The Son of His Love. Colossians 1:13. Believers in Christ have been set free from the power of darkness. This kind of kingdom isn’t about land but about authority under the reign of a king. Believers now live under the authority of our kind, loving ruler, who is our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God. It is a current reality that we are citizens of another world – another kingdom. We are part of God’s kingdom because Jesus entered the kingdom of darkness and defeated all enemies, including the “last enemy” – death, when He paid the full price our sins demanded. Those who are qualified to share in the saints' inheritance in light have been transferred into the kingdom of the Son of God.
Darkness signifies trouble, sin, evil, and ignorance under the devil's control. We were slaves to sin against our will and were “sometimes darkness, but are now light in the Lord.” Even now, “We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness.” Now, we can live in peace and joy under the authority of God’s dear Son.
A thankful spirit is a sign of someone who is prepared for heaven and a "partaker" of all that heaven offers us. Showing a heavenly character here during suffering proves they're in "the kingdom of His dear Son" or "the Son of His love." The Jews wanted to regain the earthly kingdom they once had. There will be 1000 years of a peaceful kingdom under the reign of the Lamb, who sits on the throne in the future. Today, we can enjoy our inheritance in the kingdom of the Son of God's love—even in the face of suffering. We can experience these blessings now amid trials with joy. How much more will we enjoy such grace in the future?
A new power has taken over; once we were captives, but now we are free. We have emerged from the cold, fearful disappointments of a dark kingdom, and now we live in the light where it is easy to see the beauty and glory of God’s grace to fallen man. We also look through a glass darkly at where we are going and who else is headed there. Those transformed by the “renewing of their minds” know the Son of His love. We are just passing through this world as strangers and pilgrims, but we find many who have been captured by love the same way we have.
There is a new way of thinking in this kingdom of love. We can lift our minds higher than what we see around us to what is above and beyond us. Grace shown to us when God gave us eternal life is part of this new "love life" we've discovered. Our minds are directed toward holy things; we think differently than those in the world, and we have learned the value of loving God with all our hearts. God’s love for us is like a banner unfurled over our heads, and His love is shed abroad in our hearts so that we love others.
We don't need to discuss love when it is genuine. It becomes clear like a flag in the wind. When there is no wind, the flag hangs limply. It is not obvious, but it becomes very clear when forces are applied against it. When sickness and pain are present, or people suffer from broken hearts, the Son of God's love reveals what it truly means. In His kingdom, we learn the lesson repeatedly: love affects those who need to be made clean.
There is freedom to love when it is not under constraints. By the nature of the kingdom of His dear Son, we know what is right. Because we have a new nature, we can overlook complaints and demonstrate the reality of love in all seasons of life. When believers are young in faith, enthusiasm and love are urgent, and we desire to see souls saved. A little later in life, our love seems to settle down, and if we are not careful, we lose sight of the worth of others as we pursue personal gains. Later in life, love is revived as the Son of His love prepares us for our eternal home.