 Chapter 1 verse 28, before that he is saying that God, He willed, it's His desire to make known the riches of the glory of His mystery among the Gentiles, not only among the Jewish people but also among the non-Jewish people. And what is this mystery that is Christ in you, the hope of glory, Christ living in us and that's the hope of glory. Us having the indwelling presence of the Lord and the hope of glory in many various ways where we see that He who is in us is greater than He that is in the world. So in that sense we are victorious, we are overcomers. He also leads us in a triumphant possession in Christ and because the Holy Spirit is in us as a guarantee which means that's pointing to something that is going to happen a future event where the redemption will be complete. So in all these ways the mystery of the indwelling Christ, the Christ in us is really the hope of glory. So verse 28 says, him we preached, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. So who him we preach, so whatever Paul was preaching was content was Christ. So Christ is whom he preaches, he talks about warning every man, warning every person which means alerting, cautioning every person and even gently reprimanding, see that is what that word means, even gentle reproof or reprimand. So warning every man and teaching means instructing, carrying out the work of a teacher, teaching every man in all wisdom, for what end, what is the objective? To be able to do this, to be doing this that we may present every man perfect in Christ. So this was the objective, to minister in such a manner, to want, to teach, to present every man perfect in Christ. And the word perfect means mature, to present every person perfect, mature in Christ. In other words to bring every person to maturity, so that there's nothing wanting, there's nothing lacking to bring every person to that place of maturity in Christ Jesus. So this is what he says, we preach Christ with this objective in mind, if you wanted to present Christ to every person, warning, teaching so that we might present every person perfect in Christ. So to this end, to achieve this, verse 29, I also labor striving according to his working which works in me mightily. So in order to do this I labor, in order to do this I work. So the word labor of course means hard work or physical hard work, there is toil, there is effort, there is every, what should I say, the side effect of that is that, well the body becomes tired, there is toil, there is fatigue, I actually become weary, that is the other side of it. But he's saying to do this I labor, which means I put in this kind of effort and I labor, striving according to his working and the word striving literally it means to compete for a price, to struggle, to compete for a price, actually to get into a contest and to press on and saying okay with that intensity. And the Greek word agonidesomai, which means to really to go and compete and contend, there is a lot of contending, there is a lot of contending with adversaries and all that. So he's saying I also labor striving according to his working. So there is this working in me, he is working in me according to his working I strive or I put in this effort, I compete, it's not obviously competing with other believers but it's like an athlete who is competing to run the race. So in all form of readiness of physical mental readiness and capability and he's preparing and he's putting in all that effort according to his working. So he's talking about the work of God in man and he's saying God is working in me, the Holy Spirit is operating in me and according to his working in line with his working I am striving, I'm doing this and I'm laboring in order to present every man perfect in Christ. According to his working which works in me, mightily says which mightily works in me and the word there again is dunamis. We've been looking at that term over and over again, strengthened with all might according to his glorious power verse 11, same thing that you may be strengthened with his supernatural wonder working miraculous power. So the same thing here saying that his Holy Spirit power, his power works in me in this manner, works in me in this supernatural manner in this wonder working miraculous supernatural way, his power works in me and according to his working to this working, I strive, I work, I compete in a sense and I do this so that I might present every man perfect in Christ. So really wonderful to see that though. It's not like he's just totally taking it easy, very relaxed, no he's doing it with a sense of urgency, a sense of commitment, a sense of I need to do this, I need to do this well because the Spirit of God is working in me and he is working in me effectively he's working powerfully in me and so in line with that, his work is powerful in me in my spirit so in line with that how can I, it's almost like how can I just take it easy? He's working in me so I need to just press forward, press on and get this done. Okay, so that's chapter one. Let's move on to chapter two. I'll just share the notes here. Okay, so chapter two. So let's just read through the few verses and then we'll take time to go through it. Okay, for I want you to know what a great conflict I have for you and those in Laodicea for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh that their hearts may be encouraged being knit together in love and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding to the knowledge of the mystery of God both of the Father and of Christ in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Now this I say, lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words for though I'm absent in the flesh yet I'm with you in spirit rejoicing to see your good order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ as you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk in him rooted and built up in him and established in the faith as you have been taught a bounding in it with Thanksgiving. Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit according to the tradition of men according to the basic principles of the world and not according to Christ. Now to him now sorry for in him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily and you are complete in him who is the head of all principality and power. Okay, so here Paul is talking about some of this some of the things that he was going through personally and says I want you to know what a great conflict I have for you and for those in Laodicea so you know Colosse and you know the neighboring area and the neighboring church, churches region Laodicea is also there and and and these are churches which didn't really where Paul didn't go physically right he didn't go and meet with them so they've not seen him face-to-face but they've heard of him and office obviously Ipofras had ministered here in and Colosse so so he's saying you know you know I have a great conflict in the sense of saying there's a you know I have I care for your spiritual well-being and at the same time there is this concern about you know things that are not right that are happening the thing people who who are teaching and preaching and spreading all kinds of you know different teachings and so I have this concern I have this great conflict inside of me right and so he's literally saying there's a great struggle there's a great conflict right and and and what is it right he's saying that that their hearts may be encouraged being knit together in love attaining to all the riches of the full assurance of understanding to the knowledge of the mystery of God both our Father and Christ so so this is something that he's you know again saying that your hearts being together in love that you've been grounded in love rooted in love that you may attain to the riches of the full assurance that you may continue to you know grow and reach that place of you know full assurance of understanding reach that place of receiving the knowledge or growing in the knowledge of the mystery of God both of the Father of and Christ and of Christ in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge so he's saying you know make no mistake you know earlier on we saw you know in Philippines where Paul is saying that all the things that he's learned and you know being trained for and and also you know everything about his background his lineage all things you know he says I consider them as garbage as refuse right for the knowledge for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ and I compared to that I just I just put them aside and I just and I say you know it's it's nothing right compared to the excellence of the knowledge of Christ so so here is saying you know Christ make no mistake that in Christ hidden the treasures of wisdom and knowledge is something for us to take note of that and this he says because next verse we see that lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words and he goes on to explain later but then you know to the contrary okay so in Christ in the father son spirit in Christ are hidden the treasures of wisdom and knowledge so if anyone should bring a teaching or teach anything to the opposite of that you know he's saying don't be deceived and don't be deceived right so we see that you know when we when we read earlier that the holy spirit is the one especially in the Holy Spirit class we see that the Holy Spirit is the one who we look at God himself you know when we see that one of the characteristics is that is omniscient he's all knowing it's nothing that is hidden there's nothing that he does not know everything everything that you see how does everything work he knows it already and and the Holy Spirit you know we see typically anointing or giving that's base l l the skill and ability for workmanship right of precious stones and carvings and you know so artistic skill the Holy Spirit is giving and then another another place we see you know agriculture when it when it comes to things that are grown and things that are harvested and how it should be it says that this also comes from God this also comes from God so the thing is that in him is all knowledge in him is all wisdom and there's no reason to doubt that and say okay maybe matters that are spiritual where I can go to God or you know other things that you know I I don't have to well the thing is see we very definitely you know we we go to college or university or you know to learn some things that are you know specific pick up some skills and all that nothing you know there's absolutely nothing wrong and and we need to do that we need to be trained etc but we need to understand that that the Lord he he knows he's omniscient that in him resides all wisdom and all knowledge okay I was just looking for this scripture you know Isaiah 28 verses 23 to 29 right Isaiah 23 28 sorry 23 to 29 so it talks about how the plow man does he keep plowing all day to so does he keep turning his soil breaking his clothes etc it talks about wheat it talks about barley and you know cumin and all that and then finally it says you know verse 28 of Isaiah 28 it says bread flow flower must be ground therefore he does not thresh it forever break it with his cartwheel or crush it with it horsemen this also comes from the Lord of hosts who's wonderful in counsel and excellent in guidance okay so this is this also comes from the Lord of hosts so Paul here mentioning that lest anyone should deceive you otherwise right so what is falsely called as knowledge and philosophy and wisdom let lest anyone cheat you on that okay so don't be deceived now for though I am absent of the flesh yet I'm with you in spirit rejoicing to see your good order and steadfastness of your faith in Christ so verse six he's saying as therefore as you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk in him you know how did you receive by faith how did you receive wholeheartedly how did you you know receive guys you know and and the work of the spirit your hearts was open to it you see in Galatians the same thing he's actually rebuking them for the fact that they were entertaining other teaching which was drawing them back to the law and it was not according to faith and it was according to works and the law so he was he was actually warning them he's saying and how did you receive the spirit was it through works was it through faith did you not believe and did you not receive how did how do these you know the signs and the miracles and how do these happen was it because of faith or was it because of the working of the law in the same similar manner is saying you know as you have received Christ you know in the manner in which you walk in him there's no need to you know make certain departures continue to walk in him continue to live in him right so walk in him may your lifestyle and be like this rooted and built up rooted and built up so rooted meaning striking roots you know the word use the read so meaning how roots would go and and strike the ground and go inside and and and give that stability for the plant and be a source of you know even nourishment and water and everything for the plant so saying that you do that like rooted and built up okay meaning build upon right so build upon that foundation be rooted be established in the faith be established in the faith so rooted built up established in the faith be strong be unmovable stabilized in the faith okay so let no one deceive you or let no one tell you otherwise through their persuasive words but you be rooted you be built up or which means you continue to grow and you be established right you be established in the faith okay let me just move the notes as you have been taught and a bounding in it with Thanksgiving okay so a bounding in it increasing a bounding going from strength to strength going from ever increasing so let it be in excess right so as how you have been taught to be rooted to be built up to be established you know you a bound in it with Thanksgiving right we have a grateful heart have a grateful actually the word means grateful language