit He gives us the power to do this.

I John 3:13

Do not marvel, brethren, if the world hates you.

John tells us not to be surprised if the world hates us. John is quoting Jesus (see John 17:14-26; 15:18-27; 16:33; Romans 12:2). Jesus tells us the world or the world systems, which are ruled by Satan, hated Him and will hate us. Why is this? Jesus says because it is a witness against them, just like He was a witness against them. There is a good shadow of this in Deut. 30:19 when Moses calls Heaven and Earth as witnesses against Israel to obey God and live. If we live as God commands, we are lights to the world, and the light shows sin, and the world does not want to see its sin.

20: Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God;

21: And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His Commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight.

If we have a clear conscience and are doing everything we know to do, we should be confident, and anything we ask according to His will, we will receive because we keep His Commandments.

22: And this is His Commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us.

His Commandments are believing into Jesus the Christ and loving one another. John is referring to Matthew 22:37-40 when Jesus is quoting Deut. 6:5 and Lev. 19:18 “The greatest Commandment.” Jesus says “on these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.” These two are a summation of the Ten Commandments (Deut. 5:6-21). The first 5 commandments tell us how to love God and the last 5 tell us how to love our neighbor. The whole law and the prophets are explaining in detail these two principles.

I John 4:11-13

11: Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

12: No one has beheld God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us.

13: By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.

John goes on to say if God loves us we should love one another. And no one has seen

the Father at any time. If we love one another He is in us and His perfect love is in us. Because of this we know that we remain in Him and He in us. Because He has given us His Spirit (power).

I John Chapter 5 verses 14-17:

14: And this is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.

15: And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.

17: All unrighteousness is sin, and there is a sin not leading to death.

John goes on to say if we ask anything according to God’s will He hears us. And if

we have faith we need not worry about our request. Then John tells us if anyone sees another sin, we need to pray for that person like Job did for his friends (Job 42:8). He then says all unrighteousness is sin. There is sin not to death. Back in I John 3:4 we see that sin is lawlessness. What then is righteousness? Ps. 119 is the longest chapter in the Bible and explains righteousness. Verse 105 tells us what Jehovah’s Word does for us, it lights our path, it shows us the stumbling blocks, and it keeps us from going the wrong way. The King James translators used 85 different words to translate the word “word”. Here are some of those words in the order they appear in Psalm119: law, testimony, precepts, statute, commandment, judgment. Whatever Jehovah says is His Word. Remember what Deuteronomy means—words. Verse 172 tells us exactly what righteousness is. By all these things God is revealing His character, showing us how to become like Him. Here is another one of God’s Laws—it is the “law of gravity”, yes it is a physical law, but as unchangeable as His spiritual laws!

OK, let’s look at some Ifs in Paul’s writings in Romans 2:17-24

17: But if you bear the name “Jew,” and rely upon the Law, and boast in God,

18: and know His will, and approve the things that are essential, being instructed out of the Law,

19: and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness,

20: a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of the immature, having in the Law the embodiment of knowledge and of the truth,

21: you, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that one should not steal, do you steal?

22: You who say that one should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?

23: You who boast in the Law, through your breaking the Law, do you dishonor God?

24: For “ THE NAME OF GOD IS BLASPHEMED AMONG THE GENTILES (nations) BECAUSE OF YOU,” just as it is written.

Now we could put the name Christian in for Jew and it would fit our time perfectly. This nation claims to be Christians, about 80% of the people claim to believe in God, but how do we act, how do we appear to the rest of the world? He says in verse 21-- You who preach that one should not steal, do you steal? Jesus said what you freely receive freely give. Is that what these big churches and television ministries are doing? Or are they doing what Jesus condemned in Matthew 21:13? Next, in verse 24, Paul quotes Ezek.36:20 – The name of God is blasphemed among the nations because of you. He is saying they are hypocrites (actors) they are breaking the third Commandment, taking God’s name in vain. (Ex. 20:7; Deut. 5:11) This is the same thing John told us earlier. No wonder other countries see us as evil, all you have to do is turn on the TV, look at the beaches and swimming pools. Pornography is one of the biggest businesses in the U.S. Some of our most respected Corporations are investing in this degrading business. Why should other countries think we are Godly? Where are those 80% of the people who say they belong to God? Could Paul be talking to us today?

