Scripture 6

Our Deliverer
We have learned through our scripture memory verses that reverence for God is the beginning of knowledge. God is our Creator, Sustainer . . . Hiding Place . . . Dwelling Place . . . Hope.

In our next verse we learn that God is our Deliverer.
“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.” (Colossians 1:13-14)

He will deliver us, save us, redeem us, and restore us. When we trust in Christ, when we confess with our mouths and believe with our hearts (Romans 10) that Jesus is the Messiah, that He is who HE says He is, and HE will do what He says He will do, we are delivered. We are delivered . . . delivered from the “domain of darkness” (sin, Satan, and death) . . . delivered from the penalty of sin (past), power of sin (present), and presence of sin (future).

We are delivered from . . .
Penalty of sin-death and eternal separation from God. Remember the penalty of sin? Death.

“And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” (Genesis 2:16-17)

“Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned.” (Romans 5:12)

When we trust in Jesus, we are delivered from the penalty of sin, forgiven, and made righteous in the moment of belief.

Power of sin- We are no longer bound to sin, in the present we can choose to resist and run to Christ!

“We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin.” (Romans 6:6-7)

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.” (James 4:7-8)

Presence of sin-In Heaven, in His Kingdom, we will no longer be with sin. We will be clean, justified, and glorified.

“But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life.” (Revelation 21:27)

“And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.” (Romans 8:30)

I just think it’s amazing, knowing my own sin and filth that I am delivered from the “domain of darkness”. I am delivered from the consequence/penalty of sin, delivered from the guilt, delivered from the power, and someday I will be delivered from the presence of sin all together into the “kingdom of his beloved Son”. Not just delivered, but transferred into His kingdom, His family. I can’t even believe that I will get to see the Holy One face to face. It brings me excitement and fear just thinking about that.

God is our Deliverer, past, present, and future. We have redemption, we are freed and forgiven.

Let’s meditate this week on what we’ve been delivered from . . . and . . . what we are saved into.

I love you, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. (Psalm 18:1-2)