Our hope is certain in Christ because being in the faith is determined as fulfilled.
There are a lot of times in the original Greek the "if" is actually a statement of it is determined as fulfilled.....
It is called "a condition of the first class"..... Colossians 1:23 is a prime example:
Colossians 1:23 (NASB)
[SUP]23 [/SUP] if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister.
If so be that ye continue in the faith (ei ge epimenete tēi pistei).
Condition of the first class (determined as fulfilled),
Word Pictures in the New Testament. A. T. Robertson Greek Scholar
Sort of like this....you are going to the bank..and I say to you.... "If" you are going to be at the bank ( determined as already fulfilled )...get me $100 bucks.
I'll take a check too...
There are a lot of times in the original Greek the "if" is actually a statement of it is determined as fulfilled.....
It is called "a condition of the first class"..... Colossians 1:23 is a prime example:
Colossians 1:23 (NASB)
[SUP]23 [/SUP] if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister.
If so be that ye continue in the faith (ei ge epimenete tēi pistei).
Condition of the first class (determined as fulfilled),
Word Pictures in the New Testament. A. T. Robertson Greek Scholar
Sort of like this....you are going to the bank..and I say to you.... "If" you are going to be at the bank ( determined as already fulfilled )...get me $100 bucks.
I'll take a check too...