Have you ever considered the great work of salvation that our God has wrought in our lives? His great mercy and grace saved us from an eternity in hell and by his power we have been transformed into new creatures and we have been placed into the family of God.
The following Bible verses clearly show what we were before Christ and what (or who) we are now in Him:
- From slaves of sin to freedom from sin
“But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered…having been set free from sin” (Rom. 6:17, 18)
- From condemned criminals to legally justified
“…nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:10-11)
- From dead in sins to quickened to a new life
“And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins.” (Ephesians 2:1)
- From being far away from God to being in Christ
“But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” (Ephesians 2:13)
- From darkness to light
“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light” (Ephesians 5:8)
- From enemies of God to full reconciliation in Christ
“And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled.” (Colossians 1:21)
- From lost sheep to being back in the fold with the Shepherd
“For you were as sheep going astray, but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.” (1 Peter 2:25)
Brothers and sisters: This is what we were before and who we are now in Christ. Everything now is like the commercial ads: “New and Improved” but wait, there is more, so much more to come for us in the future. When we get to heaven we will be so much different than we are now, that our present Christian life will be what “we were” and glorious perfection is what we shall have in the eternal NOW.
A. G.
