THIS IS WHAT YOU WERE:

"Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God." (1Cor 16:9-11)

Before Christ, THIS is what you WERE.  The key word here is WERE.

"While we WERE yet sinners, Christ died for the ungodly." (Rom 5:6)

Notice this: At the time we WERE dreadful sinners (thieves, murderers, idolaters, sexually immoral, etc), THAT is when Christ died for us.  He did not reach out to us when we were already clean, holy, pure, righteous, or worthy\.  We were wicked.  Period.

But that is not the end of the story.  You WERE washed and sanctified and justified in Jesus Christ by the Spirit of God!

In His abundant love, God rescued us from our pit.  He reached out to us and saved us.
We WERE saved by His grace, and we ARE continually being saved by that same grace.
It is truly a great reason to celebrate!