Knowledge of Gods Will and Our Shared Power

We're going to be covering verses 11 through 14 today, and in a sense, thinking about last week and this week, it was good that there were two verses for each, because I think we can pack four verses into one week. So let's begin reading at verse 9. Roger, could you read 9 through 14, please?

It says, For this reason also, since the day we heard it, we have not ceased to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of this world, in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, and please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God. Strengthen with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness, patience, joyously, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the appearance of the saints in life. He delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption if we forgive ourselves. Alright, so this is titled, My Bible is the Apostle's Prayer for the Colossian Church, but I think this is really sound doctrine by which our day-to-day walks in Christ really is elaborated.

So this is really kind of position condition kind of doctrine here and I think we have a lot to learn from this. So let's begin with verse 11 for today's meeting. Last week's lesson. March 3rd is on the bottom. I didn't change the date. So we're going to transition from last week right into this week.

So strengthened with all might according to his glorious power for all patience and long-suffering with joy. By what process are we strengthened? Dynamo is the word. That's a pretty powerful Greek word. With all might. By what process is this occurring? Well, let's go back to verse 9 that was just read. For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you and to desire that you might be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. Wow.

It's a lot of knowledge there, being filled with the knowledge of His will. Might, dynamis, same stem as dynamo, that we might be filled or strengthened. So ultimately we've got a lot of power here, and that power is of the Lord and the power of the Holy Spirit working in us. All right, according to him, well this is a lot of power, I guess I have a verse for that too.

2nd Timothy 2.1, you therefore my son be strong in the grace that is Christ Jesus. Same word, strong is the power of the Lord Jesus Christ being enabled by the Spirit within. According to his glorious power. Wow, more power here. The power never ceases, does it? And he's the source and to him is whom the glory is due, not us. So as we walk by grace, ultimately the glory is from its source, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 1.19, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power towards us who believe according to the working of his mighty power? So what is the exceeding greatness of his power? How is that manifested? It would mean by the Holy Spirit could bring things to mind. Okay, what does that look like? Probably reflecting on God's Word, His promises. I think God's Word is the source of all truth and ultimately the glory is His when in fact that Word is manifested in our day to day life.

Ephesians 3.16, then that he would grant you according to the riches of his glory, notice the glory and power tied together, and to be strengthened with might through his spirit in the inner man. So Pat, you're on the right track. I mean, this is a spirit led life that ultimately brings glory to its source.

I mean, we don't enumerate this. This is a life lived out by the power of the spirit. Other thoughts on this? And by the way, this process of being strengthened is passive. So what role do we play if this is passive, being strengthened? We just believe that that's who we are. It's called faith, isn't it? Do you believe that you're positioned in Christ Jesus? and that our life as we walk day in and day out is his power that enables us to bring glory to the Lord. And we don't take credit for that. I mean, it's a life. So we're strengthened by our faith is proactive, but that strength comes from our position translated into our condition on a day-to-day basis. So how are you doing here? The flesh isn't very good at this, is it? For all patience, a different word than long-suffering. We'll look at that in a little more detail.

Patience, the characteristic of a person who is not swerved from his deliberate purpose and loyalty to faith and piety. I think that's out of there that I got that definition. And let's compare it to long suffering, which is defined a little differently. It's endurance, constancy, steadfastness, and perseverance.

So I'm going to go to Weist here. Raj will be pleased with that. In brief, the term for patience is exhibited under ill treatment by persons, whereas the term for long suffering is under trials, difficulties, and hardships. A little different application.

What do you think of in your day-to-day life that you think about being patient? And I'm not good at this. Every thought of not being patient, I find myself having to be patient. And I say, why am I that way? Why am I impatient? I'm talking to myself here. Why am I impatient? Why are we impatient?

I think some of it's our culture. As our culture goes along and everything is more immediate, it's harder to have patience. There's a lot of immediacy in our culture, isn't there? The fast food mentality. Sometimes lack of patience and reacting out of yourself. Sure, it's a self-centered attitude. I mean I showed that this morning.

I have a new insulin pump which is really a very kind of up-to-date kind of thing. to new infusion systems that we got the pump loaded but the infusion system was complicated as could be and here I am a physician you know but anyway all that aside I finally gave up and went back to my old pump because the infusion system was I know it well so I've got to get re-educated in this but nevertheless I want the pump because the pump has got software that really operates at a whole different level and I'm really going to be happy with that but boy Well, yeah. And I finally said, Margo, I've got two lessons to teach yet. They're not downloaded. So we've got to get on that. But it's impatience.

