Christians often look at and discuss the beautiful shadows of Christ found in the Old Testament; however, Paul discloses the mystery of the shadows and reveals Jesus in all of His real beauty and glory.  Jesus is the substance towards which all of the shadows point.

In verse 12, Paul writes that we should thank the Father, “who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light“, and in verse 13, that the Father has “transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins”.

The inheritance that we have been given as we have been grafted into the Lord’s family is in the Son.  This led me to look through just Colossians chapter 1 and discover what it is exactly that we have inherited in Christ.  Note that Paul’s letter is written to the church in Colossae, so this inheritance is given to the church (plural) and is intended to be discovered and developed together.

• saints and faithful brethren (v. 2)
• grace and peace from God our Father (v. 2)
• God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (v. 3)
• the prayers of the saints on our behalf (v. 3)
• faith in Christ Jesus (v. 4)
• love for all the saints (v. 4)
• confident hope of what God has reserved for us in heaven (v. 5)
• Truth of the good news of Christ (v. 5)
• the growing of fruit seen in changed lives everywhere (v. 6)
• understanding the truth of God’s wonderful grace (v. 6)
• faithful servants of Christ (v. 7)
• help from faithful servants (v. 7)
• love for others from the Holy Spirit (v. 8)
• complete knowledge of God’s will (v. 9)
• spiritual wisdom and understanding (v. 9)
• lives that produce every kind of good fruit, which will honor and please God (v. 10)
• growing spiritually as we know God better and better (v. 10)
• strengthened with God’s power so we will have endurance and patience (v. 11)
• filled with joy (v. 11)
• enabled (qualified) to share in the inheritance with all the saints (v. 12)
• living in the Light (v. 12)
• rescued from the kingdom of darkness (v. 13)
• transferred into the kingdom of His beloved Son (v. 13)
• our freedom purchased by the Son (v. 14)
• our sins are forgiven through the Son (v. 14)
• a vision of the invisible God through the visible Christ (v. 15)
• united to the Eternal One, who is supreme over all creation (v. 16)
• being held together in Christ (v. 17)
• Christ Himself, as Head of His body, the church (v. 18)
• Christ, the pattern for those reborn to new life (v. 18)
• reconciled to God through Christ (v. 19)
• at peace with God through Christ’s blood on the cross (v. 20)
• brought close to God, and no longer His enemy (v. 21)
• brought into God’s own presence through Christ’s death (v. 22)
• made completely holy (v. 22)
• made completely blameless (v. 22)
• able to stand before God without a single fault (v. 22)
• assurance of the Truth (v. 23)
• God’s servants, who suffer for us (v. 24)
• God’s servants, who proclaim His entire message (v. 25)
• the revelation of God’s secrets revealed in Christ (v. 26)
• knowing that the riches and glory of Christ are for everyone (v. 27)
• the secret revealed: Christ Himself lives in you all, and you all share in His glory (v. 27)

All of this and so much more is given to us in Christ who lives in us.  The fullness of God dwells in Him, and He dwells in us!

What a Christ!

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