A Christian is a "Holy One"

Most Christians know they are saved, but far fewer grasp what that salvation actually means for their identity. The opening verses of Colossians 1 carry a depth that is easy to miss in a modern English Bible. When you slow down and look at the words Paul actually chose, the picture that emerges is stunning.

Why Does Paul Call Believers "Saints" and What Does It Really Mean?

Paul opens his letter to the Colossians with a greeting: "To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae. Grace to you and peace from God our Father." (Colossians 1:2, ESV)

The word translated as "saints" is the Greek word hagios, and it literally means holy ones. That distinction matters more than it might seem at first.

When most people hear the word "saint," they think of a special category of exceptionally holy people. But Paul was not writing to an elite group. He was writing to ordinary believers and calling them holy ones because that is what Christ has made them.

In the Old Testament, the word hagios is used most often to describe supernatural beings. It also magnifies God Himself. Paul, a trained Pharisee who knew the Old Testament deeply, chose this word intentionally. He was beginning to apply language once reserved for the heavenly realm to the people of the church.

Consider Psalm 89:5-7: "Let the heavens praise your wonders, O Lord, your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones... a God greatly to be feared in the council of the holy ones." The word translated "assembly" in that Psalm is the Greek word ecclesia, the same word used for "church" throughout the New Testament.

That connection is not accidental. When believers gather, they are gathering as holy ones in the assembly of God. That should produce a sense of awe every single time.

What Does It Mean to Be "Deified" or Glorified as a Christian?

Theologians use the word theosis or deification to describe what happens to believers. This does not mean Christians become little gods equal to God. It means they become supernatural holy beings, transformed from the inside out because Christ Himself dwells within them.

As Paul writes in Galatians 2:20: "It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me." (Galatians 2:20, ESV)

Humanity was made to dwell with God. Eden was God's dwelling on earth. When sin broke that relationship, God set in motion a plan to restore it. Salvation is not just a rescue from punishment. It is a restoration to the family and presence of God.

What Kind of Knowledge Does Paul Pray For in Colossians 1:9?

Paul writes: "And so from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding." (Colossians 1:9, ESV)

The word "knowledge" here is significant because Paul is writing to a community being influenced by early streams of thought that would eventually become Gnosticism. Gnosticism is built on the idea of secret inner knowledge and self-realization as the path to spiritual awakening.

Paul is not talking about that kind of knowledge. He is talking about the knowledge of God. Knowing who God is. Knowing how God works. This is not inner awakening or self-discovery. It is the knowledge that comes from God Himself, through His Word, through prayer, and through the correction He brings into a believer's life.

The phrase "wisdom and understanding" appears repeatedly throughout the Old Testament, in Exodus, Deuteronomy, Job, the Psalms, and across Second Temple Jewish writings. Paul is drawing on a long tradition that points to God as the source of all true wisdom.

Why Rules and Self-Discipline Alone Cannot Change You

Paul addresses this directly in Colossians 2:23: "These indeed have an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh." (Colossians 2:23, ESV)

Being told what not to do will not stop you from doing it. Trying harder will not fix the problem. The only thing that changes a person is the knowledge of God working from the inside. That is why Paul prays for spiritual wisdom and understanding rather than a longer list of rules.

If a person could stop sinning on their own, they would not need a Savior. The whole point is that they cannot. God has to do the rescuing.

What Is the "Inheritance of the Holy Ones" and Why Does It Matter?

Paul writes: "Giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light." (Colossians 1:12, ESV)

The word for "inheritance" in Greek is kleros. In the Old Testament, inheritance was tied to land, but more importantly, it was tied to people. Deuteronomy 32:8-9 describes how God divided the nations and kept Israel as His own inheritance: "When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, when he divided mankind, He fixed the borders of the peoples according to the number of the sons of God. But the Lord's portion is his people, Jacob His allotted heritage." (Deuteronomy 32:8-9, ESV)

The inheritance of God is His people. And Paul is telling Gentile believers in Colossae that they have been fully included in that inheritance. They are not second-class members. They are full heirs, adopted into the family of God.

Notice who does the qualifying. Not the believers themselves. The Father qualifies them. This is entirely His work.

What Does It Mean to Be "Rescued from the Domain of Darkness"?

Paul continues: "He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son." (Colossians 1:13, ESV)

The word translated "delivered" can also be translated as "rescued." The difference in image is meaningful. Delivering a cow from a pen requires opening a gate. The cow does the work of walking out. Rescuing someone from danger requires the rescuer to do all the work. The person being rescued contributes nothing.

That second image is the one that fits. Believers were in real trouble. They could not get themselves out. God came in and rescued them entirely.

The domain of darkness in Old Testament cosmic geography refers to everything outside the rule of God. For the Christian, it describes the world that every unbeliever still lives in. They are not just in a difficult situation. They are in a domain ruled by forces hostile to God.

Is the Kingdom of God Here Now or Still Coming?

This is one of the most important questions in Christian theology, and Colossians 1:13 speaks directly to it. The verbs Paul uses are what scholars call aorist tense in Greek. This tense describes a completed action. Not a process. Not something still in progress. Done.

Believers have been rescued. Believers have been transferred. It is finished.

And yet other passages speak of the kingdom coming in the future. First Corinthians 15:24 says: "Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power." (1 Corinthians 15:24, ESV)

Both are true at the same time. The kingdom is already real for those who belong to Christ. The full establishment of that kingdom over all creation is still coming. Think of it like the Allied landing at Normandy in World War II. Once the beachhead was secured, the outcome of the war was settled. It just had to work itself out to completion. The victory was real even before the final surrender.

Believers are already citizens of heaven. They happen to be living on earth for now, but this world is not their home.

What Is Our Destiny as Believers?

The picture Paul paints is far bigger than most Christians imagine. Believers will one day rule the nations with Christ. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 6 that believers will judge angels. Jesus shares His throne. He invites His people to be partners in His reign.

This is the destination that salvation points toward. Not passive existence in a distant heaven, but active participation in the rule of God over a restored creation. That is the inheritance of the holy ones.

Life Application

Paul's vision of the Christian life in Colossians 1 is not passive. Believers have been rescued from darkness. That means there are still people around them who have not been rescued yet.

The challenge this week is simple but serious. Think of one person in your life who is still in the domain of darkness. Not someone to judge or lecture, but someone to love toward the light. Ask God for one practical way to move toward that person this week, whether it is a conversation, an act of kindness, or simply praying for them by name every day.

Ask yourself these questions as you go:

• Do I actually see myself as a holy one, someone God has qualified and rescued, or do I still think of my identity mostly in terms of my failures?
• Am I seeking the knowledge of God through His Word and prayer, or am I trying to manage my spiritual life through willpower and rules?
• Who in my life is still in the domain of darkness, and what would it look like for me to be part of their rescue?

The point of salvation is not just personal peace. It is that God has brought you into His family, given you His inheritance, and sent you back into the darkness to help pull others out.