Living life outside of salvation is simply existing. True life—abundant life—can only really be experienced through Jesus Christ. He willingly laid down His own life so that we could truly live. The moment we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we pass from death into life. Colossians 1:13-14 (NLT) says, “For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.” Because of what God accomplished for us through the life, sacrificial death, and resurrection of His only begotten Son, we can live through the life of Christ. There’s no greater existence than the one we have in Him.
That is why sharing the Gospel is one of the greatest acts of love we can ever demonstrate. We are pointing people to the One who offers forgiveness, reconciliation with the Father, and eternal life. But salvation is not the end of God’s work in us; it is the beginning of a completely new life. If our hearts genuinely desire to please God, our lives cannot remain the same after surrendering to Christ.
Before surrendering to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, we are the lord of our own lives. And boy, did we get ourselves in a bind. We make decisions based on what feels good, what satisfies our flesh, and what seems right in our own eyes. We live according to our own will, and God didn’t design life to be lived that way. Following Jesus means that we exchange our will for God’s Will.
Scripture doesn’t simply tell us what to walk away from; it also tells us what to pursue. 2 Timothy 2:22 (NLT) says, “Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts.” Jesus Himself demonstrated this surrender in the Garden of Gethsemane when He prayed, “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your Will to be done, not mine.” (Luke 22:42, NLT). That is the heart of every true disciple. We stop asking God to bless our plans and begin asking Him to lead our lives.
Our eyes were blinded, and we were walking through life without understanding our purpose or our true identity. Talk about hopeless—that’s exactly where we were apart from Christ. But because of Him, hopelessness does not have the final say. Romans 8:23 reminds us that we have been adopted into God’s family, filled with His Holy Spirit, and given the promise of an eternal inheritance. Even as we wait for the day when our redemption is complete, we don’t wait wondering if God will keep His promises. We know He will because He has never failed us. He has already proven Himself faithful. The same God who rescued us from spiritual death is the same God who is preparing us for eternity with Him.
This is why life before salvation isn’t life at all. We may have been breathing, working, building careers, raising families, chasing dreams, and making plans, but without Jesus Christ we were only existing. We were spiritually dead and didn’t even know it. Real life begins the moment we surrender our hearts to Him. That’s when everything changes. We begin to see with new eyes, love with a new heart, and walk with a new purpose because the Holy Spirit is living within us. The life Christ offers isn’t simply a better version of the old life—it is an entirely new life, and there is nothing this world can offer that compares to living every day with Him. ■
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
“Life Before Salvation Isn’t Life at All”, written by KLizzie, edited by Reverend Fran Mack, for Sundie Morning Sistas ©2026. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! SMS is dedicated to inspiring and encouraging Christian Women through the Word of God.