But, you know, I can rationalize it. I had to come to Sunday school, right? I could have just dismissed Sunday school and been very patient with this and tried the other infusion system a second time. But it's the same thing. What's that? What I want and why you want it now. Well is that a sense of entitlement too? I mean we kind of live in an atmosphere of entitlement these days.

What we're owed or what we're due, right? Well Bobby, you know, Brian and I had an experience. We lived overseas for five years in the British culture, in the UK. And so we learned to change our expectations about things because the British culture was just different.

Just boom, boom, boom. And what varieties? The British make fun of the Americans. They say, you Americans have too many choices. For example, it just it for them when. There's only typically there's one salad dressing for your salad. You have to eat. You get one salad dressing. You don't get a choice of five. So a few Americans are, you know, two choices. So we have to get used to that. But do you think the application scripturally. So let's look at a couple of applications. We're going to come back to this. We're not done with this yet.

The first term that relates to patience, 2 Timothy 4.2. Preach the word, be ready in season and out of season, convince, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and teaching. This is not The long-suffering definition, it's the first word, the Greek word, which means it's the characteristic of a person who's not swerved from kind of day-to-day issues that come up like we just kind of discussed. In Ephesians 4, 1 and 2, I therefore the prisoner of the Lord beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called with all lowliness, gentleness, and longsuffering.

Paul is going through some issues here. This is the application of that Greek term. A little different, but back to Roger and Bonnie's experience in the UK. Is the patient's human behavior that really relates to the circumstances or is that of the Lord? I mean, think about us. We all, Harry, take back before you were saved, those who were saved as an adult. We all have certain personalities and ways of doing things and things like that. There's nothing moral or immoral about personalities, but ultimately dealing with circumstances really relates to a new life versus an old life.

The flesh can always get buffed up, can't it? How does the flesh get buffed up? In other words, when we're improving our behavior, we're becoming more suitable or more accepted or whatever, what is the motivation for that? The consequences of not getting buffed up, right?

That's world system stuff. But the Lord works within us in a whole different way by creating a new life in us that really has an eternal view that's positionally based. Easy to discuss intellectually, not so easy sometimes to apply. Right? All right, let's go on. And notice both patience and long-suffering are experienced with joy. How are you doing here? Joy. I mean... You were not joyful this morning. Let me... Let me call my attorney. I should rebut this, but I'm not going to. Showing to God's glory.

So anyway, so this joint, you know, the thing about having right theology, I think it takes the pressure off of living by law. Because when you're living by law, you always feel like you're failing. You're not pleasing God. You're not doing enough to pay Him back for the salvation He's given you. But when you have right theology and you understand your position, we go to the Lord about all things. We confess when we fall in short and move on, right?

It makes our life joyful. And that includes patience and long-suffering. And many of us in this room have lost loved ones, and we know what that's all about. I mean, the joy that we have is eternally blessed. It's not something that's circumstantial. It cuts through everything here. It doesn't mean that we don't go through the trials and tribulations, but yet it has an eternal view connected to it.

And here's the question. Can this occur in the absence of our new creation? Not really. I mean, the true patience and long-suffering the Lord is asking us to do is not of the flesh. The flesh can get buffed up and get through things, but yet that's not what the verse is talking about.

John 17.13 But now I come to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. That's us. His joy fulfilled in us.

James 1.2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials. You know, the flesh isn't good at that, I'll tell you. And again, I think it takes you to be well-founded in position of truth to put this on when these issues and trials come up in our lives.

1 Peter 4.13, But rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, notice back the glory, that's part of the verses we're studying here, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. Boy, okay. So this principle of joy is just not in one book and in one verse in scripture. And I was thinking, how is this joy experienced in our own lives despite all the adversities? Then what about the Stoic? How does the Stoic deal with these trials and tribulations? But it's all flesh, isn't it? There's nothing spiritual about their dealing with this. They're not putting it into an eternal perspective.

Whereas the Lord's allowed these things in our lives for our growth. Well, Bob, you know what's interesting is the first part of that verse just is reminding us of His power. It's His power, His strength, His might. And then it switches all of a sudden to the fact that here they have steadfastness and patience, joyously. It just seems like, well wait a minute, if we realize that he's the one, it's his power, his strength, then that will enable us to be patient, to be steadfast, because we realize that he's the one that's in control. It's not our strength, it's not our fortuitous, it's his. And so it goes back to our faith and trust in him. There's an order here, isn't there?