Now Paul goes on to say in Romans 2:25-29

25: For indeed circumcision is of value, if you practice the Law; but if you are a transgressor of the Law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.

26: If therefore the uncircumcised man keeps the requirements of the Law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision?

27: And will not he who is physically uncircumcised, if he keeps the Law, will he not judge you who though having the letter of the Law and circumcision are a transgressor of the Law?

28: For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly; neither is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh.

29: But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God.

Now Paul is talking about physical circumcision, but physical circumcision was always pointing to circumcision of the heart just as physical sacrifices was always pointing to Christ’s sacrifice. In verses 28 and 29 we again can insert Christian for Jew. God’s Law has always been spiritual, not by the letter. God sees our attitude, our wanting to do what He says.

Let’s go to Chapter 7 and 8 of Romans and look at some ifs.

Romans Chapter 7:14-25

14: For we know that the Law is spiritual; but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin.

15: For that which I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate.

16: But if I do the very thing I do not wish to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that it is good.

17: So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which indwells me.

18: For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the wishing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not.

19: For the good that I wish, I do not do; but I practice the very evil that I do not wish.

20: But if I am doing the very thing I do not wish, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me.

21: I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wishes to do good.

22: For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man,

23: but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind, and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members.

24: Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?

25: Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.

Paul says in verse 14 the law is spiritual, but we are carnal. In verse 15, he tells us we know what to do, but it is hard to do it. In verse 16, he says if we do the things we do not want to do, God’s law shows us the truth or the right way. Again in verse 20, if we do the thing we know not to do, it is sin in us doing it. In verse 21, we find we have evil in us. Verse 22, he says he joyfully agrees with the law of God in his spirit, but sees the law of sin in his flesh. Then in verse 24 he asks who will set us free from this problem. Verse 25 is the answer: Through Jesus the Christ (or the Savior) God set us free.

Now lets look at Romans Chapter 8:1-8:

1: There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

2: For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.

3: For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh,

4: in order that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

5: For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.

6: For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace,

7: because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so;

8: and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

He said there is no condemnation for those who are in covenant with Christ. Or the promise of eternal life has set us free from the curse of death. Because we could not keep the law of God because of our flesh, God, sending Jesus as a perfect offering, condemned sin in this flesh, in order that the true meaning of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk according to the Spirit. For those who are according to the flesh (or world) do the things of the flesh (or world) but those who are according to the Spirit (or God) the things of the Spirit (or God). If our mind is on the flesh (the world) we die, but if it is on the Spirit (or God) we are promised eternal life which gives us peace of mind. The mind set on flesh is against God, it does not obey God’s law, and it is not even able to obey God, because those who think like the world cannot please God.

Now here are the big ifs written to the Roman Christians.

Romans 8:9-17:

9: However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit. If indeed the spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.

10: And if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness.

11: But if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who indwells you.

12: So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh—

13: for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

14: For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

15: For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!”

16: The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,

17: and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him.

Paul says we are not in the flesh (world) but in the Spirit, if God’s Spirit is in us. If we do not have the Spirit of Christ, we do not belong to Christ. If Christ is in us, though our body will die because of sin, our spirit will live because of righteousness—not our righteousness, but Christ’s. If the Spirit of Him that raised Jesus is in you, He will also give our mortal bodies life because His Spirit is in us. Paul tells us again; do not live according to the flesh (world). If we do we will die (spiritually). But if we live by the Spirit we will live (eternally). All of us led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. We have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear (the spirit of slavery is the world’s truth or Satan’s lies), but we have received a spirit of adoption and cry out Father! Father! The Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God NOW! Now my Bible translation (NASB) adds Himself (v.16) after Spirit, but in the original Greek this word ‘Himself’ is not there. Spirit in the Strongs Dictionary (#4151) is pneuma: a current of air, i.e. breath (blast) or a breeze. This word Pneuma is neuter gender, meaning neither male nor female, this makes perfect sense. How can we assign personhood to God’s Breath or Power? And if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if we suffer with him, (and if we do what He says in His Word we will suffer with Him!) in order that we be glorified with Him. This word glorified is Strongs #4888 (sundoxazo) to exalt to dignity in company. It comes from #4862 (soon) denoting union; with or together [completeness].

