Colossians 1:12

Colossians 1:12

Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:

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Paul calls them to thank the Father, who has qualified them to share in the inheritance of his people in light.

What Does Colossians 1:12 Mean?

The prayer turns to gratitude. The Father is the one who hath made us meet -- made us fit, qualified us -- for what we could never earn. The action is wholly his.

The inheritance belongs to the saints in light, and the Father grants believers a share in it. The contrast with the darkness named in the next verse is already in view. Paul wants the Colossians to feel the wonder of it: they did not climb into this inheritance but were made ready for it by God's own act, and so thanksgiving, not boasting, is the only fitting response. Wherever a believer feels unworthy of God's promises, this verse answers that the worthiness was supplied by the Father himself. The inheritance is sure because the One who qualifies us is faithful.

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