Page 7 - Prophetic Word Newsletter Archive 2010

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How important are the if’s of the Bible? You can’t even be saved without fulfilling its requirement:

“THAT YOU CONFESS WITH YOUR MOUTH THE LORD JESUS
AND BELIEVE IN YOUR HEART THAT GOD HAS RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD,
YOU WILL BE SAVED. FOR WITH THE HEART ONE BELIEVES TO RIGHTEOUSNESS,
AND WITH THE MOUTH CONFESSION IS MADE TO SALVATION.” Rom. 10:9-10

So much for the popular just “believe and receive” theology. Salvation does not come by merely
believing and receiving the promise of God for salvation. Several stipulations and conditions are
mentioned as prerequisites to the stated promise, “…you will be saved.” They are prefaced by the use
of the biggest little word in the Bible, “if.” It is insufficient just to believe. Confession is also necessary.
Note that it is not confession that Jesus has become your savior, but rather it is “the LORD Jesus” that
must be confessed unto salvation. There is a big difference between confessing Jesus as savior vs.
Jesus as Lord. The word Lord means “ authority, controller, ruler and master.”

Isa. 33:22 I have this passage from Isaiah 33:22 displayed on the wall outside
our bookstore as a reminder of who the Lord is. He is far more than
“I AM THE LORD, our Savior. The Lord is also our King, our Lawgiver and our Judge.
THAT IS MY NAME…”
Pharaoh once stated, “Who is the Lord that I should obey His
Isa. 42:8 voice?…I do not know the Lord” (Ex. 5:2). Far too many of God’s
people do not obey His voice and for the same reason as Pharaoh:

“I do not know the Lord.” The word “savior” appears 41 times
in all of Scripture, but the name Lord appears 5,000 times.

Which do we hear preached as the image of Jesus, Savior or Lord?
The real question is, “Which name are we to confess in order to be

saved? Romans 10:9 tells us, “If you confess with your mouth
the Lord Jesus…”

The modern-day gospel message is presented with popular but unbiblical clichés like, “once saved,

always saved,” and “unconditional eternal security.” How does this message stack up against the if’s of

the Bible? It does not:

“BUT CHRIST AS A SON OVER HIS OWN HOUSE, WHOSE HOUSE WE ARE

WE HOLD FAST THE CONFIDENCE AND REJOICING OF THE HOPE FIRM TO THE END…”
Heb. 3:6
“FOR WE HAVE BECOME PARTAKERS OF CHRIST

WE HOLD THE BEGINNING OF OUR CONFIDENCE STEADFAST TO THE END.”
Heb. 3:14

In context, there are two more if’s that are an intricate part of the message the writer of Hebrews is
seeking to convey to God’s people who are in danger of fatal backsliding, “Beware brethren, lest there
be in any of you and evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God…lest any of you be
hardened through the deceitfulness of sin” (Heb. 3:12-13). Surrounding this sober warning written to
brethren are two more if’s:

“THEREFORE THE HOLY SPIRIT SAYS:

‘TODAY, YOU WILL HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS
AS IN THE REBELLION…’ ” Heb. 3:7-8

“WHILE IT IS SAID:

‘TODAY, IF YOU WILL HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS

AS IN THE REBELLION…” Heb. 3:15

Rather than supporting today’s “unconditional eternal security” and “once saved, always saved,”
premises, the Holy Spirit warns the believer with four conditional if’s in one chapter that require
something of the believer. He/she must not depart from the living God by means of an evil heart of
unbelief and the deceitfulness of sin. Twice repeated is the call to hear His voice rather than becoming
like the rebels in the wilderness. Also twice repeated is the call to hold fast the beginning of our
confidence steadfast unto the end. Do you see how the if’s of the Bible clarify the message?