This is not talking about the second coming when the church will be changed into

Spirit beings (glorified).

Now let’s go see what Paul has to say in his writings to Timothy. I Timothy 6:3-5:

3: If anyone advocates a different doctrine, and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness,

4: he is conceited and understands nothing; but he has a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words, out of which arise envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions,

5: and constant friction between men of depraved mind and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain.

Paul says If anyone, and he means anyone, advocates a different doctrine or teaching than the Words of the Lord, Jesus, he is puffed up and does not understand anything important, but he has a sick interest in controversy and arguments, out of which come envy, strife, and evil talk. This causes constant friction between men who have corrupt minds and are void of the truth, supposing gain to be godliness. The literal translation adds: withdraw from such.

Now let’s look at Verses 6-8:

6: But godliness actually is a means of great gain, when accompanied by contentment.

7: For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either.

8: And if we have food and covering, with these we shall be content.

Godliness is a means of great gain, when accompanied by contentment. We have brought nothing into this world and we can take nothing out of it. If we have food and shelter we should be content.

Let’s read verse 13 and 14 of I Timothy before we go on to II Timothy, because

it relates to what Paul is talking about.

13: I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who testified the good confession before Pontius Pilate,

14: that you keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, (In the literal translation the word commandment is plural)

Now let’s go to II Timothy 2:5 which says:

5: And also if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not win the prize unless he competes according to the rules.

Now what is the prize? It is eternal life. What are the rules? We have just seen what the rules are in I Timothy 6:14. Paul said keep the Commandments. This is the same thing Jesus said at the start of this writing (John 14:15). Jesus also said keep My Words. So Jesus’ Words are also part of the rules. To get right down to it “every Word that comes out of the mouth of God” are the rules! Old Testament and New Testament. The Bible never contradicts itself! If something doesn’t line up, it’s our understanding or it’s in the translation—it’s not the Bible! People try to make the Bible say what they have been taught instead of believing what it says. Translators make the same mistake. If you get a literal Hebrew-Greek translation of the Bible you will see what I mean. Remember to pray for the truth!

Now let’s go to II Timothy 2:12-13 which says:

12: If we endure, we shall also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He also will deny us;

If we don’t endure we will not reign with Him, and He will deny us before the Father.

13: If we are faithless, He remains faithful; for He cannot deny Himself.

If we are faithless and don’t endure, He will find someone else to do our work; but, He will keep on doing His. Paul is referring to Matthew 24:13-14 when Jesus said:

13: “But the one who endures to the end, he shall be saved.”

14: “And this Gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a witness to all the nations, and then the end shall come.

Does this sound like ‘once saved always saved’? Remember who is speaking here. What Gospel must be preached before the end can come? ‘THE ONE WHO ENDURES TO THE END SHALL BE SAVED’, this Good News needs to be preached in the whole earth! Now, I have never heard this preached before, have you? Well, we at The Philadelphia Church are starting to preach this Good News, and we need all the help we can get! God has always used His disciples and His Spirit (Power) to get things done.

Now, Peter has one ‘If’ that we need to look at about this subject before moving on.

II Peter 2:20-22:

20: For if after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first.

21: For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment delivered to them.

22: It has happened to them according to the true proverb, “A DOG RETURNS TO ITS OWN VOMIT,” and, “A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire.”

Does this sound like ‘once saved always saved’? Peter is quoting Ezekiel 18:24 and Proverbs 26:11. These New Testament writers are constantly quoting and referring to the Old Testament. The scriptures they refer to is the Old Testament—that is all they had!!! The New Testament was not written yet! They learned from Jesus, yes, He taught them from the Old Testament.

Remember what Jesus said in Matthew 5:17-18:

17: “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill.

18: “For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass away from the Law, until all is accomplished.

He says here that He came to fill full (or get back to original intent) the Law and Prophets that the leaders had changed. He says not one letter or punctuation mark shall be changed until all is accomplished. Is all accomplished? Are our leaders doing the same thing?

Look at II Peter 3:14-18:

14: Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless,

15: and regard the patience of our Lord to be salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you,

16: as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.

17: you therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard lest, being carried away by the error of unprincipled men, you fall from your own steadfastness.

18: but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and the day of eternity. Amen.

