Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. (Romans 12:1)
“Therefore” is an adverb. It often qualifies a word group and explains the result or consequences of the facts previously stated in an argument.
For example, Jack Nicklaus won 18 Majors, more than any other golf professional in PGA history. Therefore, Jack Nicklaus is the greatest professional golfer of all time.
In the example, “therefore” modifies the verb “won” and the adjectives that detail Jack’s accomplishment. The result, or the “therefore,” is that Jack is the greatest golfer ever. This is undeniably true based on the facts that precede the “therefore” in the statement.
Whenever you come across a “therefore” in Scripture, you should always ask yourself, “What is “therefore,” there for?” Go back and read what has just been said. It’s important because it supports a conclusion.
The Apostle Paul frequently uses “therefore” in Scripture. The Book of Romans has three important “therefores” that make the book relatively easy to summarize. While the book can get a bit complicated in places, its overall message is straightforward, very practical, and life-changing.
The first “therefore” is in Romans 1:24:
For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles. Therefore, God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.
The second “therefore” is in Romans 7:37-8:1:
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Therefore, there is no condemnation at all for those who are in Christ Jesus.
The third “therefore” is in Romans 12:1:
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.
The Gospel is straightforward and easy to understand. God abandons those creatures who refuse to love and glorify him, their Creator, with their lives.
For those who are in Christ through faith, there is no condemnation for past failures to glorify God. And now, nothing can separate them from the love of their Creator.
Finally, Paul implores the ones in Christ to give their life completely to God in response to God’s great love and mercy. Living completely for God is the believer’s form of worship and their natural role as a created being, for we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works. (Ephesians 2:10)
Facts lead us to conclusions. The logic plays out: Jack Nicklaus is the greatest golfer of all time. The Gospel is no different; God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)
Prayer: Lord, it is by faith that we understand (Hebrews11:3). Illuminate my mind and warm my heart. May I please you, my Creator.