For we too were once foolish, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another.
When completing home renovations, before and after photos can help communicate the magnitude and scope of what has been changed. In some renovations, the house can look so transformed that it is unrecognizable. Without those before pictures, the after may be appreciated but not fully grasped. When the before and after are side by side, the transformation is apparent. As Christ’s followers, we have been transformed by Him and made new to look like Him. We are made into new creations!
While we are no longer defined by the people we were before, we can remember that old person in the way we look at the before and after of our lives. Destructive habits and attitudes have been changed by Christ. We can look back even at hurtful or shameful memories with joy that we have been transformed in Christ. Second Corinthians 5:14-17 says, “For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, so that those who live would no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose on their behalf. Therefore from now on we recognize no one by the flesh; even though we have known Christ by the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer. Therefore if anyone is in Christ, this person is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” Christ has changed our story; He has transformed us so that we can live for Him! The before moments of our lives work as a piece of our testimony of the work Christ has done in our lives and evidence to others that He can transform them as well.
- What are some areas of your life that have been transformed by Christ?
- Is it easy or difficult for you to share the before part of your testimony? What makes this challenging?
- Pray for someone you hope to see transformed by Christ.
