Col.1:13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,
The “transference” of the believer, from under satan’s authority to Christ’s, is described as movement into another “kingdom.” Ensuing verses describe Christ’s redemption as bringing us to a place of “completeness,” that is, of spiritual adequacy, authority, or ability to live victoriously over and above the invisible powers of darkness (vv. 14-16; 2:6-10).
This becomes functionally true, as opposed to merely theoretically.
We:
1) live and love as citizens of the heavenly kingdom (Phil. 3:20);
2) utilize this kingdom’s currency, which is of irresistible value (Acts 3:6);
3) operate as ambassadors authorized to offer kingdom peace and reconciliation to those yet unrenewed in Christ (2 Cor. 5:20); and
4) serve as the kingdom militia, girded for enforcement against the dark powers controlling so much of this present world (Eph. 6:10-20). The terminology of “the kingdom” holds more than poetic pictures. It is practically applicable to all our living.
Delivered us . . . darkness conveys the idea of salvation rescuing us from the tyranny of darkness. Drawing on an important OT theme (see Ex. 6:6; 14:30), it includes rescue from such negatives as
danger,
death,
sickness,
and hostile situations in general (see Ps. 33:18, 19).
These rescues include both present deliverances and future, consummated deliverances in the world to come. Conveyed refers to the deportation or transference of captured armies or populations from one country to another.
Notice this is past tense. We have been delivered from the powers of darkness and have been conveyed (transported, this is where we get the word conveyor belt) into His Kingdom, the kingdom of Love and Light.
No comments:
Post a Comment