God's Word For You is a free Bible Study site committed to bringing you studies firmly grounded in the Bible – the Word of God. Holding a reformed, conservative, evangelical perspective this site affirms that God has provided in Jesus Christ his eternal Son, a way of salvation in which we can live in his presence guilt free, acquitted and at peace.

 
 

FOUR THINGS GOD HAS DONE

© Rosemary Bardsley, 2006  

INTRODUCTION

The most important thing is not what the world is doing, not what we are doing, but what God has done. Let us lift our minds away from the terrible things that are happening in the world, away from our own personal successes and failures, and fix our minds on God and what he has done, which is far greater than all the sadness of the world and greater than our own personal despair. In what God has done we will find reason for a quiet and joyful confidence that will last into eternity. 

BIBLE READING: Colossians 1:3-14

 

OUTLINE

God has qualified us for his kingdom

God has changed our status and allegiance

God has liberated us

God has forgiven us

 

GOD HAS QUALIFIED US FOR HIS KINGDOM – Colossians 1:12

 

[1] God did this at a time when we were not qualified: Romans 5:8; Colossians 1:21.

[2] This is only possible through the death of Jesus Christ: Colossians 1:12a.

[3] Jesus took our sin and guilt so that we can be credited with his righteousness: 2 Corinthians 5:21; Philippians 3:9; Romans 3:21-22.

[4] Clearly nothing we do makes us fit for God’s kingdom. We cannot earn a place in it. We cannot purchase a place in it. It is only because of Christ, and in Christ,  that we are qualified to share in God’s kingdom: 1 Corinthians 1:30; Colossians 1:12.

 

GOD HAS CHANGED OUT STATUS AND ALLEGIANCE – Colossians 1:13

 

[1] God rescued us from the dominion of darkness: from the tyranny of Satan: Colossians 2:15; from the darkness of ignorance of God: 2 Corinthians 4:4-6.

[2] God has brought us into the kingdom of his Son.

 

GOD HAS REDEEMED US – Colossians 1:14

 

[1] The concept of redemption - freedom at a price: Israel redeemed from slavery in Egypt; payment of a ransom price demanded by kidnappers; redeeming goods from a pawnshop.

[2] The price of spiritual redemption: Jesus Christ: Mark 10:45; 1 Corinthians 6:20a; Hebrews 9:15; 1 Peter 1:18-19.

  

GOD HAS FORGIVEN US – Colossians 1:14 

Forgiveness is a further definition of redemption.

[1] God sets us free: from the law of sin and death: Romans 8:2; from bondage to the fear of judgement: Romans 8:15.

[2] God cancels our sin debt through the death of Christ for our sins: Galatians 3:10,13 1 Peter 2:24.

[3] God erases the record of our sins: Colossians 2:14.

 

CONCLUSION

All of this is not because of anything we have done, but solely because of the death that Jesus Christ died in our place, as our substitute.

 

So, what do we have to do? What does God require of us? Mark 1:15: ‘The time has come. The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news.’