He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son He loves. We have redemption, the forgiveness of sins, in Him. (Colossians 1:13,14 HCSB)
Lately we’ve seen heart-wrenching stories on the news of hostages that were kept in captivity for many months and then brutally beheaded for the whole world to see. Though we all wished that these men could be rescued and brought to safety, the reality is that governments, leaders and armies are not always equipped or prepared to confront the evil in this world. Good governments and leaders try to have a positive influence on the world, and to save the oppressed, but their efforts are not always successful or appreciated. No government, no matter how good, can solve all our problems.
But how different God is! He has already rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us into the kingdom of His Son. We were doomed, condemned to a life of addictions, lies, unfaithfulness, anxiety, depression, poverty, emptiness, anger, weakness and sin. We used to be slaves to our flesh and to the ways of the world. We followed the crowd (even though it was lost), and ran after things that never brought us the happiness we were seeking. God mercifully rescued us from a life of exploitation and slavery, from a prison from which there was no escape. When there was no hope whatsoever for us, He intervened, plucked us out of the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of light.
The Greek word “redemption” (we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins, in Him) points to a slave being redeemed through the payment of a ransom. Though we did not even know we were in need of being saved, and were incapable of paying the price, Jesus intervened and rescued us. It would be a terrible insult for us to ignore the amazing, heroic work of God to set us free and give us a new life. The old way of living is so obsolete. Give it up, and grab onto this new life!
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