Colossians 1.13-14
“He has delivered 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.”
The Lord has delivered us from the kingdom of the enemy (the domain of darkness) and has moved us — transferred us — to the kingdom of Jesus, which is the kingdom of God.
A “kingdom” is not a territory; it is a sphere of authority. Being a Christian means that you have made a commitment to turn away from the evil one’s sphere of authority, and you have committed to Christ’s sphere of authority. It means that you have turned away from the evil one’s distortions, distractions, and darkness, and you have committed to the truth, grace, and standards of God’s word.
The gift we receive for committing to the kingdom of Jesus is redemption, the forgiveness of sins. We do not merit or earn forgiveness; we receive it by faith. It is the result of grace, not the result of effort or works. Forgiveness is the gracious blessing the Lord bestows upon us when we recognize his authority, repent of our sin, and receive his forgiveness by faith.
The responsibility we are given when we commit to the kingdom of Jesus is stewardship. Scripture is very clear about this responsibility: we are called to be faithful and fruitful stewards of our Master. He calls us to obedience; he calls us to live and work by his standards; he calls us to walk in the power of the Spirit.
The verses immediately preceding the above passage put an emphasis on our responsibility as citizens of the kingdom:
“And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father …” (Colossians 1:9-12)
The goal of Paul’s prayer is twofold:
1) That we would live an obedient, fruitful life that pleases God. He wants us to “walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.”
2) That we would live with joyful patience, perseverance, and gratitude. He wants us to live the Christian life with “all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father.”
In order to accomplish the twofold goal, here is what Paul prays for us:
1) That we may be “filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding.”
2) That we may be “strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might.”
Wow! Consider the impact of those two things in your life: The Lord’s wisdom and the Lord’s power. Wisdom means the ability to see the situations of life with exceptional clarity and insight, and power means the ability to respond to those situations with exceptional discipline and effectiveness. The effect of the Lord’s wisdom and power in your life and through your life is transformational.
One last thought before I close for this week: Notice that Paul prays that we would have “all” spiritual wisdom and “all” power. The apostle desires that we have a full measure of the Lord’s wisdom and strength.
