What are you Thankful for?
Notes
Transcript
Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
This week, we are picking up our study through the book of Colossians in the middle of Paul’s mention of his prayers for the Colossian believers. The apostle Paul started out this letter with thanksgiving for the work that the Gospel has done in the lives of the believers in Colosse. He is thankful for their faith, how their faith is bearing fruit, and for their love toward Paul and his traveling companions.
He begins to lay out his prayers for them that they would be strengthened with all might, unto all patience and longsuffering with Joy, that they might walk in a manner that is pleasing to the Lord.
He then transitions back into thanksgiving, but not to explain what he is thankful for, but to explain who he is thankful to and why.
He says that he is thankful to God the Father. As a quick side note, Paul doesn’t refer to God by one of His names or titles, but as his father, this term refers to an immediate biological father. This is actually a pretty important side note though, because Paul is about to talk about some things that are closely related to that point.
Our Inheritance
Our Inheritance
Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
We have used this term inheritance many times over the past several months, initially with the physical inheritance of the promise land for the Nation of Israel in our study through Joshua, and the inheritance of eternal life with God and all the promises that He gave that believers have as Hairs and joint Hairs with Jesus Christ. As we have discussed over the past few weeks, this eternal inheritance is not just something that we receive when we die, but is ours at the moment of salvation and lasts for all of eternity. Now some of those promises will be fulfilled at different time, some now and some after physical death, some upon the return of the Lord and the Rapture of the believers.
Made us meet to be partakers can also be worded as fit or adequate to be partakers of the inheritance. This term goes along the same line as adoption, which Paul speaks of in other passages. Like adoptions today, the children being adopted have done nothing to earn or merit their being adopted. and the same thing goes with God, who through the work of Jesus Christ on the cross, making us meet to be partakers.
And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.
Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
Saints:
Being made Saints refers to those who were separated from the world and unto God.
For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
Likewise
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
As Heirs and joint Heirs with Christ, we have an eternal, incorruptible, inheritance. This is one major reason that Paul was and we aught to be thankful to out Heavenly Father. Another reason is our deliverance.
Our Deliverance
Our Deliverance
Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
Deliverance here means to rescue or to draw to oneself.
When we place our faith in Christ, we are instantly delivered from Satan, sin and death.
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Those that have placed their faith in Christ for salvation have been rescued from the power, authority, and dominion of darkness. Just like with our inheritance, we should be thankful for the fact that God, through Christ’s sacrificial death on the Cross, has delivered those that accept that free gift of salvation, from the dominion of Satan, sin and death and has placed us into His family.
Our Transfer
Our Transfer
Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
Transfer here means to remove or change. Paul uses this same word when speaking of God removing Saul from being king in Acts 13:22. He uses it here to say that believers have been completely removed from the domain of darkness and placed into the glorious light of the Kingdom of Christ.
Being part of Christ’s Kingdom or as a citizen of Heaven brings with it a tremendous amount of privilege and responsibility. Upon salvation, we inherit all the rights and privileges of heirs and joint heirs with Christ. But to be a good citizen, we must properly represent our Lord. This is why we see Paul telling the Thessalonian believers:
That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.
and the writer of Hebrews saying:
Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:
I want to be clear here that in order for us to be fit citizens of Heaven, we must first be redeemed and forgiven for our sins. Redemption means to deliver by payment of a ransom, and was used to speak of freeing slaves from bondage.
In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
and
Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
Christ paid our ransom with His blood to rescue us from Satan Sin and Death.
Redemption results in the forgiveness or pardon of sins. David, though before Christ came to earth, spoke of the redemption that was to come in Psalm 103:12 saying:
As far as the east is from the west, So far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
and the Prophet Micha wrote:
He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; He will subdue our iniquities; And thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.
Christ’s death on on our behalf paid the ransom to redeem us, and because of that, God forgave our sins, gave us an eternal inheritance, delivered us from the powers of darkness, and made us citizens of His Kingdom.
These absolute and wonderful truths should cause us as believers to be thankful and continually Praise God for what He has done!
