God qualifies the believer by His grace. He makes us heirs of an inheritance (cf. 1 Peter 1:4). [1] The qualification to receive an inheritance took place at conversion, though actual possession of most of it is future. Second, He delivers us from Satan"s domain ( Colossians 1:13 a). This, too, took place at conversion but will become more evident in the future. Third, He transferred us to Christ"s kingdom ( Colossians 1:13 b). The verb translated "transferred" (metestesen) described the relocation of large groups of people such as captured armies or colonists from one country to another. [2] This kingdom is probably a reference to Christ"s domain as opposed to Satan"s domain of darkness. [3][source]
The apostle probably used these figures because the false teachers in Colosse seem to have been promoting a form of Gnosticism that became very influential in the second century. Gnosticism made much of the light-darkness contrast in its philosophic system. "Darkness" is also a prominent figure in biblical symbolism where it represents ignorance, falsehood, and sin (cf. John 3:19; Romans 13:12; et al.). It is also common in the Qumran material (1QS1:9; 2:5; 2:16; 11:7-8; 1QM1:1; 1:5; 1:11; 4:2; 13:2; 1QH11:11-12). [source][source][source]