“He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” (vv.13-14)
In Colossians 1, Paul wrote to people who had come to know Jesus Christ and whose lives showed evidence of their faith, but whom he had never seen. After assuring them of his prayers for them, to know God’s will, and to please Him (vv.3-12), Paul used a powerful word picture to describe what God had done for them all: “He has delivered you (us) from the power of darkness and conveyed you (us) into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins” (vv.13-14).
Meaning, in Christ, we have been rescued! He has taken us from danger to safety; from one power and destiny (Satan and the pit), to another (Jesus and heaven); from death to life. But is that deliverance permanent? Does this mean, “once saved, always saved?” Can one now do whatever they want and be assured of salvation?
Paul speaking of being reconciled in Christ states, “And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach—If indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister” (vv.21-23).
Wow, that’s a pretty big “if” to consider. While each of us has been rescued from darkness, and would never consider open rebellion against God, there were (and are) false teachers/doctrines that slowly took (and still take) many off course, away from the hope of the gospel and faith in Jesus. So Paul warns them here of such heresies that were sprouting up concerning the nature of Jesus, that they might remain steadfast and continue in the faith.
I for one would not want to put my eternal hope in any such teaching or doctrine. I believe that we are eternally secure in Christ alone if we continue in the faith and abide in Jesus.
The Truth: “There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)
Stepping outside of that in any shape or form knowingly or unknowingly puts us right back where we were...in darkness, needing to be reconciled back to God.
In Colossians 1, Paul wrote to people who had come to know Jesus Christ and whose lives showed evidence of their faith, but whom he had never seen. After assuring them of his prayers for them, to know God’s will, and to please Him (vv.3-12), Paul used a powerful word picture to describe what God had done for them all: “He has delivered you (us) from the power of darkness and conveyed you (us) into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins” (vv.13-14).
Meaning, in Christ, we have been rescued! He has taken us from danger to safety; from one power and destiny (Satan and the pit), to another (Jesus and heaven); from death to life. But is that deliverance permanent? Does this mean, “once saved, always saved?” Can one now do whatever they want and be assured of salvation?
Paul speaking of being reconciled in Christ states, “And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach—If indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister” (vv.21-23).
Wow, that’s a pretty big “if” to consider. While each of us has been rescued from darkness, and would never consider open rebellion against God, there were (and are) false teachers/doctrines that slowly took (and still take) many off course, away from the hope of the gospel and faith in Jesus. So Paul warns them here of such heresies that were sprouting up concerning the nature of Jesus, that they might remain steadfast and continue in the faith.
I for one would not want to put my eternal hope in any such teaching or doctrine. I believe that we are eternally secure in Christ alone if we continue in the faith and abide in Jesus.
The Truth: “There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)
Stepping outside of that in any shape or form knowingly or unknowingly puts us right back where we were...in darkness, needing to be reconciled back to God.
