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IF THEN Statements

by Ramona Cook 
12/29/12
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IF/THEN

When taking a computer programming course in BASIC language, several years ago, we were instructed regarding the IF/THEN Statements that were to be used in creating the program with which we were engaged. That Statement creates options for the computer from which to make choices depending upon the circumstance of the item considered. IF this is the condition, THEN do this; IF that is the situation, THEN do this. I had never heard about IF/THEN statements before that time, or at the least I thought I had not.

Interestingly, that was not the truth. I have been reading The Holy Bible since the age of eight years old; the Bible is filled with IF/THEN statements which I had not noticed or discerned. These statements are given to us so that we may be able to employ reasoning, producing understanding, and subsequently application, for ‘proper choice making’ with our life’s activities. IF/THEN statements assist us in logically arriving at the stone of “Truth.”

Since the Scriptures are chock full of IF/THEN statements, why not in your personal reading of the Bible, notice these statements and formulate your own deductions?

In many of the texts THEN is literally written there or it is implied, as we understand our English language.

Following are some of the “IF/THEN Statements of the Scriptures:

II Chronicles 7: 14; “IF My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; THEN will I hear from Heaven and heal their Land.”

Matt. 17:20, Jesus said:

“IF you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, (THEN) you may say to this mountain, “Remove from here to over there; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.”

Mark 8:36

“For what shall it profit a man, IF he shall gain the whole world, and (THEN) lose his own soul?”

Mark 11: 25 & 26
“When ye stand praying, forgive, IF ye have anything against anyone, so that your Father also, which is in Heaven (THEN) may forgive you your trespasses. But IF you do not forgive others, (THEN) neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.”

I John 1:5 – 10 & 2: 1 – 6 “This is the message we have heard from Him, (Jesus) and proclaim to you, that God is light and in Him there is no darkness at all. IF we say that we have fellowship with Him while we are walking in darkness, (THEN) we lie and do not do what is true; but IF we walk in the light as He himself is in the light, (THEN) we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. IF we say we have no sin (THEN) the truth is not in us. IF we confess our sins, (THEN) He Who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. IF we say that we have not sinned, (THEN) we make Him a liar and His Word is not in us. My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you do not sin; but IF any person does sin we (THEN) have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous, and He is the atoning sacrifice for all our sins; and not for ours only but also for the sins of all the people in the entire world. Now by this (THEN) we may be sure that we know Him, IF we obey His commandments. Whoever says, “I have come to know Him,” but does not obey His commandments is (THEN) a liar and in such a person the truth does not exist; but whoever obeys His Word, (THEN) truly in this person the love of God has reached perfection. By this (THEN) we may be sure that we are IN Him: whoever says, “I abide in Him,” ought (THEN) to walk as He walked.”

John 14:23

Jesus answered and said, “IF a man loves me he will keep my words: (THEN) My Father will love him, and We will come to him, and make Our living place with him.”

What is realized by this type of reading application is that so much of what we are to expect from our relationship with God is conditional. God says, “IF you will, THEN I will; and IF you won’t, THEN I won’t.”

There are of course those Covenants that God makes that have nothing to do with our responses, such as the rainbow in the sky and God’s promise to never again destroy the entire earth with water. That is a ‘stand alone’ Covenant and what we do or do not do will not change what God does about that promise.

I hope you will be challenged to do study reading of the Scriptures taking note of the IF/THENS and the implied (THENS). I have found this process to open the texts of the Scriptures for a clearer understanding for me in my pursuit of truth.

Ramona 12/29/2012
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Visitor Comments
01 May 2026
Your statement that "so much of what we are to expect from our relationship with God is conditional. God says, 'IF you will, THEN I will; and IF you won’t, THEN I won’t.'" is a gross misstatement of our relationship with God. Take, for instance, your last example John 14:23. "Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them..." You're implying that if I don't love Jesus, God will not love me. But that's wrong, God's love is unconditional (see Romans 8:35-39 and Luke 15:11-32). The heart of the Gospel is not "If you do X, then God will do Y." Rather it is: because Christ died for my sins, I am free and forgiven.
Visitor Comments
19 Aug 2025
This is a wonderful article speaking clearly to a very important principle in the Bible. I was 46 years old before I heard the Gospel clearly articulated. I was a totally unchurched and “unBibled” atheist, feminist, liberal sinner living for pleasure and self. God let me get to the very verge of suicide because He could not get my attention any other way. What I clung to was choice. It’s my life and I’m smart and I get to decide. But I chose the “way that seems right, but leads to death.”

