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Colossians 1:13
13 Who [hos] hath delivered [rhoumai] us [hemas] from [ek] the power [exousia] of darkness [skotos], and [kai] hath translated [methistemi] us into [eis] the kingdom [basileia] of his [autos] dear [agape] Son [huios]: KJV-Interlinear
13 For He delivered us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, NASB
Not only did God give us life from out of nothing, for God created life out of nothing, just as He created this universe out of nothing. Recall the study of the different terms used for the word create, from Genesis.
God formed our physical bodies out of the dust (biological life), but He created human life out of nothing.
And in so doing, He designed the plan for giving to us an inheritance of the universe. From dust to glory as it were. Where else can you find a blessing of such magnitude?
And in due course, man rejected God, who is light, and found himself in darkness, or an existence without light.
The power of darkness is essentially the absence of power altogether, or a life without power. God is the only power in existence. All forms of power are essentially the application of Gods essence. God invented this universe, and all of the ingredients and principles that rule it. Many of which we have discovered, but most of which we have yet to discover.
The word for translated, ‘methistemi,’ means to be removed from one place and placed in another. Typically this means that a person is moved from one country and brought into the place of another country. When such a change occurs, that person is no longer governed by the laws of the former country, but by the laws of his new country.
Darkness is the old country. Darkness illustrates sin, pain, suffering, death and so forth.
Light is the new country, and light illustrates life, no more sorrow, no more pain, no more suffering, no more death, etc.
The kingdom of Christ is a kingdom of the spirit, and not of this world. And into His kingdom we were translated, instantly, upon believing in Him.
Before salvation, there is no hope, no power, nothing. After salvation, then we have not only hope, but the promise of a phenomenal future even after this world comes to its end.
When you are a citizen of a given country, then you have the benefits which pertain to that country. But in salvation, we are not only citizens, but heirs to the entire new universe and heaven combined, that are to come.
Now, any citizen must obey the laws of the land. Violate those laws and there is a certain loss of benefit or privilege. It is no different with the spiritual life. God has rules, and those rules pertain to spiritual growth, responsibility, participation in some fashion, and therefore the benefits go to those who abide by the rules. That should only make sense. You cannot delegate your responsibility to someone else, to fulfill for you.
