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Colossians 1, Verses 9 to 14, Saints in the Light, Redemption and 'Aphesis'
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I'll always quote from the New American Standard Bible, 1995 edition, unless I mention otherwise. Sometimes I'll make comments in the middle of quotations in brackets [ ] or [[ ]] to make them more obvious. If you click on my name at one of my articles, it will take you to a listing of all of my articles on this site. I would like to recommend the paper in 6 parts titled "Some Comments on 'Destined to Reign' by Joseph Prince and Righteousness and Holiness."
INTRODUCTION: These verses are of key importance on the super-important topic of righteousness, holiness, redemption, and the victory over all sin. Colossians 1:9-14 are discussed on pages 146-151 of my book, "Holiness and Victory Over Sin: Full Salvation Through the Atoning Death of the Lord Jesus Christ," in the chapter titled "A Study on the Meaning of the Greek Noun 'Aphesis.' " (Colossians 1:9-20 are all one sentence in the Greek.) I discussed these verses and the meaning of "aphesis" in Articles #s 19 and 20 in my paper "Twenty-Eight Articles on Holiness and Victory Over Sin" that is on my internet site (Google to Karl Kemp Teaching). Those articles are available individually on this Christian article site. I will borrow heavily in this article from those articles, which borrowed heavily from my book. See the book and those articles for more details.
COLOSSIANS 1:9-11. "For this reason also, since the day we heard of it we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, (10) so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; (11) strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously"
The apostle Paul was concerned that the Colossian Christians (and all Christians) be transformed/sanctified and "walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects." That certainly includes the victory over all sin, doesn't it? Christians must know the will of God (see verse 9) so they can cooperate (by faith) with His saving grace, which includes His sanctifying power (see verse 11). These verses show that Christians are enabled (and required) to live righteous, holy, fruitful, and steadfast lives (by the saving grace of God in Christ through faith). In the following verses, verses 12-14, the apostle Paul goes on speaking of the glory of new-covenant salvation that redeems sinners from the kingdom of sin and spiritual death and transfers them to the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ and makes them righteous and holy.
COLOSSIANS 1:12-14. "[joyously] giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in [the] light. (13) For He rescued us [The 1977 edition of the NASB had "delivered us"] from the domain [or, authority] of [the] darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, (14) in whom we have [the] redemption, the forgiveness [Greek "aphesis"] of sins."
God the Father "has qualified us" (Col. 1:12). We could also translate "has made us fit." The Amplified Bible has, "has qualified and made us fit." For one major thing, the Father has qualified us (or, made us fit) to share in the inheritance of the SAINTS in the light by making us SAINTS (holy people, set-apart-for God people; people who live in an abiding state of holiness; this is the Christian ideal, and the New Testament doesn't present it as an unrealistic ideal; God's grace is sufficient).
Verse 13 shows how God the Father brought us into THE LIGHT (the definite article "the" is included in the Greek; the light includes God's truth, righteousness, and holiness): He "rescued us [or, delivered us] from the domain [or, authority; the NASB has a marginal note, "Lit(erally) authority] of [the] darkness [[the definite article is included in the Greek; the darkness is the kingdom of Satan, which is a kingdom characterized by the absence of truth, righteousness, holiness, God's love, etc.; when we were in the kingdom of darkness we were spiritually dead and in bondage to sin]], and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son ["the Son of His love"]," which is the kingdom of THE LIGHT.
It must be understood that the victory over sin is far from being automatic or always easy. The world, the flesh (the old man who still wants to live in sin), and the devil and his hosts are against us. However, as we walk in agreement with the Word of God and by the Holy Spirit of God on a continuous basis through faith, which we are called and enabled to do, we will walk with the victory over all sin. We are not supposed to make any room for sin or demons. If we should sin, forgiveness is provided through the atoning death of Christ when we repent.
The word "saints" is a translation of the plural of the Greek adjective "hagios," which is typically translated "holy" or (in the plural) "saints" in the New Testament. Christians are SAINTS (holy people) in that they have been SET APART (by God) for God. They have been SET APART from the kingdom of the darkness, from spiritual death, and from bondage to sin. They have been transferred into the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ, which is the kingdom of the light, and they partake of the life of God (having been born again), and they become slaves of righteousness (having been redeemed from bondage to sin; from being slaves of sin). Much of Col. 1:9-14 helps explain what it means to be saints. Also see Col. 1:21-4:6 and 4:12, and see the last chapter of my book.
THE LIGHT at the end of verse 12 is contrasted with "the darkness" that is mentioned in verse 13. God is LIGHT and His kingdom is the kingdom of THE LIGHT (see, for example, John 1:4-9; 8:12; 9:5; Acts 26:18; 1 Pet. 2:9; 1 John 1:5-7; Rev. 21:23; and 22:5).
I'll read Col. 1:12 from the Amplified Bible, "Giving thanks to the Father, Who has qualified and made us fit to share the portion, which is the inheritance of the saints (God's holy people) in the light."
Formerly we were slaves of sin and the god of this world; we were under "the authority of the darkness." I'll quote what the apostle Paul said in Rom. 13:12-14, "The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds [or, the works] of [the] darkness [which includes everything that is sinful] and put on the armor of [the] light. (13) Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy. (14) But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts." And I'll quote what he said in Eph. 5:8, 9, 11, 12, "for you were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of Light (9) (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth).... (11) Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds [or, works] of darkness, but instead even expose them; (12) for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret."
It is very important to see (and obvious) that the emphasis of Col. 1:12, 13 goes far beyond the forgiveness of the guilt of sin(s), though that is included, and is very important. On being set free from the authority of sin, see, for example, John 8:31-36; Rom. 5:19-6:23; 8:1-14 [see my recent articles on Romans chapter 6 and Rom. 8:1-14]; 1 Cor. 6:9-11; Gal. 5:16-25 [see my recent article on these verses]; Eph. 4:17-6:20; Titus 2:11-3:11; and 1 Pet. 1:13-2:25. On being set free from the authority of Satan, see Matt. 28:18-20; John 16:11; Gal. 1:4; Eph. 1:20-2:10; 4:27; Col. 2:15; and Heb. 2:14-18. (Most of the passages listed in this paragraph are discussed in my book and/or writings on my internet site.) I'll quote the last two passages I listed here:
Colossians 2:15. "When He [God the Father] had disarmed the rulers and authorities [[The Lord Jesus, by bearing our sins with the guilt and penalties, including the penalties of spiritual death and bondage to sin, set us free from the authority of Satan (and spiritual death, and sin). These enemies gained authority over us through our sins, especially Adam's one great transgression (see Rom. 5:12-21; Romans chapter 5 is discussed on pages 89-96 in my book; also see Article #s 11 and 12 of my "Twenty-Eight Articles on Holiness and Victory Over Sin").]], He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him [through the Lord Jesus Christ and His atoning death (and resurrection)]." Our being born again, walking in the righteousness and holiness of God, casting out demons, etc. publicly manifests the overthrow of Satan and his kingdom.
Hebrews 2:14-18 (NIV). "Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death - that is, the devil - and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham's descendants. For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted [especially to help/enable them to resist temptation and to walk in the righteousness of God (by grace through faith); cf., e.g., 1 Cor. 10:13]."
I'll quote COLOSSIANS 1:14 again, "in whom [in Christ Jesus] we have redemption [we have "the redemption
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