"For He rescued 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)This world is a mixture of two kingdoms; two kingdoms living side-by-side. These kingdoms are not differentiated by lands and borders but by obedience and fealty to one master or another. Both kingdoms can, and do, exist together in the same neighborhoods, offices, schools, and families. You can be in one kingdom while the person standing next to you is in the other. These kingdoms are real and one's destiny in determined by the kingdom in which they live.
One kingdom is a kingdom of darkness. Some of this darkness is self imposed by the evil of our own hearts. John says, "the one who hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes." (1 John 2:11) The evil thoughts and intents of our heart blind us to the light, to love, to relationships, and to the beauty of the creation all around us. In addition, some of our blindness is the work of the lord of darkness in whose kingdom we live. Paul says, "And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God." (2 Corinthians 4:3-4) Not only are we in darkness, but darkness breeds further darkness.
This kingdom exercises dominion over our lives. The Greek word translated here as "domain" can also mean power, mastery, or privilege. The Kingdom of darkness exercises privilege in our lives. Because of our surrender to his kingdom, the lord of darkness has privileges in our lives to rule us and to force us into compliance. He is our master and we are his servants. Paul reminds us that, "when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?" (Romans 6:16) When we yield to darkness its becomes our master and, over time, its mastery over us becomes complete.
The second kingdom is a kingdom of light and it is ruled by love, It's master is the one and only Son of God. The Father loves Him and has given His kingdom to Him that He might rule it in truth and righteousness. This kingdom is greater than the kingdom of darkness in as much as the Son of God is greater than the lord of darkness. Satan is himself under the dominion of the Son and therefore so is his kingdom. At will, the Son is free to rescue those caught in darkness and transfer them into His Kingdom of light. He is the one who created all dominions and thus He is the ultimate ruler over of all creation.
However, the price of our translation from darkness to light was not cheap, for it required the forgiveness of our sins. So great were our sins that it required a great sacrifice to pay their penalty; that penalty death. Our freedom required the substitutional sacrifice of one whose life was exemplary and holy. It required the death of one who was altogether righteous. This death Jesus freely came to give. "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." (Mark 10:45)
A great price has been paid for our freedom by Jesus.All means have been secured for our release. Let us now choose to transfer our allegiances that we might be translated into His kingdom. Let us leave darkens behind for the light of eternity.
David Robison
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