Spiritual Mindedness

"Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain." (I Corinthians 15: 1, 2 KJV)

Is salvation conditioned upon one's memory? Is salvation in both one's knowing and in his retaining spiritual truth?

Yes, salvation is conditioned upon a one's "keeping in memory" the glorious saving gospel and of the truths of God's word. However, what is involved in this "keeping in memory"?

Can those who have truly learned the gospel and been taught of the Father (John 6: 45) unlearn it? Can they forget it? If so, to what extent? Completely? What does it mean to "remember" versus to "forget" in this matter of salvation?

The Greek language had four different kinds of "conditional" sentences, or uses of the word "if." The word "if" introduces a conditional clause. But, what kind of conditional clause?

The word "then," whether actually written in the sentence or implied, is necessarily associated with the word "if" in a conditional sentence, in English or Greek. The word "if" is called the "protasis" and the word "then" is called the "apodosis."

In the Greek language a first class conditional sentence is called the "simple condition," and is what is "presumed true (often) for the sake of argument."

However, a second class conditional sentence assumes the premise as untrue, again, often for the sake of argument, whether actually untrue or not.

A third class conditional sentence is the real "iffy" statement in the Greek. "If (it might, or it might not, it is uncertain) it rains tomorrow, then..." The third class is "more probable future condition" or "hypothetical."

A fourth class conditional sentence is the "less probable future condition" and is the least used. It is the "if perhaps this should occur, then..."

It must be always remembered too, when it comes to "conditions," that one condition may be wholly dependent upon another condition or conditions. For instance, one domino falling over is completely dependent upon the preceding one falling over. We are saved if we keep in memory, but is there no prior condition for the memory to be successful?

In the above text, the word "if" is a first class conditional statement wherein Paul is assuming the case to be true. In other words, he says - "if you (and you will, or I am assuming you will, for the sake of argument) keep in memory, then you are truly saved" and show that you did not "believe in vain." Those who are truly saved do keep in memory the gospel, while those who "believe in vain," do not remember.

"These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." (John 14: 25, 26 KJV)

"Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you." (John 16: 13, 14 KJV)

"But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you." (John 16: 4 KJV)

The work of the Holy Comforter is the prior condition (or domino) that causes believers to perform this condition of "keeping in memory." The Holy Spirit takes on the responsibility (praise God) of "seeing to it" that believers retain, in their hearts and memories, the blessed gospel and knowledge of Christ.

This does not excuse the believer, however, from his own sense of responsibility, in this regard, but it must be remembered that the chief responsiblity is with the shepherd, not with the sheep themselves.

All through the scriptures the Lord commands men to remember him, and to recall what he has commanded and taught, and to keep in memory the works of the Lord, and not forget what good things he has done for unworthy sinners.

People have lots of "bad memories" versus their "precious memories." There is not any greater or more blessed memory than to remember God and his word, and to keep always in remembrance his mercy and goodness. Do we want Lord God to remember us?

Is it not sinful for us to want him to remember us when we forget him? Thankfully he is full of mercy and offers to give to men what they need; So, come to Christ today and ask him to sanctify your thoughts and your memory. You will surely find yourself saying less and less to yourself, in life, - "I hate I forgot that lesson!" Or, "I wish I had remembered!"