Now, this is the last thing Peter says in his writings, and in his day they are already twisting Paul’s writings and are doing the same to this day. The Law Paul says is done away with is the sacrificial law, not God’s Moral Code! God’s Law is Love; it tells us how to love Him and our neighbor! We need to study Jesus, Peter, James and John before we study Paul. Paul never contradicts these other teachers. Scripture never contradicts itself. If it seems to, it is our understanding or it is in the translation. God’s Word never contradicts itself!!

Now, let’s see what James has to say about ‘If”. The first ‘If’ in James is in

Chapter 1, verse 5:

5: But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

We need to be in constant communication with God. We need to listen to Him not tradition. That is what got the Pharisees in trouble.

The second ‘If’ is in James 1:23-25:

23: For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror;

24: for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was.

25: But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man shall be blessed in what he does.

James says we have to do what we say, we have to practice what we preach; if we don’t, we will not endure to the end. But, if we look at the perfect law, God’s law -- the law of freedom-- and do it, it will show up in our lives and become our character.

James 1:26-27:

26: If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion is worthless.

27: This is pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father, to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

If we think we are religious by talking religion, we fool ourselves. Pure religion shows up in what we do, Helping others that are in distress and not living like the world does.

James 2:1-7:

1: My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism.

2: For if a man comes into your assembly with a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and there also comes in a poor man in dirty clothes,

3: and you pay special attention to the one who is wearing the fine clothes, and say, “You sit here in a good place,” and you say to the poor man, “You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool,”

4: have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives?

5: Listen, my beloved brethren: did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?

6: But you have dishonored the poor man. Is it not the rich who oppress you and personally drag you into court?

7: Do they not blaspheme the fair name by which you have been called?

Now, James is talking about showing partiality or favoritism towards people. This sin sneaks up on us, it is very subtle. It is human nature to have favorites. But, we are to be like Christ, and overcome our flesh. Verses 8-13:

8: If, however, you are fulfilling the royal law, according to the Scripture, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF,” you are doing well.

9: But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.

10: For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.

11: For He who said, “DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY,” also said, “DO NOT COMMIT MURDER,” Now if you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.

12: So speak and so act, as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty

13: For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.

If we are fulfilling the Royal Law,(the Royal Law translates the King’s Law, and we know who that is) “love your neighbor as yourself” we will not show favoritism. If we show favoritism we will be convicted by the Law. Then, James says speak and act as those who are to be judged by the Law, and if we show no mercy none will be shown to us! Now there is an incentive for us to forgive! Verses 14-26:

14: What use is it, my brethren, if a man says he has faith, but he has no works? Can that faith save him?

15: If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food,

16: and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that?

17: Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.

18: But someone may well say, “You have faith, and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.”

19: You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder,

20: But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless?

21: Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar?

22: You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected;

23: and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “AND ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTIOUSNESS.” And he was called the friend of God.

24: You see that a man is justified by works, and not by faith alone.

25: And in the same way was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works, when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way?

26: For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.

James starts out here asking some questions about faith. Can faith alone save us? No. Can we just hope someone gets what they need? No. We have to do something! That doing is works. We are not called to salvation; we are called to a work. Christ is the vine, we are the branches, the Father is the Vinedresser. He prunes us so we produce more fruit for His Kingdom. Some say all we have to do is believe in Jesus. James says here the demons believe in Him and tremble. Do we think they will be in the Kingdom? Verse 23 says “ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS COUNTED AS RIGHTEOUSNESS” This is the same thing John says in John 3:16. In the literal translation he says “that everyone believing into Him (The Son) may not perish.” Believing into Him means believing Him, believing into obedience. Doing what He says in the Old Testament and the New Testament! Now, James gives us one more example in verse 26: For just as the body without the spirit (breath) is dead, so is faith if works don’t show up. If we don’t produce fruit we are worthless to God. There is a shadow of this in the Gospels. (Matt. 21:18-20; Mark 11:12-14; 11:20-21)

Now let’s go to Hebrews to finish this writing. Hebrews is to the New Testament what Deuteronomy is to the Old Testament! Paul is summing up the whole matter much like Moses does in Deuteronomy before God’s people enter the promise land. The reason this book sounds somewhat different than Paul’s other writings is because this book of Hebrews is a sermon, not an epistle. Paul is preaching to instill faith in the listeners to remind them of what the Old Testament was about, and pointing to. He reminds us Jehovah created all things, and laid the foundations of the Earth and Heaven (sky). Then, he warns us of the danger of neglecting God’s Word!

