The Therefore of the Christian Life
While in seminary, a professor of mine stressed the importance of making sermons practical for people. I remember him telling my fellow students and me not to forget the “So what?” question.
There is a temptation, especially among young preachers, to share pedantic details gleaned from various books and commentaries. My professor knew this. He would invite students to imagine that they were preaching to a parishioner in the last pew and when the sermon was over, that person would ask, “So what? What difference does your message make in my life?”
The Bible shares a similar concern. Although the Bible can at times feel irrelevant, at its core, it is practical (see especially 2 Timothy 3:16-17). Is it no surprise that the Bible repeatedly answers the “so what” question? We see this especially with the term “therefore.” Paul uses the term over 70 times! After articulating an important truth, Paul often uses “therefore” as a logical bridge to practical living. This is precisely what he does in 1 Corinthians 15. Paul first lays out one of the most profound truths of the Gospel, “Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:55-57)
This is terrific news. What could be better than to know that death has been “swallowed up in victory?” Yet, Paul doesn’t stop there. This is because he was concerned about making things practical for his audience. So, after claiming that death has been conquered, Paul employs the term “therefore.” He then shares the practical consequences which flow out of this truth, “Therefore, my beloved, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 15:58)
To summarize Paul’s argument, since Christ has conquered death, there are practical implications for how we should live. Yet, as with almost all commands in Scripture, these instructions are based upon foundational truths of the Gospel — namely His prior saving activity.
Is God calling you to be different? To think and act differently? Absolutely! Yet, the call to obedience (to love neighbor, to embody the fruit of the Spirit and so on) is because we are different. We have been saved by grace through faith. And because of this, or therefore, we should want to conform our lives to his ways.
