Since

Since.  Any American child in the 70s and 80s knew School House Rock, the animated educational shorts, put to music, about various grammar rules, how a bill becomes a law, the Shot Heard ‘Round the World, and the magic number three. Some adults in that demographic still remember the songs, decades later. For instance, can you sing with the train engineer, “Conjunction junction, what’s your function?” as he joined various trains of verbal thought with connector words like for, but, since, and therefore. Conjunctions continue to rock!

In the Scriptures, there are few conjunctions more prominent than in Hebrews chapter 10. Because Jesus is the perfect sacrifice for sin (vv. 1-18), a personal response is warranted: “Therefore, brothers” (vs. 19a). Conjunction junction, what’s your function? The function of the therefore is to engage the engine (vv. 19b-25). Revving the train’s engine in neutral, for example, on a fact — “For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified” (vs. 14) — is insufficient to move forward if the drive shaft remains unengaged. The conjunction therefore makes the connection; the locomotive drops into first gear. The repetition of since (vv. 19, 21) moves up through the gears: second and third. “Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God” (Heb. 10:19-21). The three following commands (vv. 22-25) propel the train into serious speed: “let us draw near” (vs. 22), “let us hold fast” (vs. 23), and “let us consider how” (vs. 24). Faith is meant to be mobile.

Each junction has its appropriate conjunction. Notice how the flow grinds to a halt if conditionals (e.g., if, perhaps, maybe) had been used instead of conjunctions. Christianity might look something like this: perhaps, brothers, if we have confidence to enter … and if we have a great priest over the house of God, then let us draw near/hold fast/consider how …. Do you see how important the proper transition is? Since is certain. If is iffy. Since says, “Done!” If shrugs, “Maybe?” In the text, thankfully, we have a string of therefore-since-since instead of a series of perhaps-if-then. We can stand on a since, whereas we might slip on an if. With an if, our behavior determines our acceptance. With a since, our acceptance through Christ determines our behavior in Christ. Thanks be to God through Christ for the conjunction since!