Here is where we find the first If in Hebrews. Chapter 2:1-4

1: For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.

2: For if the word spoken through angels (messengers) proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense,

3: how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? After it was at the first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard,

4: God also bearing witness with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will.

In verse 1, Paul says we must pay close attention to the Word lest we fall away. (Sound like once saved always saved?) If the Word proved unchangeable, and every transgression (to violate a command) and disobedience receives a just punishment how shall we escape ‘If’ we neglect our salvation? After Jesus spoke it, and confirmed by those who heard (Peter, John, Mark, etc.), God also bearing witness with them by signs and wonders and miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Let’s go to the next ‘If’. Hebrews 3:5-6

5: Now Moses was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken later;

6: but Christ was faithful as a Son over His house whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end.

Moses was faithful to testify of things to come as Christ is faithful to us If we endure to the end.

Hebrews 3:7-19:

7: Therefore, just as the Holy Spirit says, “TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE,

8: DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME, AS IN THE DAY OF TRIAL IN THE WILDERNESS,

9: “WHERE YOUR FATHERS TRIED ME BY TESTING ME, AND SAW MY WORKS FOR FORTY YEARS.

10: “THEREFORE I WAS ANGRY WITH THIS GENERATION, AND SAID,’THEY ALWAYS GO ASTRAY IN THEIR HEART; AND THEY DID NOT KNOW MY WAYS’;

11: AS I SWORE IN MY WRATH, ‘THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST.’

12: Take care, brethren, lest there should be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart, in falling away from the living God.

13: But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

14: For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end;

15: while it is said, “TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS, AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME.”

16: For who provoked Him when they had heard? Indeed, did not all those who came out of Egypt led by Moses?

17: And with whom was He angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness?

18: And to whom did He swear that they should not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient?

19: And so we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief.

Now here Paul is quoting Psalm 95 which is referring to Deut. 6:16 and 12:9. The children of Israel heard Jehovah’s voice and did not believe when He told them to “go and possess the Promise Land” and He would drive out the inhabitants of Canaan for them. But they were disobedient and did not do what He said, so they paid the consequences, they died in the wilderness and so will we If we believe men over God. Most religious leaders today don’t have the Holy Spirit, they don’t hear God’s voice, they can’t understand the Bible!(Romans 8:6-8) We cannot follow their unbelieving heart and be deceived by their traditions (Matt 15:3-9).

Now, starting in Hebrews Chapter 4, (which is a bad Chapter break, watch for these bad chapter breaks when studying the Bible) Paul is in the same context or thought as he was ending Chapter 3. Remember to keep things in context when reading the Bible. Don’t let anyone deceive you by taking things out of context. Someone can make the Bible say anything they want by taking things out of context. (A text out of context is a pretext)

Hebrews 4:1-2

1: Therefore, let us fear lest, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you should seem to have come short of it.

2: For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard.

Paul says be aware, don’t be deceived, a promise remains of entering God’s rest, don’t come short of it! Now this is talking about physical rest as well as spiritual rest. The Bible has physical benefits as well as spiritual. The Bible is true at face value and as deep as you want to go. That is why it is the Living Word of God! Have you ever noticed seeing something new in God’s Word even after reading the same passage several times before? Remember God teaches us by types. A type (shadow) of something physical shows us a type of something Spiritual. The children of Israel crossing the Red Sea was a type of Baptism, pointing to the Baptism of repentance. Baptism itself is a type; showing obedience to Jesus and pointing to when we will be glorified (clean indeed). We cannot learn unless we have an example. We cannot learn spiritual things unless we have a physical thing to compare it to. Verse 2 says we have had good news (The Gospel) preached to us, just as the children of Israel did to them (the same Gospel), but it did not profit them because they didn’t believe, they had no faith!

Now Paul is referring to something he says in Romans 10:17-21:

17: So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.

18: But I say, surely they have never heard, have they? Indeed they have;

“THEIR VOICE HAS GONE OUT INTO ALL THE EARTH,

AND THEIR WORDS TO THE ENDS OF THE WORLD.”

