What happens to believers at salvation according to Colossians 1?
Colossians 1 states that at the moment of salvation, believers are translated from darkness into the kingdom of His dear Son, which is in heaven. Because the kingdom is not now on earth, their citizenship is heavenly; when Christ returns to set up His kingdom, they will come back with Him.
Les explains that Colossians 1 says plainly that at the moment of our salvation, we were translated from darkness into the kingdom of His dear Son, which is in heaven. Since the kingdom is not now on earth, Paul speaks of our citizenship as being in heaven. When Christ returns to the earth with His kingdom, believers will be with Him and come back with Him. Les notes that we will not be in physical bodies of reproduction or male and female; Jesus said we will be as the angels, but we will nevertheless be bodily present and will interface with people living, raising children, the animal kingdom, and all that. The early apostles were adherents of this earthly kingdom, and Paul taught it, John taught it, and the one who wrote the Book of Revelation.