And remember, our citizenship, again, a constant reminder that I have when these things come up, citizenship's in heaven. That's where we're positioned. And these earthly circumstances is simply ultimately to prove who we are in our position. All right, verse 12 then, giving thanks to the fathers qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints and the light. giving thanks to the Father. Present active participle. That means we're involved here. This is something we do now.

We should be constantly giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us or made us. Notice the source of the qualification. What's the source of the qualification? Well, I love this. But of Him you're in Christ Jesus who of God has made unto us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption. So, the source is the new life.

And he has for other opportunities, I'm not sure if I worded that correctly, but is making us in 2 Corinthians 3.6, who has also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the spirit, for the letter kills but the Spirit gives life. Now, we'll get into something a little more controversial in terms of the application here, and that's going to come up in the second lesson today that we're going to finish after the first one.

To be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. So, what do you think? Is that eternal? Is that something in heavenly places? Or is that something that we experience down here? is inheritance of the saints and the light. We're being partakers of this.

Let's look at a couple of verses that deal with the inheritance and how it may relate to this. Acts 20, 32, And now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all of them which are sanctified. That relates to current application. in whom also we have ordained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will." Sounds present, doesn't it?

So this inheritance of the saints and the light is, I think, an inheritance we have as we're adopted sons, right? Romans were God's children, were sons and daughters of the Lord. And ultimately this inheritance we have impacts our life on a day-to-day basis.

Partakers of inheritance is, I'm not going to read the Greek, the portion of the lot. So the word clero means to cast lots. determined by lot, and clera means an object used in casting lots. The lot of the saints, namely, that which is determined upon the saints is future blessedness, not only in the future life, but also here on the earth. So Weiss would interpret it as both, that the inheritance is both temporal, now, and also has eternal replications.

I like to think that the doctrine that Paul expresses to the Ephesians and Colossians is position translated into condition. But many commentators, we'll get to that again in the next lesson, really relate this to our future kingdom age kind of presence. Vincent says, the inheritance which is in the light, this need not be limited to future glory. The children of God walk in light. on earth. And I really like that interpretation best.

First John 1.7, But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son has cleansed us from all sin.

John says it again in John 2.10, First John 2.10, He that loves his brother abides in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.

How do you do in loving your brother? That's not what I was looking for actually. Now you know to think about this, the agape love that Christ has for us is unconditional so you know we don't have to like them, we just have to love them right? And that takes the pressure off a little bit because you and your flesh and the power of the flesh cannot love your brother or your neighbor.

So this is entirely of the Lord. Remember the Lord's great commandment to the church, I mean to the church ultimately to be expected to be the church? Love your brother as yourself, right? As I have loved you. Yeah, that's right. And that's the next verse.

All right, Acts 26.18, to open their eyes and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance, I should have bolded that, among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

But our future is also filled with light, so that's potentially the other interpretation of this verse, that the inheritance does relate to the future where we're bathed in light. So a couple verses there in Isaiah, the sun shall be no more thy light by day, neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee, but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God in thy glory. Of course that's to Israel, but also has applications to us. In Revelation 21-23, and the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it, for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof, and there shall be no night there, and they need no candle, neither light of the sun, for the Lord gives them light, and they shall reign forever and ever."

The light kind of is our light versus darkness as we exist here today, but also has future implications that are really quite settling and comforting as we think about darkness versus light. So John 1-5, the verses we know pretty well, we'll read them again though.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God, and all things were made by Him. Without Him was not anything made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.

Again, position becomes condition. And the light shines in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not. And we are His light unto darkness. And are we really that light unto darkness? Okay, thoughts about last week's lesson, verses 11 and 12. I have a question. When it talks about the partakers of Christ's suffering, what suffering? I mean, Christ suffered in the crucifixion. He was rejected by the world. When we partake of Christ's suffering, Is there something more specific? Well, let's think about the Lord Jesus Christ.