The whole of God’s word is about choice. Choose salvation by admitting we’re sinners who can only be saved by the sacrifice of the blood of Jesus Christ on the cross, and His resurrection unto eternal life. Or choose to reject that free offer of undeserved grace, and send ourselves to an eternity of torment, regret, and hopelessness. Our choice.

Choosing began in the Garden of Eden and we all see how that ended when they listened to the evil lies of Satan leading to Hell instead of the loving offer of God for a perfect life forever. But the whole Bible is that same choice. I think the clearest example after the debacle of Eden is when God lays down the rules to Israel in the Wilderness wanderings, and sums them up in Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28-30. God is crystal clear. IF you abide by My house rules I will bless you marvelously, but IF you choose not to THEN I will curse you at every turn. God is always fair because He always warns us of the consequences of our choices - eternally good or eternally, tragically bad, both in the Old Testament and the New Testament. He is always calling us to turn to Him and confess and repent of our rebellion.

O sinners and saints, choose wisely, this life is so short and eternity never ends. Choose today, for we are not guaranteed tomorrow. Read God’s Word daily to know and do His perfect will. The Father loves you so much that He offered His only begotten Son so we can live with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit forever. John 17:3, 17.✝️
Visitor Comments
04 Aug 2025
Thank you for making this article. God placed this very topic of “if / then” statements in the Bible as conditions for our salvation.
Visitor Comments
18 Feb 2025
I was contemplating the difference between when the Lord says, "Be Still" and when we are required to take some kind of action. The idea of "if/then" popped in my mind so I googled to see what verses would correlate with the if/then ideal.
I have been reading a book, not necessarily Christian, titled, "The Mountain is You." How appropriate that Matthew 17.20 was one of the first verses you listed. Years of emotional trauma have left a mountain of debris within me where the Lord is currently working. This verse gives me much hope!
Thank you for writing this article and for the confirmation it provided.
LaDena
Visitor Comments
25 Jan 2025
Thanks for the thoughts. I used my Logos Bible software to highlight this. Mike
Visitor Comments
11 Jan 2025
Ramona just read this art and wanted to thank you. If you were a geologist and I was an assayer. I would declare to you have found a a vein of pure gold. My advice to all who read your article, should stake a claim and start mining. Sadly too many are only heaters and not doers. Grace and peace to you and yours.
Visitor Comments
02 Sep 2024
It's a good starting list. I would also add Proverbs 2:1 and proverbs 2:5. Proverbs 2:1 says my son if you will receive my words and hide my Commandments within you. Proverbs 2:5 says then shall you understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.
Visitor Comments
05 Feb 2024
Thanks for your response to the “if/then” statements in the Bible. It was very helpjpful in making clear God’s heart and intentions.
Visitor Comments
13 Jan 2024
Very nice, concise teaching - thank you and God bless you!
Visitor Comments
06 Sep 2023
????
Visitor Comments
25 Feb 2023
I’ve learned recently that the word IF in Greek has several descriptions - - and some are difficult to replace or understand with our English translation of the Bible. My wonderment lies with the mathematical logic associated with IF-THEN statements. Suppose an IF-THEN statement is absolute truth. That does not mean that its inverse or converse is necessarily true UNLESS the IF-THEN statements that exist in the Bjj in ble are meant to be BI-CONDITIONALS. By rights, such conditionals should be accompanied by the phrase “if and only if”.
OR
“Hey, math geek! Meditate with God’s word and arrive at your own cause-effect scenario when appropriate. Do not attempt to view each conditional in the B in the Bible so rigidly. Conditionals have categories.
Visitor Comments
21 May 2019
GM,I've been studying out fear in terms of what I'm afraid of and noticed how fear paralyzes me, stunts my spiritual growth and does not allow me to truly be used by God. I read Phil 4:6-8 just now and was convicted and encouraged by the IF/THEN statement which brought about a SO. Thank you for your wisdom and insight.
Visitor Comments
05 Apr 2019
I enjoyed Winston you have written. It has encouraged me. Thank you
Visitor Comments
21 Sep 2016
Great Job
Visitor Comments
19 Jul 2016
great was looking for scriptures with a condition
Melanie Kerr 
30 Dec 2012
"Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful." Joshua 1:8 - I read it this morning and it came to mind as I read your article. I liked the way you took something from everyday life and gave it a spiritual slant. Thanks.
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