19: But I say, surely Israel did not know, did they? At the first Moses says,

“I WILL MAKE YOU JEALOUS BY THAT

WHICH IS NOT A NATION; BY A NATION WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING WILL I ANGER YOU.”

20: And Isaiah is very bold and says,

“I WAS FOUND BY THOSE WHO SOUGHT

ME NOT, I BECAME MANIFEST TO THOSE WHO DID NOT ASK FOR ME.”

21: But as for Israel He says, “ALL THE DAY LONG I HAVE STRETCHED OUT MY HANDS TO A DISOBEDIENT AND OBSTINATE PEOPLE.”

So faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Paul asks ‘have they heard?’ Then he quotes Psalms 19:4 “Their voice has gone out into all the earth and their words to the ends of the world.” In Psalms 19, David quotes Genesis 1:6-7; Psalms 119, and Numbers 15:30. Psalms 119 quotes and refers to Moses’ writing several times! You have heard the saying ‘All roads lead to Rome’? Well, all physical roads lead to Rome, then to Greece, then to Egypt, then to Babylon. All spiritual roads lead to God’s covenant. All spiritual roads lead to the Apostles, then to the Prophets, then to Moses (the first five books of the Bible).

The New Covenant talked about in the New Testament is the Second covenant given to God’s people at Moab! This covenant is never ratified by blood until Jesus comes! There is no Covenant in the New Testament! The New covenant is the same as the first covenant given at Sinai and adapted for the ones going into the promise land. Sin in the first covenant is still sin in the second covenant. In the first covenant the men had to be physically circumcised before they enter the promise land. In the second covenant (Moab Covenant) they entered the promise land and then were circumcised. This is a shadow or type of circumcision of the Heart! When we confess Jesus as our King and Savior, we get His Spirit (crossing the Jordan River). When we obey His Words, [every word that proceeds out of the mouth of Jehovah (ref. Deut. 8:3)] then we get a circumcised heart and the Father’s Spirit comes in and we are complete! Deuteronomy 10:16 is the first time we see anything about a circumcised heart.

Back to Hebrews 4:3:

3: For we who have believed enter that rest, just as He has said,

“AS I SWORE IN MY WRATH,

THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST.”

Paul says we who have believed what the Lord said enters His rest. Then he quotes Psalms 95:11. David, again, is quoting Deuteronomy 12:9. Our modern-day Scribes and Pharisees (translators and theologians) do not want us to see all these New Testament quotes leading back to Moses’ writings! Paul then says His (Jehovah) works were finished from the foundation of the world. Paul is telling us when this rest was set up.

4: For He has thus said somewhere concerning the seventh day, “AND GOD RESTED ON THE SEVENTH DAY FROM ALL HIS WORKS”;

(Paul is quoting Genesis 2:1-3.)

5: and again in this passage, “THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST.”

(Paul again quotes Psalms 95, for the fourth time.)

6: Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly had good news preached to them failed to enter because of disobedience,

7: He again fixes a certain day, “Today,” saying through David after so long a time just as has been said before, “TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS.”

In verse 6 & 7, Paul is saying some will enter God’s rest, and some will be disobedient. God again fixes a certain day, not any day we choose or a day our forefathers chose, but the day God chose! And again Paul quotes Psalms 95. David could have said “Today if you believe God’s word, do not harden your hearts.”

8: For if Joshua had given them rest, He would not have spoken of another day after that.

Verse 8 is a difficult verse as it is not translated very well. This is mistranslated just as Luke 23:43 is mistranslated: Luke 23:43---And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.” The translators move the comma one word and we think this man is going to be with Jesus Today. But, the true translation is: “Truly I say to you today, you shall be with me in paradise.” Jesus is saying, “Today I tell you, in Paradise you shall be with me.” Isn’t that sneaky, move one comma and change the meaning of Luke’s account.

Let’s get back to Hebrews. Verse 8 should read “For If Jesus had given them rest, would He not have spoken of another day after that.”

9: There remains therefore a Sabbath rest for the people of God.

