Thankful For Salvation
being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, so that you may have great endurance and patience, joyfully 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the saints’ inheritance in the light. 13 He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son he loves. 14 In him we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (Colossians 1:11-14)
Continuing from yesterday’s reading, Paul continues on sharing aspects in believers’ lives that please God and will help them accomplish His will. God is pleased when believers run the race with “endurance and patience.” When difficulty and trials arrive in their lives, believers should trust God that He is working and will provide the strength to overcome and persevere. It may take time, but it is all “according to His glorious might.” Thankfully, believers can turn to Him and ask Him to be “strengthened with all power” to be able to do His will.
Next, in verse 12, believers can please God when they are “joyfully giving thanks to the Father,” specifically for the gift of salvation, “who has enabled you to share in the saints’ inheritance in the light.” Salvation is not earned by our own works, but rather, it is a gift of God’s grace, as seen in Ephesians 2:8-9, “For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—not from works, so that no one can boast. As Max Anders states, “We don’t earn an inheritance. We receive it.” Therefore, believers should be praising God that they don’t have to earn their salvation through works, but rather, the work was already done by Christ on the cross. All that is left to do is repent and believe in Him.
Expounding more on the gift of salvation, in verse 13, “He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son He loves.” Believers were freed from Satan’s grasp and are blessed by God to be a part of Christ’s eternal kingdom forever. What good news indeed! With verse 14, it is all possible through Christ. We have experienced “redemption,” meaning we were bought back and freed. We were initially slaves to sin, but through Christ’s death and resurrection, the penalty of death was taken care of and the shackles of sin were removed. Paralleling with redemption is “the forgiveness of sins,” meaning to “send away or cancel.” Our debt of judgment that we deserved from the Father was removed and canceled.
In light of all this, may we praise God for the gift of salvation that He has provided to us. Being filled with the joy of this wonderful gift, may we endure the trials of this life to glorify God as we accomplish His will. And in those tough moments, may we be encouraged by the truth that we can turn to God and ask of Him according to His will, and He will provide our needs.
Blessings,
Isaac De Guzman
