Before and After Christ

Follow God’s example in everything you do just as a much loved child imitates his father.

─ Ephesians 5:1 TLB

You have many defining moments in your life: before and after you learned to drive, before and after you became an adult, met your spouse or started your career … before and after you lost a person close to you, or lost a job. You can clearly define what life was like for you before and after each event.

Our verse for today compels you to follow God’s example in all that you do. It’s a clear picture of what your life should look like to others and how you should live from the inside out.

• You’ve received God’s grace, mercy and forgiveness.
• Before salvation you were dead spiritually, but you are spiritually reborn, alive in Christ.
• You once followed the world’s ways, but now you stand for God’s goodness and truth.
• Once led by your own fleshly thoughts and desires, you now have the mind of Christ.

When you made the decision to accept the gift of salvation, you experienced the defining moment. Who you were before experiencing salvation, and who you’re becoming since accepting Him should look very different to you, to God and to those who know you well.

In the chapter before our verse today, Paul shows us the contrast between how people live before they know Christ and how we should live after accepting Christ (Ephesians 4:17-24).

Unbelievers live in the futility of their minds, without understanding, excluded from the life of God. That dark snapshot describes each of us before Christ. Then Paul contrasts our lives, after Christ, “But you did not learn Christ in this way, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus” (NKJV). He gives us a look at the changed life every person can experience after receiving Christ.

Today’s One Thing

In what ways has God changed your life? Examine yourself before and after Christ. Make a list of how you’ve changed. Thank the Lord and share that transformation story with someone this week.

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