“For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins….” Colossians 1:9-14

Though the ancient city of Colosse no longer exists — the old east-west road was moved, causing the once-important city to wane — by the grace of God the believers who once lived there are now reigning with Christ Jesus in His glorious heavenly kingdom.

Paul — probably while he was a prisoner in Rome, along with Timothy — when they heard of the faith and love of these believers in the Roman province of Asia (in modern-day Turkey), prayed for them that they might continue in the true faith and grow in their knowledge of God.

Paul wrote to them in his letter: “For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness….”

Paul and Timothy continually lifted up their fellow believers in Colosse, requesting that they be filled with the knowledge of God’s will, together with all wisdom and spiritual understanding, so that they would use this knowledge of God rightly and live a life pleasing to Him, doing God’s will rather than following the whims of false teachers who held up another way of faith and life. They prayed that the believers there would continue to grow in the knowledge of God and be strengthened by Him so that they would endure in the true faith and rejoice in Him and what He had done for their salvation.

Paul and Timothy prayed for these believers that they too would give thanks to God the Father for graciously making them acceptable and fit to be partakers of the eternal inheritance of the saints in light — to partake of the blessings of heaven which God graciously gives to all who trust in Christ Jesus. It was God the Father who had delivered them from the rule and power of darkness — the kingdom of the devil — and translated them into the eternal kingdom of His beloved Son, Jesus Christ. And, it was through faith in Christ Jesus, and for the sake of His blood shed upon the cross for the sins of the world, that they had been redeemed, forgiven of all their sins and made acceptable in God’s eyes.

What Paul writes applies to all of us who believe today. How important it is for believers — for you and for me — to learn and be filled with the knowledge of God through the study of His Word! And it is not enough to just learn facts about God. We need to know Him and His ways and so be strengthened in our faith in Him and rejoice in the salvation He has provided us in His Son. Then, as a fruit of our faith in Him, we will also seek to please Him by walking in His ways.

And, in all this, we have every reason to give thanks to God the Father; for it is He who has made us acceptable for His kingdom by sending His only-begotten Son to die for us and redeem us with His holy and precious blood shed upon the cross! It is through God-given faith in Jesus that we have pardon and forgiveness. It is through faith in Jesus that we have life everlasting and a place in God’s eternal kingdom. God rescued us from the rule and dominion of darkness by sending His Son to redeem us, and He translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son by bringing us to know and trust in Jesus for our salvation.

Again, the point of it all is that our salvation is complete in Jesus Christ. Jesus died for us, paid the price for the sins of the entire world of sinful human beings and rose again in victory on the third day. God the Father, through the death of His Son, made a way for us sinners to be fit and acceptable in His sight; and He, by the gracious working of the Holy Spirit, brought us to faith in Jesus and thus rescued us from the doomed kingdom and rule of the devil and translated us — transferring and carrying us — into the eternal kingdom of His only begotten Son!

We thank You, dear Father in heaven, for graciously sending Your only-begotten Son to redeem us and for mercifully bringing us into His eternal kingdom through faith in His name. Grant that we might grow in our knowledge of You and walk worthy of Your gracious calling. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

[Scripture quotations are from the King James Version of the Bible.]