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Before and After

We love before and after stories.  Whether its weight loss or rags to riches or breaking out of addictions or home makeover episodes on TV, we love to see those big changes.  And the greater the change from the before to the after, the more compelling and thrilling the story is.

But some of the most compelling and thrilling before and afters are actually found in the Bible.  Take these for example:

Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.  (1 Peter 2:10)

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.  (2 Cor 5:17)

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.  (Eph 2:13)

Did you catch those before and afters?  Allow me to summarize them and use bullet points for clarity:

  • Not a people, now God’s people;
  • Had not received mercy, but now have received it;
  • The old has passed away, the new has come;
  • Once far off, now brought near.

John Newton, in writing the hymn Amazing Grace, shared his personal before and afters in everyday language for us:  “I once was lost, but now am found; was blind but now I see.”

These Biblical before and afters are so very compelling and thrilling, even more than we can ever imagine.  And we can’t earn them or purchase them or compete for them.  We go from the before to the after simply by putting our faith in Christ alone!

 

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