What does Colossians 1:13 say about how believers enter the Kingdom?
Colossians 1:13 states that God has delivered believers from the power of darkness and has already translated them into the Kingdom. Paul says the Father has prepared them to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light, so they are already members of the Kingdom, which presently is in glory in Christ.
Les teaches that in Colossians 1:12–13 Paul is praying for the Colossi Gentile believers and giving thanks to the Father, who made them fit or prepared them to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light. Verse 13 then says God has delivered us from the power of darkness and has already translated us into the Kingdom. So the church-age believer is already a member of the Kingdom. Les points out that the Kingdom presently is in glory, in the person of Christ. When Christ was on earth, John the Baptist told Israel, “The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand,” because the King was at hand.
Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
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Are believers already members of God's Kingdom now?
Believers are already members of the Kingdom because God has already translated them into it (Colossians 1:13), so Kingdom membership is a present reality, not only future.