Page 21 - March 2025 - Truth & Tidings

Delivered to a dominion under God’s Son. In His

Paul has just reminded the believers earthly ministry, the Lord Jesus perfectly
about their present standing in the inheri- displayed the Father’s love, but He also
declared Himself the object of that love
tance (v12). But now he takes them to their
position prior to conversion. They are re- (Joh 15:9). That we as believers should
ever come into this divine love – love
minded of the power of darkness in which that was so perfectly proven by the death,
they once lived. Darby’s translation of
verse 13 is as follows: “Who has delivered burial and resurrection of the Lord Je-
us from the authority of darkness, and sus – will be a theme that will occupy us
translated [us] into the kingdom of the Son eternally. We are subjects now of a new
of his love.” This implies the thought that kingdom. Is our heart flying that flag of
prior to our salvation we were controlled allegiance to Him?
by the power and authority of darkness Redeemed
over us. In this natural state, as it is with
every unbeliever, we were held captive to This final aspect is most interesting in
our sins and experienced the lack of spiri- its position. We often think that redemp-
tual capacity. But Paul reminds us, “For tion is the first step of God in His program
God, who commanded the light to shine of blessing us. However, in these verses,
out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, “redemption” is placed last. This empha-
to give the light of the knowledge of the sizes to us the ongoing and ultimate work
glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” of redemption. How beautiful to consider
(2Co 4:6 KJV). The authority of darkness that the God who qualified, delivered and
administered by Satan and his emissaries translated us will one day bring us to that
no longer has a grip on us. God’s light bright morning of complete redemption.
has shined into our hearts, and we have As Paul expressed to the Roman believers,
obtained the knowledge of God’s glory “And not only they, but ourselves also,
through the light that is reflected by our which have the firstfruits of the Spirit,
Savior, Jesus Christ. This is something we even we ourselves groan within ourselves,
couldn’t appreciate in our unsaved state; waiting for the adoption, to wit, the re-
we were gripped by darkness. How much demption of our body” (8:23 KJV).
are you enjoying the light that has been
shined into your heart to know God and Conclusion
walk with Him? Paul’s prayers for the Colossian believ-
ers are not unique to this epistle. His
Translated apostolic prayers were for all saints, and
This third aspect tells us that our al- they demonstrate how much Paul cared
legiance has now turned from the power for each believer. His prayers were full of
and authority of darkness to the kingdom thanksgiving. Surely, when we think of
of “the Son of his love,” as the Revised our inheritance, our liberation from the
Version puts it. This is truly a wonderful power of darkness, and the new allegiance
position that we have been brought into. we have in the kingdom of God’s Son,
As believers, we are now willing subjects we can join Paul in giving thanks to the
in a kingdom composed of liberated souls Father who has made us fit to partake of
that have been translated, or transferred, the inheritance of the saints in light.

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