A young boy, not yet eleven years old, pointed his father’s gun at a playmate. “Stick ’em up!” he ordered. Innocently, he pulled the trigger and froze in horror as his friend fell bleeding and dying at his feet.
“But, I thought the gun wasn’t loaded! I thought the gun wasn’t loaded! I thought….” With these words, he fell into a drugged sleep at the nearby hospital.
When what we think does not agree with reality, we are in trouble. God often reminds man that our thoughts are not like His. Are you this day certain that your thinking about spiritual issues is correct?
For example, are you ready to meet God — qualified for heaven? Colossians 1:12-14 plainly says that God is the one who qualifies us for that great appointment. It is not enough that we merely avoid doing too badly in this life.
Imagine a conversation like this: A grieving man says, “My friend is now in heaven.” A listener asks, “How do you know?” The answer comes back, “Because he died yesterday.” Sad, but true it is that in the minds of many the only prerequisite for entering heaven is to die!
“But, I thought . . . .” will be the bitter cry in the day of judgment. Our one way to be prepared for this great examination is to have God prepare us. This He does through Jesus Christ, and it requires a mighty rescue on His part. Our text (Colossians 1:13, 14) explains the crucial elements of this dramatic redemption.
I. TWO KINGDOMS
We are taught here that God “has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves.” The true followers of Jesus make up His kingdom. Looking further at our text (verse 13), you will see mention of the power or dominion of darkness. Here, then, are two realms, both located right here on earth.
The Apostle Paul is reminding the Colossians that once they were misguided and living in the darkness of sin, apart from God. Now things are different.
Obviously, there are also two kings in our text and both are powerful lords, but so different! One, a vicious and cruel usurper — Satan. He slyly deceives the entire world. In contrast, there is the Son of God’s love, our Lord Jesus Christ. No man can serve two masters (Matthew 6:24) but he will serve one!
Completing the picture of the two kingdoms, we now consider the two kinds of citizens who make up each dominion. Almost hesitantly I mention that so many of this world’s average people are virtual slaves to sin in either practice or attitude.
Jesus says that those who commit sin are actually slaves of sin (John 8:34).
A free indulgence in lusts brings the worst sort of bondage. Ironically, many a sin-slave is claiming and proclaiming liberty as the freedom to do your own thing. At the same time, they frequently needle faithful Christians as if believers are deprived of so much freedom! Study carefully 2 Peter 2:19 and Titus 3:3.
Readily, it can be seen that not only sinful practices but inner strife and fears chain a man in slavery. For example, there is slavery to fear (Romans 8:15). Satan’s great weapon over man is the dread of death because judgment is just beyond the grave (Hebrews 9:27 and, also, 2:14, 15). Only the light of Christ’s love can unlock the chains of fear (1 John 4:18-21).
II. GOD’S TWO-FOLD SCHEME FOR SAVING US
Now, look again at our text, Colossians 1:13. Notice the two verbs — promising that God’s plan is to: 1) set us free from Satan’s dominion and 2) bring us into the Kingdom of Jesus Christ.
First, consider the mighty rescue operation of God. Like a father pulling his drowning son from the water, so God draws us from our sins and fears.
As Romans 6:18-19 puts it, “you have been set free from sin and become slaves of righteousness…. Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness.” The other key word in our text means simply to transfer, transpose, or to remove from one place to another. Our realm is changed. Our spiritual situation is altered forever.
Let me illustrate the powerful effectiveness of God’s plan of rescue. Richard Halverson tells of a friend seriously injured in an auto accident. Facing the possibility of his approaching death, he instructed his wife that he wanted but one word on his gravestone. The epitaph was to read . . . “VACANT!” Think that over. Nobody here! The Christian person leaves his body to the dust and walks with the King of Glory.
Look now at verse 14 in our text and you will see exactly how God implements this scheme of salvation. In the Son “we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins.” This redemption means release by payment of the legal purchase price. History tells us that Francis Scott Key, composer of our national anthem, not only released the slaves he inherited but loved to gather funds and redeem others at the slave market so they could be freed. Praise God, “For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect,” (l Peter 1:18, 19).
Recently, a pastor friend of mine told of being called to the hospital to comfort a very troubled man, who was facing death. The patient groaned, “I can’t soothe my conscience. I am guilty of the death of thousands of men, women and children.”
“Is this man out of his mind?” my friend wondered. Slowly, the dying scholar told his story. He had played a crucial part in harnessing atomic power as a war instrument. Now he was in deep distress. Something far beyond arguments over the justice of certain wars was needed here. Lovingly, my friend led him to know the God who makes “peace through his blood, shed on the cross,” (Colossians 1:20) and the poor man rested in Jesus.
You may now do the same. Study fully our text, and by faith tell God you now claim the blood of Christ as full payment for your sins. Believe on Him as your living Lord and Savior. Do not be a secret believer. Let it be known, so that you may be encouraged and helped.