Oct 4 Jeremiah 7:30-34, Jeremiah 8, Jeremiah 9:1-16 Colossians 1:1-23 Psalm 116:12-19

Col 1:13-14

He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. 

There are two kingdoms – the one of darkness and the one of light. Before we knew Christ we were with the rest of humanity in the kingdom of darkness. You might not have known it, but you were part of the kingdom. You submitted to it’s rules and would be part of it’s fate.

But we have been delivered – as refugees from one kingdom to another. We have been given full citizenship of the kingdom of light – the kingdom of heaven. We have the passport, we have the rights, we have full status as a citizen of heaven – not through anything we’ve done, but because Jesus made a way in. It’s only in Jesus we have redemption.

Only one kingdom will win. And it will only be the kingdom of Heaven. Darkness will be defeated – evil will be defeated, sin and death will be defeated. And we need to choose whose kingdom we are part of here in this life.

God will deal with evil and He is building a kingdom without sin. And He’s calling us all to come and join Him.

Col 1:21-23

And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister. 

We were once cut off from God – but because Jesus has took our place we have been reconciled. That means we can stand before God blameless and above reproach before God.

We have sinned, but we can stand before God as if we never sinned. A clean slate – a new start.

It’s a wonderful free gift that we accept. But let’s not ignore the IF in this passage.

IF you continue in the faith. Be stable – be steadfast – don’t shift away from the Gospel. Salvation is a free gift, but one we are capable of walking away from. 

This should not be a passage that instills a sense of fear – but a sense of determination. I have made a decision to follow Jesus and I must live by that decision. I must keep the course. I must stay with Him. Because salvation is only found in Him.

Keep close to the Gospel. Keep close to Jesus. Run the race well.