In 1:12-14 we come to Paul’s thanksgiving. In his prayer Paul gave thanks to the Father, who is the origin and source of all blessing. By his thanks to the Father, he brings us to his subject—the all-inclusive Christ.
In contrast to many Christians today, Paul did not give thanks for things such as healing, health, housing, family life, or a job. Rather, he gave thanks to the Father for qualifying us “for a share of the portion of the saints in the light.” The book of Colossians concerns Christ, the Head of the Body. Hence, the portion of the saints here is the all-inclusive Christ for their enjoyment. The Father has qualified us not to inherit some heavenly mansion, but to have a share in Christ as the all-inclusive portion of the saints. We can boldly declare that Christ is our all-inclusive portion.
The Greek word rendered portion in this verse cor- responds to the Hebrew word used for the allotment of the good land. After the children of Israel had entered into the land of Canaan, each of the tribes was given an allotment of the land. Of course, our portion, our allotment, today is not a physical land in Palestine; it is the all-inclusive Christ. How we must thank the Father for giving us Christ as our divine allotment!
Each of the tribes had an allotment of the good land, and the members of each tribe had a share of this allotment. In the same principle, we have a share of the portion of the saints. This means that we all have a share in Christ.
In verse 12 Paul points out that our share of the portion of the saints is in the light. Light here is in contrast to darkness in the following verse. When we were under Satan’s authority, we were in darkness. But now we are in the kingdom of Christ, enjoying Him in light.
Verse 13 is the explanation and definition of how the Father has qualified us for a share of the portion of the saints. This verse says that the Father “delivered us out of the authority of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of His love.” For Christ to be the Head of the Body, and for us, His believers, to be the members of His Body, He needed to deliver us out of the authority of darkness, the kingdom of Satan (Matt. 12:26), and transfer us into the kingdom of Christ, the kingdom of God’s Beloved. This is to qualify us to partake of Christ as our portion.
If we were still under the authority of darkness, we would not be qualified to share in Christ. But the Father has delivered us out of the authority of darkness. Praise Him that we are no longer in the satanic kingdom! Being delivered from the authority of darkness was the first step to be qualified to have a share in Christ.
The second step was to be transferred into the kingdom of the Son of God’s love. We have undergone both a deliverance and a transfer. Because Satan is darkness and Christ, the Son of God, is light, therefore Satan’s kingdom is the authority of darkness, whereas the kingdom of the Son of God is the kingdom of light. By being delivered out of Satan’s kingdom and transferred into Christ’s kingdom we have been qualified for a share of the portion of the saints.
In verse 14 Paul continues, “In Whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” The deliverance in verse 13 deals with Satan’s authority over us by destroying his evil power, whereas the redemption in this verse deals with our sins by fulfilling God’s righteous requirement. The forgiveness of sins is the redemption which we have in Christ. Christ’s death has accomplished redemption unto the forgiveness of our sins.
In Christ, the Son of God’s love, we have redemption and forgiveness. When we believed in Christ as our Redeemer, God immediately delivered us out of the authority of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of light. Here in the light we are qualified for a share of the portion of the saints. This means we are qualified to enjoy Christ. Because this qualification is an accomplished fact, there is no need for us to pray about it. On the contrary, with Paul we should simply thank the Father for this. However, there is the need for us to pray concerning knowing the will of God and walking worthily of the Lord unto all pleasing. Now that we are in the kingdom of the Son of God’s love, enjoying Him in the light, we must go on to know Him in full and to walk worthily of Him.
The subject of Colossians is the all-inclusive Christ, the Christ who is everything to us. Day by day we may enjoy Him as our portion.