Colossians 1: 13 – 14 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

The fact that you now have an inheritance in the kingdom of God and have been delivered from darkness is completely the work of God. In the King James Version verse 13 of Colossians 1 says in part that God the Father “has translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son.”  In common usage we think of the word translate in the context of languages and that process, when complete, results in text that is only in the new language, never a mix of both. So it is with the salvation God has given us, the change is radical but we could not make it happen. “For it is by grace you have been saved through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no man can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2: 8 – 9).

What are some of the desirable character traits of this new person that you are? Paul identifies some of these traits in the first chapter of Colossians – faith in Jesus Christ, love for fellow believers, an understanding that you have an eternal hope, being filled with the knowledge of God’s will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. All this so you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way by exhibiting fruitfulness, strength, endurance, patience, joy and gratitude to the Father.