Paul says there remains a Sabbath rest for God’s people. Are we God’s people? Most translations take out Sabbath, but it is in the original translation. Here is a good place to tell you about the Hebrew, Greek, English Interlinear Bible. It has the most original writing available and it has Strong’s numbering system so you can look up the words and decide for yourself (with God’s guidance) what is said. Make sure you read the Preface. It tells you things that are changed and why. Make sure you read the text under the Hebrew or Greek words, because sometimes words are changed in the parallel translation. You can decide for yourself why they use one word for God when the Greek used four different words. This book is one of the best Bible study tools available. The Philadelphia Church uses The Interlinear Bible by Jay P. Green Sr.

Back to Paul.

10: For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His.

Here Paul tells us the one who has entered God’s rest also ceased from his works, as God did. Paul is referring to Genesis 2:2 and Leviticus 23. He is not only talking about the seventh-day Sabbath, but all of God’s appointed times! We can’t understand the New Testament without understanding God’s feasts (appointed times)! Notice in Leviticus 23, God says “These are My feasts” not Israel’s. These feasts had significance for physical Israel, but more so for Spiritual Israel. Remember, types and shadows are what show us Prophecy.

11: Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall through following the same example of disobedience.

Paul says make sure to enter God’s rest or we will fall from grace because of disobedience.

Now, let’s go to the next Big If in Hebrews Chapter 8 verse 7.

7: For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion sought for a second.

What does Paul mean ‘If the first covenant had been faultless there would be no need for the second covenant?’ Could God make a covenant that had fault in it? Of course not!

Verse 8 explains.

8: For finding fault with them, He (Jehovah) says, “BEHOLD, DAYS ARE COMING, SAYS THE LORD, WHEN I WILL EFFECT A NEW COVENANT WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL AND WITH THE HOUSE OF JUDAH; (This is a quote from Jeremiah 31:31)

There is nothing wrong with the first covenant; the problem is with the people. A covenant is an agreement between two parties to do or not to do something. Israel told Moses whatever Jehovah said, they would do. But, when Jehovah told them to go in and take the Promise Land, they refused, they still had no faith even after all they had seen Jehovah do for them. Israel rebelled and broke the covenant that they had made with Jehovah. So, they died in the wilderness and the younger generation went into the promise land under the second covenant (the Moab covenant). The Moab covenant is not ratified by blood until Jesus is killed! And the second covenant is not Spiritualized (I will put My Laws into their minds and hearts) until Christ breathes on His disciples in John 20:22. Before Christ breathed on His disciples and gave them His Spirit (Power) they were always thinking physical, but after this happens they understand the spiritual meaning of Christ’s teachings. No one before this time had received the Holy Spirit (John 7:39), no one before this time knew the Father (John 1:18, 5:37, 1^st John 4:12). Some in the Old Testament knew there was more than one God because of the Hebrew words ‘El’ and ‘Elohim’. ‘El’ is singular and ‘Elohim’ is plural. But, they never knew the Father, only Jehovah. Jesus said “I come to reveal the Father.” (Matthew 11:27, Luke 10:22). Let me give you another witness on this before moving on to the next If in Hebrews. In Matthew 22:41, Jesus asks the Pharisees whose son is Christ (Messiah)? They say ‘the son of David.’ Then Jesus says in verses 43, 44, and 45:

43: “Then how does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord,’ saying,

44: ‘THE LORD SAID TO MY LORD, “SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND, UNTIL I PUT THINE ENEMIES BENEATH THY FEET”?

45: “If David then calls Him “Lord,’ how is He his son?”

Jesus is quoting Psalms 110:1. The only way this statement makes any sense is: “The Lord (the Father) said to My Lord (David’s Lord, Jehovah) sit at My right hand until I put thine enemies beneath thy feet. This also makes sense with Acts 7:55 – 56.

Acts 7:55-56:

55: But being full of the Holy Spirit, he gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God;

56: and he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”

Now, let’s get to the next big If in Hebrews 9:11-15 (“if” in verse 13):

11: But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, he entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands that is to say not of this creation;

12: and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.

13: For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled, sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh,

14: how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

15: And for this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, in order that since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.