Where is his eternal existence? Eternal existence? Been there from time zero, right? What did he do to come to earth? He took on the perfect God-man to perfect man-God, right? So he becomes flesh. who knew no sin, right? And he knew no sin that he might be made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

So, okay, so we have him leaving the throne. So partakers of his suffering is in fact positionally related to us. We're positioned with him, and now we live this earthly existence. So in a sense, as we think of his sufferings, we're not going to be crucified like he was. And we're not going to ultimately, you know, wonder where our next meal is coming from, etc. We're not going through that type of suffering. But we are suffering in the human condition.

I think to some extent that relates. We all go through various trials and tribulations, which he did too, so there's identification there in terms of sustaining grace through those trials. So anyway, I think of it both ways. One, he left the throne to become human.

We're human, but we're positioned in him. So we have that identification. I don't know about you, I'm suffering being in the flesh. I mean, it's really something that I don't care for. And by the way, as that light gets brighter, the darkness from which we all have been sourced is getting more revealed for what it really is. So I think that's one nature of it. The fact that we're here, we have a fleshly nature.

He did not, but in fact he'd left the throne to become man. But we in fact are positioned with him, so we're suffering in terms of our current earthly existence, so there's that. But also he went through many trials and tribulations. We don't get crucified, at least I hope we don't. But nevertheless, we'll have those come up too. So we're partakers of his suffering, I think, from being in the being positioned but yet our condition and then secondly the trials and tribulations come our way just like his.

Well it seems like it's a sadness in seeing the world's rejection of God. All the people are just totally in the dark. And you think of, I don't know, Venezuela, there are people who have miserable lives but it just seems like there's so much misery in other parts of the world. Yeah, that's difficult to see. I don't know if Christ had that. It seemed like he really did feel that sorrow in seeing the world and the condition it was in.

Well, there are plenty of examples of that. Some people believe that he healed everyone who came by his path. We don't have evidence that that's true. Anyway, he had great compassion for the sufferings of the human race. There's no question about that. Remember he came to the Jew first and then to the Gentile but there are plenty of examples of how he ministered to the Gentiles.

He also said that we will always have the poor. So we see our world system wanting to eradicate Well, what we should do in this world is have no poverty. Well, it seems like Christ said you're always going to have the poor for the lost cause. You're going to have the poor, and some are poor by choice. You know, we see that people on the streets, you know, they're out there, it's not their choosing, but at some level for that lifestyle. Some of them are.

But what does the world system look for? I mean, the self-righteous view of the world system, what does it look for? It looks for peace on earth, right? The Bible is anything but peace on earth. The Bible is about bringing men and women to salvation by God's great grace and to His glory, but peace on earth is not something that is prophetic. So the world view is very different than the heavenly view.

In a sense, I think we suffer in part because of that. I mean if you put yourself under law, poverty shouldn't exist because we should be doing everything we possibly can to solve it. That doesn't mean we ignore it. I mean if you're moved to minister, to give, that's the way the Lord's working you perhaps. Anyway, I'm not sure I answered your question. Other thoughts there? What it means to be partakers of his suffering?

Alright, good. Let's move on. Verse 13, He's delivered us from the power of darkness, so we've been talking about darkness, and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love. Some interesting words here, so we'll look at this. What's the source of the power of darkness? Another human condition, right? Just think about, what are the enemies of the believer? There are three. Satan, the flesh or sin nature, and the world system. So those are the big three. That's darkness. And again, back to the world's view of what we need. We need peace in the world. Well, that would be wonderful, but that's not something that is really God-given until the end times, for sure.

So how has he delivered or rescued us from the power of darkness? Well, it's been our style here this morning. Let's look at some scripture to support how he's done that. Romans 7, 24 and 25, O wretched man that I am, who will deliver me, or rescue me, from the power or body of this 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. Wow. O wretched man. So there's one of the death sources, right? The darkness. is the wretched people we really are, saved by grace.

2 Peter 2.9, the Lord knows how to deliver or rescue the godly out of temptation. So this is more applicable to our day to day life. Serve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment. Remember, their judgment will be forthcoming. It's not our job. Although we tend to make judgments, don't we, about others' behavior. Particularly when we're driving. We'll talk afterwards.

A little bit too much transparency going on here. Acts 26, 18, to open their eyes to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, the other source, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and the inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith. So this darkness ultimately were delivered by the Lord Jesus Christ, both from Satan. Turn to your handout then, we're on page one of the second set of lessons, March 10th.

And what occurs when we don't experience this? Delivered or rescued from the power of darkness? Well, we get despondent, don't we? We get untrustworthy. We think God is failing us. The response, if it's of the flesh, is nothing but being turned away from God's great grace. And that's what Satan wants. He wants us to doubt so that we do turn away. We're skeptical of our faith.

