The born-again believer in Jesus Christ has experienced a Kingdom shift. That is, we were taken out of darkness and brought into God’s marvelous light.
Christianity is not mere self-improvement. I think there is probably a widespread view culturally that Christians are those who are aiming to clean their lives up and become better people. In fact, many people start going to church because they want to get their life in order.
Yet, there is so much more to the story than this.
As the apostle Paul begins another letter, we once again see the pattern of him extolling the glorious mercy of God in our salvation right from the outset. Specifically, in Colossians 1:13-14 he puts forth an incredible truth:
“He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”
While formerly the Christian served the kingdom of darkness and was under its power, now there has been a Kingdom transfer!
Again, Christianity is not merely a religion of self-improvement—rather we are brought into a brand-new state of being by God. As such, we are “new creations” in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17). We are not refurbished; we are made anew. We are not upgraded versions of the old, but a member of an entirely new family.
It is all through Jesus and by His grace. Our salvation is something we passively receive; He is the One who delivers and transfers, we are simply recipients of His undeserved kindness towards us.
Now, as if this is not good enough already, the apostle will then explain who exactly this Beloved Son is who gave His life for us:
“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation” (Col. 1:15).
It was not just anyone who died for us. It was Jesus Christ, God-incarnate—Immanuel—the One who holds a rank of preeminence over the entire creation.
For truly it was through Him that the Father created the worlds, and in fact it is through Him that they are presently upheld (Col. 1:16-17). It was not just a nice Jewish rabbi who died upon Calvary, but the very Creator Himself.
It is only because of Christ that the world came into existence, and it is only through His continually holding of all things together that the world continues to exist!
This great King is the One who laid down His life for us so that we could be a part of His Kingdom. It is only because of Christ in us that we have a hope for glory (Col. 1:27). What incomprehensible grace!
With the creation still in view, the apostle points out that not only were all things created by Him and through Him, but also that all things were created for Him (Col. 1:16).
Let us never forget that we are here for Him.
All that we have is for Him. Everything is rightfully His. He is the preeminent One. Those who have been redeemed are now rightfully God’s possession (see 1 Cor. 6:20) and as such we ought to strive to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord (Col. 1:10).
Our lives are to be entirely devoted to His Kingdom purpose. I wonder at times if we lose sight of this.
Sometimes we look to the Lord as if He is our heavenly butler, tasked with taking care of us. While He certainly takes care of us and loves us, let us never lose sight of the fact that we were created for Him. Everything is due Him, the One who is supremely worthy.