Remember the "Before"

And you were dead in your trespasses and sins in which you previously walked . . . in our fleshly desires . . . and we were by nature children under wrath. —Ephesians 2:1–3

When the gospel loses its wonder, when it dims and grows dull, remember what life was like before you were in Christ.

We don’t often want to go back to those memories, and perhaps there are details that are best forgotten. But the condition of our hearts, the destiny of our souls before rebirth, these are worth remembering. Paul knew that the Philippian believers could benefit from a realistic reflection on their lives before Christ. And it was ugly, polluted by lust, greed, hatred, and all kinds of evil. And hopelessness. Utter, eternal hopelessness.

The glories of the gospel and the grace of Christ are never as precious to us as they are when seen against the backdrop of the depravity and sinfulness of human flesh. But the gospel quickly regains its wonder when we remember just how desperate we were and what God did to deliver us.