Good Works = "IF"

I recently was sent a long email asking about good works and the Catholic faith.

When you read through the Bible, you will discover the vast majority of God's promises are CONDITIONAL, meaning only "If" you meet the conditions of the promise, will the promise then be fulfilled in your life. Typically, there is a "God part" and an "our part" associated with the promises of God. "IF" we do the "our part," God will do "His part." Consider the following examples:

"Commit your works to the Lord and your plans will be established" (Proverbs 16:3).

"Delight yourself in the Lord and He will fulfill the desires or your heart" (Psalm 37:4).

Do you see it? "IF" you "commit your works to the Lord," THEN, AND ONLY THEN, God's plans will be established in your life. "IF" you "delight yourself in the Lord," THEN, AND ONLY THEN, will God "fulfill the desires of your heart."

Far too often I hear people and even pastors lay claim to a promise of God without any intention of doing the "our part" to make that promise come true. Then, as time passes and the promise remains unrealized, that person becomes disappointed or discouraged, thinking God hasn't come through for them.

In reality, they simply didn't understand the CONDITIONAL nature of the promise in the first place.