Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son. Colossians 1:13
For me, this verse brings up delightful fanciful images like those of the Chronicles of Narnia, in which the children were instantly taken to another world simply by entering an old wardrobe closet. The reality is even more incredible and wonderful. Our salvation has given us so much more than an experience that brought us into a relationship with God. We have received so much more than a hope for the distant future and a life to live. No, we have been delivered, and we have been translated, and it’s only going to get better!
Look at the folks around you who are not saved. Even the most fervent adherents to whatever religion they have actually have nothing but false hope. Many of them may well live a more honest and moral life here because of their religion, but they have received no transformation other than personal housecleaning, and they remain shackled in their sins. They have no ability, no opportunity to remove the wrath of God that abides on them. In the end, they will die in their sins and die forever in the horrors of perdition. But you have been DELIVERED! That horrible cloud of wrath has been removed forever. The terrible judgment for all your sins has been taken away and can never be returned. The power of darkness that once held you has been broken completely. Although not apparent to everybody, you have been delivered.
You have also been TRANSLATED. We know what a translation service is, it takes material written in one language and presents it in another so as to convey the same meaning as the original. But the translation service of Salvation has done something much more wonderful for us. We are not what we once were; we have been translated into something entirely different. And infinitely greater. Instead of being children of wrath, we are heirs of Heaven. Instead of being unprofitable, we are capable of faithful service to God. Instead of being blasphemers, we are now worshipers. The Christian actually lives in an entirely different existence from an unsaved person. And by living out the reality of what we have become in Christ, we can let the world know that our existence is different.
Think of it today: delivered and translated. That makes us so much different from the poor lost souls around us. Let us rejoice and share it with them. -Jim MacIntosh