Colossians 1:14 – Forgiveness Of Sins In Him

Colossians 1:13-14

^“13 For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, ¹⁴ who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins” (NLT).

Paul sums up several important doctrinal points of Christianity in this verse. The King James translates verses 13 and 14 thus, “¹³ Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: ¹⁴ In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:13-14).

Notice first that the verb tenses are past tense. He hath delivered, hath translated, have redemption, have (understood) forgiveness all show us this has already happened. First it all happened already on the Cross. Through His finished work we have been rescued from darkness to God’s Kingdom, He purchased our freedom and forgave our sins. This was all complete on the Cross. When we received Jesus as Lord and savior, the work Jesus did on the Cross becomes applicable to us. In other words, we are translated from darkness to the kingdom of Jesus, we are freed from the bondage to sin and death, and our sins are forgiven.

Paul explains redemption as forgiveness of sins. Our sins have been forgiven. Which sins? If God forgave our sins, it has to be all our sins. It’s not selected sins or only past sins. He made a onetime sacrifice for our sins. Our sins are washed by the blood of Jesus, not just when we are saved, but forever. Jesus can’t make any more sacrifices for our sins. In the Old Covenant, the blood of bulls and goats were offered every year for the sins of the people. Each year the blood covered for just one year. Jesus became the final sacrifice for sin forever. By His blood we aren’t just covered for a year but forever. And furthermore, our sins aren’t just covered; they are totally forgiven, carried to the Cross by Jesus Himself and washed away, cast away, and never remembered again.

This wonderful verse is only for those who are “in Him” (In whom). In Jesus we are absolutely forgiven, and our sins will never come between us and God—ever.