Articles
Power vs Power
Have you ever considered how the Bible views where Christians were before they were Christians? Notice Colossians 1:13: “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son.” Those outside of Christ are under the “power” of darkness.
The word “power” here is the same in the original as the word Jesus used in Matthew 28:18 (“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth”). That Word always carries the idea of “authority.” In other words, while we were outside of Christ, we were living under the authority of darkness (shadiness, i.e., evil). We were under its “domain” (NASB).
Whether knowingly or not, everyone outside of Christ is under the authority of darkness (sin). We all have owed the wages of sin. Paul declared, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23). Because We all have sinned, we all have been under this authority (Romans 3:23).
We also are unable to leave the authority of darkness on our own; we have to be delivered (rescued, NASB). Yes, it is a choice we make, but it is an action that requires Divine assistance. Paul said, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16). The only way to escape the power, guilt and condemnation of sin is to obey the gospel.
J. Brooks Boyd, Jr.
Livingston church of Christ
Livingston, TN
Bulletin Digest
