The Epistle to the Colossians

1. Col 1:13 – “He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,” What is the source of the power of darkness? How has He delivered (rescued) us from the power of darkness? Rom 7:24,25 - O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin. 2 Peter 2:9 - the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment, Acts 26:18 - ‘to open their eyes, to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’ And what occurs when we don’t experience this? The Epistle to the Colossians Col 1:13,14 Knowledge of God's Will & Giving Thanks 1 March 10, 2019 Bob Eckel

2. What kingdom of the Son of His love is this to which we have been conveyed (transferred)? Millennial (Wuest, McCalley, Gill) or otherwise (general sphere of God’s rule)? darkness vs. light, true now, eternally or in the kingdom age? No, it’s for now! John 3:19 - “And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. John 12:46 - “I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness. Eph 5:8 - For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 1 John 2: 8 - Again, a new commandment I write to you, which thing is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining. Positional or conditional? of the Son of His love John 17:26 - “And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.” The Epistle to the Colossians Col 1:13,14 Knowledge of God's Will & Giving Thanks 2 March 10, 2019 Bob Eckel

3. Col 1:14 – “in whom we have redemption (through His blood), the forgiveness of sins.” in whom It’s all about the Lord Jesus Christ! Why is we have redemption in the present active indicative tense? redemption - liberation procured by the payment of a ransom It’s a fact and occurring now. If through His blood is omitted, is there the same meaning? “Redemption and forgiveness are not exactly parallel or identical concepts, but by putting the two terms in apposition to each other, the apostle teaches that the central feature of redemption is the forgiveness of sins.” (Vaughn) the forgiveness of sins This is the milk of the gospel, what about the meat? 1 Cor 15:3,4 - For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was The Epistle to the Colossians Col 1:13,14 Knowledge of God's Will & Giving Thanks 3 March 10, 2019 Bob Eckel

4. buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, Gal 2:20 - “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. "The real redemption (apolutrosis, lit. ransoming away) needed by men is not a redemption from fate by gnostic aeons; it is a redemption from sin by a Divine-human Mediator.“ (Johnson) But praise God, here Paul says it all! Eph 1:7 - In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace The Epistle to the Colossians Col 1:13,14 Knowledge of God's Will & Giving Thanks 4 March 10, 2019 Bob Eckel