Therefore - by Ben Bonython

The word THEREFORE means ‘for that reason’, ‘consequently’, ‘because of that’, ‘on that ground’ or maybe even ‘I said all that, so I could say this…’ While it is a little simplistic, Paul summarises the first 11 chapters in the ‘therefore’ of Romans 12, as God’s mercies.

To give clarity to mercy, while grace is receiving favour when we do not deserve it, mercy is not receiving justice when we do deserve it. An example of mercy is Jane Stork who features on a Netflix Doco.

I have watched Wild Wild Country three times. It is a portrait of a notorious 1980s religious cult. One of the people in the story was Australian Jane Stork, who was convicted of attempted murder and served three years in jail. After serving time, she fled to Germany before the FBI uncovered another assassination attempt on U.S. District Attorney Charles Turner. Germany refused to extradite Stork so she lived as a free woman — until she learned her son had a terminal brain tumour. Stork decided to face the past by returning to the United States with the hope that in doing so, they would allow her to visit her dying son. The judge ultimately was merciful, granting time served after Charles Turner, the target of the assassination attempt, agreed that Stork’s arrest warrant be lifted, and given probation rather than prison and so Stork was with her son Peter when he died. Mercy, pure mercy!

Where Jane Stork, in humility and hope, humbled herself before the uncertainty of asking for mercy of the judge, we do not face the same uncertainty, rather mercifully, we know! Inculcated by his own receipt of mercy, Paul might ask us a question in Romans 12: ‘…because of the last 11 chapters of certain mercy…and now that you know that you know…how should you live?”

Romans 1-11 expounds the certainty for the mercy that has been given to us, and removes all doubt that we cannot please God of our own accord. Rather it is only by Jesus, in view of His mercy, by His mercy and through His mercy, that we can answer the Lord’s invitation to live holy, acceptably and pleasing before the Lord.

In view of the mercy she did not deserve, how does Jane Stork now live her life? If then Jane returned to her old life, how would that make Turner feel? If Jane blamed and sued the state for not protecting her, how would Turner feel about that? Or if Jane withdrew and lived a hermit, how would Turner feel?

The idea is not to judge Jane or Tuner, but to consider the idea of what we do with mercy we’ve received! Because for Paul, we have received not only the mercy Jane received, but certainly more, much much more! Romans systematically expresses that the mercy of the unfailing arms of our Lord is life shaping and life changing! Romans argues that His mercy permeates our attitudes and thinking and goals and aspirations and what we consider important.

The Bible says that because of the mercy we have received, know and experienced, we now get to do things, and live in a certain way that pleases God, and that certain way is by faith, following Jesus. Romans then offers the rationale of practicing faith, by the certainty of the mercy of God, translated as:

“God has shown us great mercy”

“through the mercies of God”

“by the mercies of God”

“in view of God’s mercies”

I would argue then that Romans 12 commences with an introduction that is a conclusion…that because of the mercy of God, there is a reasonable service due, an intelligent service, a spiritual service and a reasonable act of worship that is due unto the Lord. The passion of Romans 12:1 expressed in the invitation to us to live by faith, because of such lavish and undeserving mercy, should not be lost upon us. Rather Paul urges and beseeches, appeals, asks and calls upon us. He implores, exhorts and encourages us. Confrontingly, Paul pleads and begs us!

Paul begs us to give and present and offer our lives as a living sacrifice – our true and proper worship, our reasonable response, our spiritual and intelligent service. When was the last time someone genuinely begged of you? Picture a Christian brother begging you, an apostle who knew shame and restoration, been stoned and beaten. Welcome to Romans 12, the Bible’s powerful invitation to us, to live by and in certain mercy given to us by Jesus!