A) IN TRUTH. 2:1-7 1. Know Him. 2:1-3 2. Walk in Him 2:4-7 1. Know Him. 2:1-3 V.1 a) Warfare - Adversary for you. I. He experienced a spiritual Warfare for their spiritual Welfare. He laboured in prayer, in counselling Epaphras and now in writing to them. V.2 reveals a part of the direction of labour. II. Why did he have this conflict for them? False teachers v.4, 8, 16, 18 V.2 b) Wholeness - Attaining to all the riches. V.2 deepens faith, hope and love, the 3 eternal virtues. I. Love - 2 manifestations of love: Encouragement and unity. II. Full assurance - (Faith) 2 manifestations of understanding: Riches (in Christ v.3) and full assurance. III. Knowledge - (Hope) 2 manifestations of knowledge: The Father and Christ. V.3 c) Wealth - Advance and Adventurous treasures in Christ. I. The true treasures are in Christ, in a person, not in books or newspapers. II. Christ can satisfy even the most intelligent person, for in Christ are the deep things of God. 1.Cor.2:10, 16; Prov.2:1-12. Man can’ t comprehend the creation and surely the comprehension of the wisdom and knowledge in Christ will also be beyond man’ s capacity of knowledge and wisdom. III. The false teachers treasures of wisdom were hidden in their secret books (Gr. apokryphoi), for believers Christ is the treasury of wisdom, and their life is hidden (Gr. kekryptai) in Him. Col.3:4 Supply - All the riches of the full. Secret - The mystery of God. Source - In Christ. 2. Walk in Him 2:4-7 V.4 d) Warning - Acknowledgement of Paul words. I. The saints should be warned and be watching lest any deceitful teaching settle in their minds and corrupt them. Eph.4:13-14; 1.John 4:1 II. Deceit is the use of false logic. Persuasive is here the continual use of false speech. V.5 e) Watching - Absence of Paul and Advance of the Colossians. (Picture of an army) Paul was watching them in prayer and saw their orderly faith. V.6 f) Walk - Advise to walk in Christ. I. The saints should not only believe in Him but also walk in Him. II. Christ Jesus the Lord - Counteracts 3 ideas of Him. 1. Christ - His deity denied by Judaism. 2. Jesus - His humanity denied by Docetists. 3. Lord - His sovereignty denied by many teachers. V.7 g) Well-grounded - Anchored in Christ. This verse explains how to walk in Him. The Grounded, Growing and Grateful saint. I. Absorbing - (Picture of a tree) Through salvation they were planted in Him now they must be rooted. Rooted deep down and absorbing Truth from Scripture. II. Arising - (Picture of a building) Build up until we stand maturely and strong on the feet. III. Affirmation - (Picture of a contract) Established and affirmed in faith and trust. IV. According to teaching - (Picture of a school) 2.Tim.1:13; 4:3-4 Abiding According to sound doctrine. V. Abounding - (Picture of a water fall) When they reached the level should they continue to grow in it.