Whose Dream Am I Living?

When Faith Becomes "If": Breaking Free from Conditional Christianity
Life is hard for everyone—saved and unsaved alike. But God's goodness transcends whatever life brings when we truly believe and trust in Him. The story of Jacob in Genesis 28 reveals a profound truth about the difference between genuine faith and conditional belief that many Christians struggle with today.

The Setup: When We Try to Help God Out
Jacob found himself fleeing to Paddanaram after deceiving his father Isaac to steal his brother Esau's blessing. This wasn't God's original plan—it was the result of Jacob and his mother Rebekah taking matters into their own hands. When we put our hands into God's work, it complicates things tremendously.

Here's a crucial principle: When I make choices in my life, I have no choice in living out the consequences of my choice. But when God makes the choices in my life, I have no choice but to live out what He has deemed for my life—and it's always better.

God's Amazing Promise at Bethel
As Jacob traveled toward his uncle's house, he stopped at a place called Bethel for the night. There, God appeared to him in a dream with an incredible promise:
"I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac... I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again unto this land: for I will not leave thee until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of." (Genesis 28:13, 15)
God made absolute, unconditional promises to Jacob. Notice the language—God said "I will" repeatedly. There were no conditions, no requirements Jacob had to meet first.

Jacob's Tragic Response: "If God Will..."
Jacob's response reveals the heart of conditional Christianity that plagues many believers today:
"If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on... then shall the Lord be my God." (Genesis 28:20-21)

The Problem with "If" Faith
While there may be an "F" and an "I" in faith, you can't spell faith with "if." Jacob liked what God said, but he didn't believe what God said. True faith doesn't say "if God will do this, then I'll do that." That's not faith—that's living in fear and trying to maintain control.

Jacob's conditional response led to 21 wasted years in Paddanaram, where he struggled with his deceptive uncle Laban. He could have simply trusted God's promise and returned home, but instead he chose his own path.

Why We Don't Change Despite Going to Church
Many Christians attend church regularly but see no real change in their lives. The simple reason? We don't want to change. We approach church more like consumers than disciples, looking for what we can get rather than how we can grow.

Signs of Consumer Christianity

• Singing just so others don't think we're not saved
• Giving small percentages to appear generous
• Acting like we're listening while thinking about lunch plans
• Walking out unchanged, ready to live like none of it matters until next week

The Difference Between Contracts and Covenants
We often approach our relationship with God like a contract instead of a covenant. A contract says, "If I do this, then God must do that." A covenant is an unconditional commitment based on God's character, not our performance.

God's Covenant vs. Our Contracts
God doesn't make contracts—He makes covenants. Either we accept His covenant or we don't. God honors His word, but He doesn't have to honor ours just because we pray it.
The blessing isn't just having our physical needs met. The real blessing is knowing "this is the house of God" and recognizing His presence in our lives.

Moving from "If" to Faith
Real faith produces obedience. If you're not obeying God's word, you don't really believe it—you're still operating in "if" mode. True faith looks like this:

• Trusting God's promises without conditions
• Making Him Lord of your life completely
• Following His direction even when it seems uncertain
• Recognizing His presence in every situation

Life Application
This week, examine your relationship with God honestly. Are you living with "if" faith or genuine trust? Stop approaching God with conditions and contracts. Instead of saying "If God does this, then I'll do that," start saying "Because God has promised, I will obey."
Take time to identify areas where you've been trying to help God out with His plans. Surrender those areas completely and trust His timing and methods. Remember, God's way is always better than our way, even when we can't see the full picture.

Questions for Reflection:

• Where in your life are you still saying "if" to God instead of trusting His promises?
• Are you approaching church as a consumer looking for what you can get, or as a disciple ready to be changed?
• What areas of your life are you still trying to control instead of surrendering to God's covenant?
• How can you move from conditional obedience to faith-based trust this week?