Genesis 13-15 and Matthew 5:1-26 were the BibleGateway passages of scripture for Sunday, and while reading the Beatitudes my math topic was confirmed. I noticed a verse while reading earlier that got me thinking about using if-then statements in logic. Let me explain using an example.
If you climb onto the kitchen counter then it is possible to fall off the counter.
The "if" part (you climb onto the kitchen counter) is called the hypotheses, and the "then" part (it is possible to fall off the counter) is called the conclusion. Written this way, it is called a conditional statement. If we rearrange or change the wording, the statement is called a related conditional. For example, if we switch the hypotheses and conclusion it is called a converse statement.
If it is possible to fall off the counter then you climbed onto the kitchen counter.
If you negate each part of the original conditional it is called an inverse statement.
If you do not climb onto the kitchen counter then it is not possible to fall off the counter.
And finally, if you negate both parts of the converse statement, it will be called a contrapositive statement.
If it is not possible to fall off the counter then you did not climb onto the kitchen counter.
I may only be five days into God's Word this year, but I am amazed at how many conditional statements I've already read. The first was in Genesis 2:17. In essence God says, "If you eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil then you will die." I continued to find conditional statements in the reading, but when I read the fifth chapter of Matthew, I knew this was my topic - even before I fell off the kitchen counter!
While speaking to his disciples, Jesus gave them conditional statements. Read each verse as an if-then statement. If you are poor in spirit then yours is the kingdom of heaven. If you mourn then you will be comforted. If you are meek then you will inherit the earth. If you hunger and thirst after righteousness then you will be satisfied. If you are merciful then you will obtain mercy. If you are pure in heart then you will see God. If you seek peace, you will be called a child of God. If you are persecuted for righteousness' sake then yours is the kingdom of heaven. If men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account then rejoice and be glad for your reward is great in heaven.
Remember, Jesus is speaking to his disciples. Now, read the next two verses. They are NOT conditional statements. These are simply facts. You are the salt of the earth . . . You are the light of the world . . . Why?
"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." Matthew 5:16
Ah you have made me think on my own, well done. But I can only think that Jesus made those statements because the characteristics that were mentioned are in the believers already and therefore they are the salt and light.
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