FOREVER GRATEFUL
COLOSSIANS 1:12-14
We use statements like, “I am forever grateful”, I can never thank you enough”, or “I am forever indebted to you” to express immense appreciation for a benefit or help from another individual.
Christians ought to be the most thankful people on earth. Seven times in this epistle Paul encourages gratefulness or gives thanks. When we consider the eternal benefits God rendered for us and to us we should be forever grateful.
In three verses Paul presents a plethora of blessings. These three verses continue the sense of Paul’s prayerfulness and gratefulness to the Lord. Verses 13 and 14 also bridge the previous prayer with a powerful section revealing the person and work of Jesus Christ. The purpose in this section motivates the believer to express thanksgiving to the Father for all that He has done for us.
We are thankful because of three benefits God gives to each of His children. First, we thank God for the riches for the saints in verse 12. Next, in verse 13, we thank God for the rescue of the saints. Finally, we thank God for the redemption of the saints (v. 14).
I. WE THANK GOD FOR THE RICHES FOR THE SAINTS v. 12
Within this verse we see two components of the riches for the saints.
A. The Adequacy for the Saints “…who has qualified us….”
The word “qualified” means “to make sufficient, to equip one with adequate power to perform duties and to make fit.” The only other usage of this word in the New Testament occurs in 2 Corinthians 3:6, “…who also made us adequate as servants of a New Covenant….” What Paul presents is the fact that if man partakes of the things of God he must meet the “qualification” or “be adequate.” We cannot make ourselves adequate to receive the inheritance mentioned in this verse.
Imagine if you were summoned to the reading of a will for an immense estate. You heard the requirements for who would partake of the inheritance and there were literally dozens of activities you must perform to qualify for this. You sit realizing that you could never fit into the requirements. The first requirement involved going to visit the family servant. Everyone looked at that step and wanted to skip over it to get busy trying to accomplish the other requirements. Because you felt inadequate, you go to visit the servant and discover that he was prepared all along to accomplish all of the requirements for you. As you trust the work to the servant you discover you become fit to partake of the inheritance.
The Father has qualified us because we had no adequacy in and of ourselves. He sent the Lord Jesus to fit us for a glorious inheritance.
B. The Appropriation of the Saints “…to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light.”
The word “share” means “portion or participation.” The term “inheritance” means “the object used in the casting of the lots, whether a pebble or stick.” The idea presented is that saints have been made fit to place a lot for a share in the inheritance. Another way to express this – we are adequate to have a stake in this inheritance.
The spiritual inheritance of the believer is in the Light. The NASV capitalizes this word indicating that it is Christ. Ephesians 1:3 affirms this truth indicating that the Christian has every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ. The inheritance has already been deposited in our spiritual bank account and it is full.
II. WE THANK GOD FOR THE RESCUE OF THE SAINTS v. 13
The truth of this rescue involves two works of God on our behalf.
A. The Rescue “For He rescued us from the domain of darkness….”
The word “rescue” means “deliver or to draw to one’s self.” This word is an aorist middle indicating that the Rescuer did this activity for Himself and unto Himself. According to this verse those rescued dwelt in something called the “domain of darkness.” “Domain” means “mastery, power, and authority.” Darkness characterizes this domain as the kingdom of Satan and the very arena of those who are lost, unsaved, blind, dead, bound, and enslaved to the devil. We, as unbelievers, “lived” as slaves in the dark domain of Satan. We had no escape, no hope, and no ability to handle this situation. We needed someone to attack this kingdom, break the prison cells open and free the captives. Is that not what Jesus said He came to do? Isaiah 61:1 prophesizes of this and Luke 4:18 reveals the Lord’s words fulfilling this in His first coming. Jesus entered into the kingdom of darkness, broke open the doors of the prison, and drew us to Himself.
B. The Replacement “…and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son.”
Jesus rescued us from one kingdom in order to replace our living situation. The word “transferred” means “exchange or remove from one place to another.” The word is used in Luke 16:4 with regard to the parable of the slave who was about to be “removed” from his position. Acts 13:22 is Paul describing how God “replaced” Saul with David. Acts 19:26 shows how the Lord “turned away” idolaters to Himself. 1 Corinthians 13:2 teaches that we can have all faith so as to “remove” mountains. This verb occurs in the aorist tense just as the one above, describing that the rescue and the replacement are settled activities. We once “lived” in the domain of darkness and Jesus carried us away to His kingdom. We exchanged the old kingdom for the new one. We do not live under the tyranny of Satan. No Christian lives under his mastery. We live in the kingdom of our Lord and He is to be the Master of our life.
III. WE THANK GOD FOR THE REDEMPTION OF THE SAINTS v. 14
In Christ we have redemption. It needs to be noted that the phrase, “through His blood,” which is in the KJV, but does not occur in the older and better manuscripts. Now this does not mean there is a conspiracy against the blood of Christ by the NASV. If that were the case it would not be in Ephesians 1:7. Most believe that the translators added “through His blood” from the Ephesian passage.
“Redemption” means “a ransom, or a liberation procured by the payment of a ransom.” The concept of redemption comes from the Old Testament law concerning the goel redeemer. This term “goel” means “the near kinsman,” the one who had three rights. First, he could purchase back land sold by a relative because of his poverty (Lev. 25:25-28). This example occurs in the book of Ruth as Boaz takes the role of the goel for Ruth and Naomi. Jesus became our Goel and bought back the inheritance lost in Adam. Secondly, according to Lev. 25:47-49, the goel ransomed his kinsmen from bondage to a foreigner. Jesus, our Goel, ransomed His brethren who had sold themselves into slavery to Satan. The “goel” also meaning, “revenger,” who avenged the death of his slain kinsman as an act of honor. Numbers 35 reveals the implications of the cities of refuge as a place to protect one who accidentally killed another from the avenger. The word “avenger” is the “goel.” Hebrews 2:14-15 indicates that Christ came to destroy Satan who had the power of death and deliver those subject to bondage.
Jesus paid the ransom to purchase our inheritance and restore it to us. He paid the ransom in order to purchase us out of slavery. He ransomed us by defeating the works of the devil.
The redemption directly affected “the forgiveness of sins.” The word “forgiveness” means “freedom, remission, and deliverance.” Thayer notes, “Release from bondage or prison; letting sins go as if they had never been committed.” Because of the redemptive work of Christ at the cross all sins past, present, and future were removed as if they were never committed.
This section introduces the readers to the sufficiency of Christ’s death. The Lord has given riches to us. The Lord has provided the rescue needed for us to leave the old life and have a new one. The Lord has provided redemption for us so that all of our sins are removed as if never committed. We should continually thank the Lord for so great a salvation!
