IF- THEN Scriptures

By Cordell Vail

When I was on my way to Vietnam in 1970, I had 18 hours on the airplane to just think. As you can imagine I did a lot of thinking. I also did a lot of reading of the scriptures during that flight. One of the things that I distinctly remember the Lord teaching me during that "ALONE TIME" on the airplane was an answer to my prayers of how I could use the Army as a missionary experience. In answer to that prayer, as I read in the scriptures, I was shown a "principle of promise" in the scriptures. I came to me as an "IF - THEN" promise in answer to that prayer. It was shown to me that day in the scripture in D&C 11 where that says:

D&C 11:21 Seek not to declare my word, but first seek to obtain my word, and then shall your tongue be loosed; then, if you desire, you shall have my Spirit and my word, yea, the power of God unto the e convincing of men.

I was stunned when I read that and realized what it was saying. ALL I HAD TO DO WAS THE IF PART.... If I would seek to obtain the word of the Lord (study the scriptures and the words of the Living Prophets).... THEN.... then (and notice that He offers 3 additional promises to the loosing of your tongue IF YOU WANT THEM... Only if you desire....That is so interesting If you don’t ask, if you don’t desire then even though you read the scriptures and the words of the Living Prophets these three additional promises will not come to you).... So I realized that if I just did what the scripture said, seek and then desire, THEN I could have: (1) My tongue loosed so I could teach (2) His spirit while I was teaching (3) His word or words put in my mouth to know what to teach and (4) The Power of God unto the convincing of men so they would believe me and be converted.

I was just stunned when I read that. And I was so amazed that he would put that little "gotcha" in it. It is not enough to just read the scriptures... THEN IF YOU WANT IT IN ADDITION (i.e. ask or desire to have it too) you can have those 3 promises. The power of God unto the convincing of men, that is the perfect missionary promise.

And I did want it. And I did ask for it. And I can tell you that while I was in the Army that promise was literally fulfilled far beyond my greatest expectations. I ask for it when I first discovered the promise there that day on the Airplane and I received it and by that promise Janice and I have been able to also claim the promise in Ala 26:22.

Alma 26

Yea, he that a repenteth and exerciseth faith, and bringeth forth good works, and prayeth continually without ceasing unto such it is given to know the mysteries of God; yea, unto such it shall be given to reveal things which never have been revealed; yea, and it shall be given unto such to bring thousands of souls to repentance, even as it has been given unto us to bring these our brethren to repentance.

And notice he did not promise that we could bring 10's or 100's but thousands... 1000's ... (that is 3 zeros), as individuals IF..... If we would just do those 4 things he lists. UNTO SUCH... Oh how I love those words.... unto such.... what a beautiful way to say THEN... unto such.

More and more since that day there on the airplane on the way to Vietnam in 1970, I have realized that there are absolute promises in the scriptures and in the words of the living prophets that say, IF you will do this..... THEN you have this promise.

We all know with absolutely with no doubt that the Lord never makes promises that He does not keep.

Alma 7:20

I perceive that it has been made known unto you, by the testimony of his word, that he cannot walk in crooked paths; neither doth he vary from that which he hath said; neither hath he a shadow of turning from the right to the left, or from that which is right to that which is wrong; therefore, his course is one eternal round.

So in finding these prophetic promises in the Scriptures and in the words of the living prophets, I knew that these were absolute promises or "COVENANTS" with the Lord that I could depend on no matter what. I knew that IF I did what was outlined in the promise, then I knew that THEN I would, no matter what receive the promise.

Since that time I have made a search of the scriptures for the IF - THEN promises that I could find. I have found many. The wording is not always IF..... THEN.... but the promise is the same.

Here are some more examples:

Mosiah 2:22
And behold, all that he a requires of you is to keep his commandments; and he has promised you that if ye would keep his commandments ye should prosper in the land; and he never doth vary from that which he hath said; therefore, if ye do keep his commandments he doth bless you and prosper you.

So there is an example where there is a very clear IF.... THEN promise in a scripture even though it does not use the exact IF... THEN wording. Most of the time the IF part is your requirements in living the commandments and the THEN part is His promise if you do. So even though it may not exactly say the exact wording IF and THEN, you can see these prophetic promises everywhere in the Scriptures and in the words of the Living Prophets.

