Colossians 1:13

who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love;

'WHO' -i.e. the Father (Colossians 1:12). Now Paul describes their glorious deliverance from. condition of former hopelessness.

'DELIVERED' -4506. rhoumai rhoo'-om-ahee; middle voice of an obsolete verb, akin to 4482 (through the idea of. current; compare 4511); to rush or draw (for oneself), i.e. rescue: -deliver(-er).

-How foolish to assert, 'What has God done for me'! Or, 'Why should. serve Him?'

'OUT OF THE POWER OF DARKNESS' -'the dominion of' (Con).

Points to Note:

1. Unfortunately, many members attempt to glorify or romanticize their "unconverted days". God brings us back to reality (Romans 6:21; 1 Peter 4:1). These were not the days of "wine and roses", rather, they were the days of darkness.

2. Eadie notes, 'What men should believe and what they should do, what they should rest on and what they should hope for, what the mind should fasten on as truth and what the heart should gather in upon itself as. portion, what the spirit should present as acceptable worship and what the conscience should venerate as. rule of duty--all had been. matter of deep perplexity or hopeless uncertainty to the Colossians prior to their spiritual translation. There were occasionally in the heathen world shrewd guesses at truth...But the masses were involved in obscurity..Ignorance, vice, and misery, the triple shades of this darkness, held possession of them.' (pp. 35-36) (Acts 26:18)

3. And lest the reader suppose that things have changed, and that people outside of Christ in our enlightened 20th Century are close to the light. Allow me to say the following words: Evolution, Abortion, Gay Rights, Casinos, Cocaine, Alcohol, Astrology, Pornography and Feminism.. mere casual reading of bumper stickers will inform you that your neighbors are in darkness just as much as the neighbors and friends of these Christians in Colossae.

4. And let us also remember the "darkness" that exists in the denominational world, from hence we hear things like, 'It doesn't matter what you believe, just as long as you're sincere.' Or, 'baptism isn't essential to salvation.'

'TRANSLATED' -3179. methistemi meth-is'-tay-mee; or (1 Corinthians 13:2) methistano meth-is-tan'-o; from 3326 and 2476; to transfer, i.e. carry away, depose or (figuratively) exchange, seduce: -put out, remove, translate, turn away.

'THE KINGDOM OF THE SON OF HIS LOVE' -'kingdom of his beloved Son' (Con).

Points to Note:

1. The Kingdom is. present reality and it was present in the First Century. You cannot be translated into something which doesn't exist. What these Christians were delivered from was. real present reality, i.e. the domain of darkness. Therefore, where they were translated had to be. present reality also.

2. The Kingdom that the Bible emphasizes isn't. millennial kingdom upon this earth. It is. spiritual kingdom composed of all Christians (Revelation 1:5; Revelation 5:9). It is the same relationship which is also referred to by the descriptive title "church" (Compare Acts 20:28; Revelation 1:5) and (Acts 2:38; Acts 2:41; Acts 2:47 "added" with Colossians 1:13 'translated'.)

3. Baptism is an essential part of this translation process, as is faith. (John 3:5; Acts 2:38; Acts 2:41; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Colossians 2:12). In this kingdom is found forgiveness or those in the kingdom are forgiven (Colossians 1:14) But God places baptism as the last act prior to the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38; Acts 22:16).

'THE SON OF HIS LOVE' -'This kingdom is also. realm of love, for the Son who rules is the supreme object of the Father's affection. He is the well-beloved Son; he is "the Son of his love." (Erdman p. 48) Thus if one is in the kingdom, they are definitely in the right place, as far as God is concerned. What closer relationship could. person have with God while upon this earth, then be in the kingdom in which His beloved Son rules???

This means that those in the Kingdom have. personal relationship with Jesus Christ, for it is the Kingdom that He rules over (Ephesians 1:22). Thus, Jesus isn't. distant Savior. We don't need angels, Mary, Joseph or the Righteous Brothers to intercede for us or inform the Lord that we are in need (Hebrews 4:14).