Thanking God For His Blessings

1. Colossians 1:12 says, “giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.”

2. Christians are to be thankful that God has “qualified us” [or made us meet OKJV] to be partakers of the inheritance.

1) Turn to 1 Peter 1:3&4. 1 Peter 1:3&4 teaches that the inheritance that God is going to allow Christians to partake of is heaven. 1 Peter 1:3&4 says, “3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you.”

2) Drop down to 1 Peter 1:22&23. 1 Peter 1:22&23 teaches that one qualifies oneself to be a partaker of heaven by obeying the truth and experiencing a new birth into God’s spiritual family. 1 Peter 1:22&23 says, “22 Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, 23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever.”

3) Turn to 1 Peter 3:20&21. 1 Peter 3:20&21 teaches that the new birth and salvation from one’s past sins begins as one who believes, confesses that they believe Jesus is the Son of God, repents and turns from their sinful lifestyle and obeys the command of baptism. 1 Peter 3:20&21 says, “who [speaking of the people of Noah’s day] formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. 21 There is also an antitype [or a likeness] which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”

1) An individual can have a good conscience and know that they have qualified themselves to be on the road to the wonderful inheritance of heaven once they believe, repent, confess that they believe Jesus is the Son of God and obey the command of baptism.

2) The Holy Spirit inspired Peter and all the writers of the New Testament to teach that this is the beginning step to qualify oneself to receive the inheritance of heaven.

3. Turn to 2 Peter 3:17&18. 2 Peter 3:17&18 teaches that one must continue to obey the truth and live a faithful life in order to qualify for the eternal inheritance in heaven. 2 Peter 3:17&18 says, “17 You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; 18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.”

4. Look back at Colossians 1:12, the last phrase: “the saints in the light.”

1) The word “saint” means “set apart”. In the New Testament saints refers to Christians who are set apart from the ways of the world and set apart to live according to the ways of God and Christ.

2) “Light” symbolizes truth, purity and all things that are acceptable and pleasing to God and Christ.

3) An individual remains qualified to receive the inheritance of heaven if they will live that pure and wholesome life on a daily basis.

1. The power of darkness is the realm of Satan. Darkness implies not only absence of light, but opposition to the light, opposition to what is true and pure and wholesome.

2. Darkness is not only a condition of being without God, but being opposed to God. Man gets into the kingdom of darkness by his own efforts (sin). There is nothing man can do by himself to escape the power of darkness.

3. Men and women become slaves to sin when they sin (Romans 6:16-17). Sin is disobedience to the will of God (I John 3:4). God has intervened by sending his Son to die for men’s sins (I Corinthians 15:3).

4. Turn to Ephesians 4:17-24. Ephesians 4:17-24 teaches that man gets into the kingdom of darkness by his own efforts when he or she commits sin. The only way out of this dark and dismal lifestyle is by obeying the teaching of Christ. Ephesians 4:17-24 says, 17 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, 18 having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; 19 who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. 20 But you have not so learned Christ, 21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.”

5. Colossians 1:13a and Ephesians 4:17-24 teach that Christians need to be thankful that God has delivered us from the power of darkness. This is teaches that we have been delivered from the power of Satan. Satan will still tempt us, but he doesn’t have the power to make Christians obey Him. Christians can say, “No”! James 4:7 says, “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”

1. Turn to Matthew 16:18&19. Matthew 16:18&19 teach that the kingdom of Christ is identical to the church of Christ. When the Lord gave the promise to build His church, He also spoke of the church as the kingdom, using the two terms interchangeably. Matthew 16:18&19 says, “18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. 19 And I will give you the keys [referring to the terms of entrance = hearing, believing, repenting, confessing, being baptized as Peter and the apostles preached] of the kingdom of heaven {also terms “church” and “kingdom” used interchangeably in reference to the same institution}.

2. Christ’s kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. Christ’s kingdom is a spiritual kingdom which will never be destroyed (Daniel 2:44).

3. The Colossian Christians were in the kingdom of Christ at the time that Paul wrote the letter to those of Colossae. The kingdom or church was established on the first Pentecost after Jesus arose from the dead (Acts 2).

4. When Jesus comes again, he will deliver up the kingdom to the Father (I Corinthians 15:24). Christians today are not waiting for Jesus to come and set up an earthly kingdom. The kingdom is now in existence.

5. The “kingdom of the Son” is the church. When one obeys the gospel, God puts that individual into the kingdom or church. Acts 2:47b, “And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.”

1. Colossians 1:14a, “in whom we have redemption through His blood!”

2. “Redeem” means to buy back. Redeemed is the word which was used for the emancipation or setting free of a slave, and for the buying back of someone who was in the power of another.

3. When a baby is born into this world they are pure and innocent and free from any guilt of sin.

4. Turn to Romans 6:16. Romans 6:16 teaches that when one reaches the age of accountability and commits sin that individual becomes a slave to Satan and a slave to sin. Romans 6:16 says, “16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?

5. Now Romans 6:17&18 teaches that once an individual obeys the plan of redemption or “the form of doctrine” delivered to individuals in the New Testament they are set free from the guilt of sin. Romans 6:17&18 says, “17 But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. 18 And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.”

6. Look at Romans 6:3-7. Romans 6:3-7 teaches that the form of doctrine one is to obey to be redeemed and set free from the guilt of sin is believing, repenting, confessing that we believe Jesus is the Son of God and being baptized. Romans 6:3-7 says, “3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? [To receive the benefit of His blood that was shed during His death. Revelation 1:5b says, “Unto Jesus that loved us and washed us from our sins in His death.” 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 7 For he who has died has been freed from sin.”

7. Turn to 1 Peter 1:18&19. 1 Peter 1:18&19 teaches that it is so important to remember that the redemption price that was paid was not anything relating to money, but the redemption price was the precious blood of Jesus. 1 Peter 1:18&19 says, “18 knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.”

1. Let’s read Colossians 1:14, “in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.”

2. Turn to Romans 6:23a. In Romans 6:23a we are taught that if we don’t receive forgiveness of sins we will experience spiritual death, which means eternal separation from God. Romans 6:23a says, “for the wages of sin is death.”

3. Turn to Hebrews 3:13. In Hebrews 3:13 we are taught to exhort one another daily to avoid being so hardened by sin that we want ever repent and be forgiven. Hebrews 3:13 says, “but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.” Sin is so deceitful that it will make you think that nothing bad will ever happen if you remain a sinner.

4. Turn to 1 Peter 4:17&18. In 1 Peter 4:17&18 we are warned to not willingly be sinful and ungodly because even those who think that they are the righteous will have a slim chance of being saved. 1 Peter 4:17&18 says, “17 For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 Now ” If the righteous one is scarcely saved, Where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?”

5. Turn to 1 John 5:16. In 1 John 5:16 we are told that it will not do any good to pray for the soul of one who has died a sinner and has not properly repented.

1) On many occasions after someone dies that has been living a life of sin some people say, “let’s pray for God to be merciful to his or her soul.” 1 John 5:16 teaches that it want do any good to pray for the soul of one who won’t repent.

2) There are also some who teach that when a sinner dies that their soul goes to what they call purgatory.

a. Purgatory, to them is where the soul goes and has to wait until enough money has been paid to a priest to where that the priest has prayed enough to deliver that soul out of purgatory.

b. This teaches that there is a second chance for one after they die.

c. However, 1 John 5:16 teaches that it want do any good to pray for the soul of one who dies a sinner if they have died with un repented sin. 1 John 5:16 says, “If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that.”