Well, after you're saved, you're skeptical of your salvation, aren't you? When you're falling, you reach that point, and that's what kind of None But the Hungry Heart series is all about. You reach that point where, in fact, you think you're failing, and you question whether you've really been saved. But, in fact, good doctrine really takes you on to the next level, doesn't it? Other thoughts? Okay, page two.

What kingdom of the Son of His love is this to which we've been conveyed or transferred? Well, I'm going to look at commentators here, and some believe this is all Millennial Kingdom stuff, and Wiest and McCauley and Gill all feel that way. Or is it otherwise, kind of the general sphere of God's rule? I'm kind of more practical in terms of applying this into our day-to-day existence. So this darkness versus light, is this true now? Is it only true or is this kingdom made stuff? Do you want to join us? Can I? May I? Can I or may you? I'm not sure I'm going to be able to define which is the best verb to use under these circumstances. And I'm going to say no, I think this is for now for the most part.

John 3.19, and this is the condemnation that the light has come into the world and men love darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. That's biblical truth about light and darkness.

In John 12.46, I have come as a light into the world, this is the Lord speaking, that whosoever believes in me should not abide in darkness. this, if you will, being conveyed or transferred from light to darkness, really, probably, is very much the Lord Jesus Christ. For you who were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord, walk as children of light.

And 1 John 2.8, again, a new commandment I write to you, which thing is true of him and in you? Because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. So I think this is really this power of darkness being removed or rescued from really is an ongoing act of the Lord Jesus Christ manifesting his truth and life and light within us. So again, is this a positional or a conditional statement, this kind of rescuing us from the darkness, the power of darkness? Both. Both. Good. Good answer. It's both. Alright then, of the son of his love, John 17, 26, and I have declared to them your name and I will declare it that the love with which you love me may be in them and I in them.

So again, talk about identification. How are you doing loving again in the absence of the identification truth? And I think it takes the pressure off because people that we don't like, we still have to love and that power doesn't come from ourselves. It's the Son, the Kingdom of the Son of His love, really that Kingdom is being manifested in our life on a day-to-day basis. And in some verses has through his blood, which is a nice qualification of the redemption, but it's not in most verses.

So it should say, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sin. So those two are very much related. In whom, it's all about the Lord Jesus Christ, isn't it? I mean, in whom, in him is where redemption is sourced. Alright, it's all about the Lord Jesus Christ.

Let's go on. Why is we have redemption in the present active indicative tense? Present means now, active means we're involved here, and it's factual. That's something we have. Well, but this redemption, we have redemption. Are we making us have redemption? No, but we have to believe we have it. We have to have faith. Redemption. Liberation procured by the payment of a ransom.

Yeah, it's fact and occurring now, right? So it's an act of faith to believe that we have this redemption. So we're involved in this. Although the Lord has accomplished it, if we don't in fact believe that it's true and act that out on a day-to-day basis, the fact remains unapplied. So it's really up to us. If through his blood is omitted is there the same meaning? Remember we said through his blood is not in most texts. What is it in the Greek? It's not there in most versions.

That's just understood. Well Vaughan has something to say about this. 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. So he's saying they're not exactly equal, but in the absence of this, the relationship of one to the other is obvious. So we can do without through the blood. I mean, the idea of redemption is forgiveness of sins. So basically not having it there doesn't make any difference. Forgiveness of sins.

By the way, this is the milk of the Gospel. What about the meat? So what's the milk of the Gospel? 1 Corinthians 15, 3 and 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 buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. Milk, right. What about forgiveness of sins as it relates to the meat? What am I thinking about here? Would that be Romans 6? It's a good place to start. What does Romans 6 teach us? 6.11, reckoning. Reckoning what? our death in Christ. Good, okay.

We're buried with him, baptism unto death, risen with him in newness of life. So I think, does the fact that he rose again the third day, he was buried and rose again the third day deal with that identification, do you think, in 1 Corinthians 15? I think it falls short there, but I think it brings up a point about bringing an unbeliever to the Lord, and I think beginning him or her in good doctrine up front, that it's not simply their forgiveness of sins, but in fact God sees them now as righteous. Now that's a tough concept to get because after you're saved, I mean I thought I was never going to sin again after I got saved, but it became very clear very quickly that that wasn't occurring there.

