I have an illustration that made me smile when I ran across it. But first, please let me share a wonderful couple of Scripture verses with you.

“But God be thanked, that you were the servants of sins…you became the servants of righteousness” (Romans 6:17-18).

Recently I ran across a picture of a company that wanted to sell a cosmetic product. It appeared on a sidebar of something I was reading online for research. The person had some wrinkles and bags under his eyes. Yes, you read me correctly. It was under his eyes! The marvelous cosmetic lotion was applied, and within minutes, he was a new person! Well, almost! If I looked carefully, I suppose there was some improvement.

It reminds me of another before and after. Paul used a powerful teaching application to describe what our condition was BEFORE we trusted Christ. We were servants of sin, under its control, and in a terrible situation. Since we have trusted Christ, we now see what our condition is AFTER coming to know Christ. We are now servants of righteousness. We still sin. It comes far too easily. But remember today, with the Lord’s enabling, you can have the joy of being a servant of righteousness.

I am so thankful to be living in the “after”!  May our lives reflect the amazing grace of God today.