Decenber 6th
Today's Bible Reading
But Now
Ephesians 2:13
But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
But now are two most amazing words. They speak of a change. They declare that what was is no longer there. You were a child, but now you have grownup. You were in High school, but now you have graduated. You were young, but now you are old. You were but now you are. These two words not only speak of physical or mental changes, but also spiritual adjustments.
In our text these two words introduce a declaration of the spiritual transformation that occurs when someone enters into relationship with Jesus Christ. It details an affirmation of His acceptance. It tells the testimony of their transformation. These words declare our deliverance.
These two words sum up all that our Savior has secured for us through our encounter with Him. We were lost, but now we are found. We were blind, but now we see. We were in bondage, but now we have been set free. We were far off, but now we have been brought near. Everything has shifted. Everything has changed. What we were, is not who we are. But now we are different.
These two words are what we must recall in moments of doubt and despair. They are what we must consider when we are bombarded with trials and tribulations. These two words are what we must contemplate during life’s difficulties and dilemmas. “But now”, are sweet words for struggling souls. They are the words that will give the strength needed to defeat the lies of the enemy who says “not yet”. When we are assaulted by thoughts that we have not been transformed and we feel that the blood of Christ is of no avail in our life, we must call to mind these two words. This change is effective and eternal. But now . . . we have been brought near by the blood of Christ. Once His blood has been applied it can never be washed off.
Our text recalls our condition before God; we were “far off”. We were at enmity with God. We were alienated from Him. We were precluded from His promises and excluded from His covenant. We were hopelessly apart from Him. But now we have been made new. The old things have passed away and the new things have come. We who were “far off” have been “brought near”. The enmity has been erased and the alienation has been alleviated. We are no longer what we were, we have been changed.
The text further gives us the source of our transformation. It is by the blood of Christ. By His life, death, and resurrection we have been brought near. Ours sins were placed upon Him and His righteousness has been imputed to us. His blood poured out brought about our pardon. His hands stretched across the cross bridged the gap between us and God. His blood cleansed us from all our sin. He is the one who brought us near. He is the one who enables us to say, “We were ruined but now we have been rescued.” By Him we who afar off have been brought near.
Today rejoice in His redemption. Thank God that when you were afar off form God He loved you so much that brought you near by the blood of Christ. Ask God to help you put aside all doubt of your transformation. Ask him to help you live in the “But now” and not in the “not yet”. Thank Him that you have been eternally changed by the blood of Jesus Christ that was shed for you. Praise Him that “but now” you have been brought near.
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