Yes, go ahead. Wouldn't this be like splitting the atoms, one dies, the other has a position, one has a condition? Splitting the atom? Are you thinking electrons and neutrons? First Adam in the last hour. Oh, you're talking about 80 a.m. I thought you were splitting the atom. One is dead, the other is in Christ. Well, same concept. I'm having fun meddling with that one. Yeah, that's right. I mean, again, I think there's the simple truth of the gospel.

People are saved by knowing their sins have been forgiven by Christ's sacrificial death, right? And resurrection is in 1 Corinthians 15, 3 and 4. The fact that he rose from the dead. By the way, if Christ hadn't resurrected, is the Bible true? The Bible's a waste, isn't it? If there was no resurrection? So the truth of the gospel is not only our sins have been forgiven, but he's risen from the dead. It says he was raised in newness of life, so that's where the new creation is, so we're totally new creation rather than just made over old. Yeah, favorite verse for the body here, I've been crucified with Christ, no longer I live, but Christ lives in me and the life within that, I live in the flesh, I live by the faith and Son of God. In other words, that's meat.

And so, ultimately, this redemption and forgiveness of sins, I think, takes on the truth of the gospel, the simple gospel, the milk of the gospel, our sins being forgiven. But ultimately, this forgiveness of sins, if we're put back under law without understanding that we've been crucified with Christ, nevertheless we live, this whole section of Colossians is worthless, really, without understanding that there's more to this than simply our sins being forgiven. I was thinking, a lot of times after we're saved, then we actually learn about what all was involved in that, besides just, I mean not our sins are forgiven, but I think just the various concepts that are involved in salvation, like the redemption, reconciliation, and I don't know, there's just so much, you know, when you study what salvation really is, and identifications. Well, the Three Tenses was saved, being saved, and will be saved. We're in the process of being saved now, day in and day out, and the salvation we're experiencing really is the grace of God pertaining to our faith in the new creation, the power of the Spirit to have our life be walking in that new man, the Lord Jesus Christ. So again, the forgiveness of sins has application that relates to our day-to-day existence and understanding that the forgiveness of sins is the beginning of the ultimate new life that we have as we're co-crucified with Him and risen with Him in the newness of life.

Okay, so this is Johnson. I pulled this out of Weiss. The real redemption literally ransoming away, needed by men, is not a redemption from fate by Gnostic eons, it's a redemption from sin by divine human mediator. And who's the divine human mediator? Christ Jesus in each and every one of us.

So I think, praise God, here Paul says it all in Ephesians 1.7, In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace. So again, the redemption specifically relates to the forgiveness of sins, but I'm pointing out here that that's kind of the beginning of a much more full existence in the new life we have in Christ Jesus. So, Paul's prayer then for the body Colossae really was that they might walk worthy, verse 10, of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. And then we have what follows there in terms of being strengthened with all might in generating the power that he gives us to bring glory to the Father, dividing light and darkness and how that relates to the redemption of sins. by his blood, whether we include that or not.

So, yes? Would that be considered through our armor in Christ? Well, that's what we put on according to Ephesians 6, right? And that fights the devil in all his ways and the world system both, right? Yeah, I think that armor is really a caricature of the way we carry ourselves in the new creation.

Other thoughts? Praise be to God who giveth us victory. Right, and I think again as we carry ourselves day in and day out, these truths become increasingly apparent. We can't live by just performing better than the power of the flesh. We have another life to live out in this. But wouldn't that be conditionally, too?

Well, that's the idea. The condition really reflects the position. And, you know, we're just called by faith to believe what God's revealed. I mean, that's all. I mean, it's simple to believe. Having that impact in our lives sometimes, we get in the way of that, don't we? Alright, let's close in prayer.

Father, we're thankful for the Scriptures and what it teaches us about the walk that we have, that we're made to walk worthy of the Lord and all-pleasing, and that's not anything that we do ourselves. This is really the power of the Spirit that works within each and every one of us. The Epistle of the Colossians really is very important for us to understand the importance of good doctrine as it relates to our day-to-day walk. It's not a matter of trying harder or making lists. It's more the great view from above that we have that this earthly experience is really for a time to bring you glory in the way we respond in patience and through long-suffering that's been talked about here in Colossians 1. So we're thankful for the lesson we've had today. May the great grace of God manifest in our lives by faith. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.