In verse 11, Paul says Christ appeared as High Priest though the Heavenly Tabernacle (verse 12) and the sacrifices of innocent animals only pointed to Christ’s sacrifice. (verse 13) If the blood and ashes of animals cleansed the flesh, (14) how much more will Christ’s blood (or sacrifice) cleanse our conscience from dead works to serve God? Now dead works for them was sacrificing all those animals. Dead works for us is thinking the things we do saves us. Christ’s sacrifice saves us, but we still have work to do, and we still have to stay in covenant with Him and God! (verse15) For this reason Christ is the mediator or “go-between” of the new covenant. Why is Christ our mediator between us and God? Because the Father does not know what it is like to be human, Christ does! The rest of this verse tells us Christ’s death (sacrifice) also covered all the ones called before Him.

Verses 16-17:

16: For where a covenant (Will) is, there must of necessity be the death of the one who made it.

17: For a covenant (Will) is valid only when men are dead, for it is never in force while the one who made it lives.

Now, here the word covenant is used again, but the meaning is different. This is talking about a will or testament. You can tell this by the context. The New Testament is the last will and testament of Jesus and the apostles, it’s not a covenant. All the covenants are in the Old Testament. The Old testament is the testament of Jehovah and the Prophets. There is one major covenant to the world and two major covenants to God’s people in the Old Testament. The one to the world is the Noahatic covenant. The two to God’s people are the Sinai Covenant (Horeb, the first) and the Moab covenant (the second). By the way, Mt. Horeb is not in the Sanai peninsula, it is in Arabia as can be seen in Exodus 3”1 and 4:18-19. Look up Sanai in your concordance #5514, Israel crossed the east finger of the Red Sea (the Gulf of Agaba) not the west finger.

Now I need to touch on a couple of important verses here in Hebrews before getting to the last “If” of this writing. First, in Chapter 10:1-10. In verse 1, he says the law is a shadow of good things to come. Now he is talking about the sacrificial Law here and sacrificing innocent animals pointed to Jesus’ sacrifice. Just like in Chapter 9:24 he says the earthly tabernacle was a copy or shadow of the one in Heaven. Remember, man cannot learn anything unless we have an example.

Now, from verse five through nine he is quoting Psalms 40.

Hebrews 10:5-9

5: Therefore, when He comes into the world, He says, “SACRIFICE AND OFFERING THOU HAST NOT DESIRED, BUT A BODY THOU HAST PREPARED FOR ME;

6: IN WHOLE BURNT OFFERINGS AND SACRIFICES FOR SIN THOU HAST TAKEN NO PLEASURE.

7: “THEN I SAID, ‘BEHOLD, I HAVE COME (IN THE ROLL OF THE BOOK IT IS WRITTEN OF ME) TO DO THY WILL, O GOD,’”

8: After saying above, “sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast not desired, nor hast thou taken pleasure in them” (which are offered according to the Law),

9: then He said, “BEHOLD, I HAVE COME TO DO THY WILL.” He takes away the first in order to establish the second.

All this is leading up to when the second covenant is put into force. But, in this He is also telling us He never wanted sacrifices in the first place. He wanted us not to sin! Go look at I Samuel 15:22; Psalms 50:14; Psalms 107:22; and Psalms 51:17. Israel was doing the same thing most of Christianity is doing today. Sinning willfully because they still had more goats or cattle they could sacrifice. Today, Christians sin willfully because they have been taught “It doesn’t matter what you do, all you have to do is believe in Jesus.” In the literal translation, John 3:16 says: “that everyone believing into Jesus may not perish but have life everlasting.” “Believing into Him” means believing and obeying Him. Remember, the demons believe in Him and tremble!

Well, let’s get to the last “If” of this writing.

Hebrews 10:26-29:

26: For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,

27: but a certain terrifying expectation of judgment, and THE FURY OF A FIRE WHICH WILL CONSUME THE ADVERSARIES.

28: Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.

29” How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?

Paul says if we go on sinning after we know the truth, Jesus’ sacrifice doesn’t cover our sin! Now, this is not talking about sins of weakness or sins you don’t know about, it’s talking about disobedience or rebellion. Verse 27 talks about judgment and Fire. The same Fire that glorifies the saints will destroy the rebellious. Verse 28 says anyone who sets aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy. This word dies in this verse is present tense. This means Paul is still teaching “The Law of Moses” thirty some years after Jesus’ death. Verse 29 talks about trampling under foot the Son of God by not keeping His covenant and insulting the Spirit of Grace. If we do not do what God says, we are not under Grace! Look at verse 38 and Chapter 12 verse 8.

Grace be with you all.

Topper C. Eastin