D&C 11
3 Behold, the field is white already to harvest; therefore, whoso desireth to reap let him thrust in his sickle with his b might, and reap while the day lasts, that he may c treasure up for his soul everlasting salvation in the kingdom of God.
4 Yea, whosoever will thrust in his sickle and a reap, the same is called of God.
5 Therefore, if you will ask of me you shall receive; if you will a knock it shall be opened unto you.

Isn't it interesting how often the IF part is just asking. It is not enough to do something... WE HAVE TO ALSO ASK FOR THE PROMISE...

I'm telling you these marvelous promises are everywhere if you look for them

D&C 11
7 Seek not for riches but for wisdom; and, behold, the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto you, and then shall you be made rich. Behold, he that hath eternal life is rich.

8 Verily, verily, I say unto you, even as you desire of me so it shall be done unto you; and, if you desire, you shall be the means of doing much good in this generation.

There it is again EVEN AS YOU DESIRE.... so if you don't ask... if you don't desire then it will not come. You have to do more than just do... you have to be aware of the promise AND ASK.... THEN....

Jacob 3
2 O all ye that are pure in heart, lift up your heads and receive the pleasing word of God, and feast upon his love; for ye may, if your b minds are firm, forever.

There it is again.... it is not enough to just be pure in heart, you have to lift up your head AND RECEIVE IT....

Jacob 2

18 But before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the kingdom of God.

19 And after ye have obtained a hope in Christ ye shall obtain riches, if ye seek them; and ye will seek them for the intent to do good to clothe the naked, and to feed the hungry, and to liberate the captive, and administer relief to the sick and the afflicted.

There it is again.... IF YE SEEK THEM... It is everywhere in the IF - THEN promises... you have a second requirement. You have to do what he says AND THEN ASK... SEEK... WANT... DESIRE to have the reward. Isn't that interesting? Remember the scripture that tells us if we do good but with the wrong intent "IT PROFIT YOU NOTHING"..... such interesting promises

D&C 59

14 Verily, this is fasting and prayer, or in other words, rejoicing and prayer.

15 And inasmuch as ye do these things with a thanksgiving, with cheerful chearts and countenances, not with much laughter , for this is sin, but with a glad heart and a cheerful countenance

16 Verily I say, that inasmuch as ye do this, the a fulness of the earth is yours, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, and that which climbeth upon the trees and walketh upon the earth;

(and next time you are struggling with fasting on Fast Sunday, read Isaiah 58 if you want to see beautiful IF...THEN promise concerning fasting that will change Fast Sunday forever).

Isaiah 58:

3 Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours.

4 Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high.

5 Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD?

6 Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free , and that ye break every yoke?

7 Is it not to deal thy bread to the a hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?

8 Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward .

9 Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity;

10 And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry , and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday:

11 And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.

12 And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.

13 If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the a sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:

14 Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

D&C 58:
42 Behold, he who has repented of his sins, the same is forgiven, and I, the Lord, remember them no more.

D&C 50
29 And if ye are purified and cleansed from all sin, ye shall ask whatsoever you will in the name of Jesus and it shall be done.

And while you are doing that search try looking up the word WHATSOEVER...... Another amazing promise word. Whatsoever is very very very all encompassing..... Think about that... IF you do xxxx THEN.... WHATSOEVER....

Wow what an "UNENDING" promise

There are too many to list here. I have found many of them. So there is your challenge. Do a search for the word “WHATSOEVER” in the scriptures and do your own paper on it.

I would like to invite you now to start a lifelong search yourself of IF-THEN promises in the scriptures and the words of the Living Prophets as they are given to us. Start a journal where you can list them as you find them. I have made it sort of like my 2nd patriarchal blessing. I love to read it. Promise after promise after promise IF I JUST DO .... THEN...... In fact I have added several of them to my actual patriarchal Blessing because they are promises related to the words in the blessing.

IF you will start this collection of prophetic promises, THEN, THEN I promise you it will change how you study the scriptures and will literally CHANGE YOUR LIFE for good.

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Last updated 29 July 2009