right so let there be giving of thanks even as you continue to grow you know so so what happens is like giving of thanks literally grounds us keeps us humble and we we are we are grounded you know we we we're not puffed up you don't become proud because we are giving thanks for each and everything you're giving thanks to God you know that it's not us you know that it's not because of anything that we have done and we have deceived it from him all we are doing is seaving by faith all we are doing is posturing self to receive from him okay so a bounding in it with Thanksgiving okay so let's look at the verses after that so he's saying you know as you have received Christ walking in a bounding in it with Thanksgiving verse 8 you know verse 8 is again you know he's explaining about the deception with verse 2 verse 4 he's saying be aware you know again he's cautioning be alert beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit according to the tradition of man according to the basic principles of the world and not according to Christ okay so this is applicable for each of us even today you know philosophy is is just love of wisdom right so it's it's it's love of wisdom it's learning new things right but the thing is how can anyone cheat you with philosophy how can anyone deceive you with you know philosophy so when that replaces our knowledge in Christ or when that becomes the worldview through which you're going to see the world okay so let's say because of knowledge because of this wisdom and learning and there are you know several different worldviews and and and and then you know there is this whole train of thought that there are no moral absolutes moral absolutes mean there's no absolute right or wrong that everything is relative and so you know what is happening you know something is being uprooted here what is being uprooted that that God that goodness from God that he is he is a reference point for us to know what is good and know what is evil you know that his word reflects his character and his word reflects his nature and and we see that there is no darkness in him at all and and therefore you know we know that good what is good what is true and he is the truth so all this if it's going to change because of philosophy you know philosophy by itself is it's fine but then if it's going to yeah if you're going to be deceived if you're going to be cheated through philosophy then Paul is alerting us to that right so and the and the word used there is to you know to seduce and to take away okay to to take away your goods right so that's the that's the picture we have to take away your goods to to kind of seduce and to make you dull and to take away your goods and to even take you away captive right so well that is the danger of not being grounded in truth while considering all the other things you know so saying that you be careful let anyone cheat you and through philosophy an empty deceit meaning it's it's empty it's vain it's it's not useful and it's plain deceit right it's deceitfulness it's they it's just to it's delusion it's just to cheat right so what is what does it do you know philosophy and this kind of a vain deceit it is according to the tradition of man so which means that there are some traditions which are not in line not according to or not in line with godliness right practices traditions maybe even certain cultures which you know customs which are not in line with God's word okay which are not truth itself so so if these things take the place of truth or replace the truth that we are called to live by then we are deceiving ourselves or giving in to deception okay so it's according to the tradition of man and according to the basic principles of the world right and not according to christ okay so it's according to the tradition of man it's according to the basic principles of the world and it is not according to christ which means that it's it's uh it's not according to the truth itself so it might have a form of knowledge or intellectualism but at the end it replaces who um sorry it replaces who or tries to replace or tries to exalt itself above the knowledge of christ okay so he's warning and he's saying that and and this is what is creating a conflict in him he knows that there are such people who are teaching he knows that there are he has not actually um you know seen this church visited them but he has obviously taught them from a distance through uh you know through others yes who has come and ministered so so he's saying you know you you be rooted built up in christ so that way you will stand you will go with the truth there's a way that are then you will not be uh led away you will not be led astray from the truth okay so let's look at verse nine for in him dwells all the fullness of the godhead bodily okay so he's repeating that he's he's reiterating what what he said already in in chapter one right so uh uh we we saw in uh i'm just trying to see that verse yeah chapter one and verse 19 for it pleased the father that in him again referring to christ that all the fullness should dwell right so here again it's not just part or a percentage or like we're not saying like one third christ you know one third god one third um you know the father one third the holy spirit it's not saying that he's saying that you know for in him dwells all the fullness of the godhead bodily okay and you are completed him okay which is amazing and you are completed him so uh the spiritual reality is this right uh yes in christ dwells the fullness of the godhead and uh he's saying that you are completed him yet you've you know there's nothing left and in what sense is he saying that you know for we know that we are you know going from strength to strength from glory to glory right we are in fact he is you know he's his whole ministry is to present every person mature in price which means that people are maturing right they are growing in maturity growing in price like this so uh they are born again but they are growing in maturity um they are being transformed so so in what sense is he saying that you are complete you know as a new creation as people who are born again um as people who have been justified there's nothing more left to be done right you are complete and and the word again used there is uh uh play role which means full like that merchant ship full of goods you know you are complete uh in him in christ we are complete and in who is the head of all principality and power okay so you are complete in christ and he's the head of all principality and power so um in christ dwells all the fullness of the godhead in christ christ is the head of all principality and power so there's nothing that is you know that he is subservient to that he is all powerful and because you are in him because you are in christ uh you are no scripture talks about how we are one spirit with him that he's the wine we are the branches we are connected the life of god the flows the very life the zoe god kind of life flows in which flows in in flows in us that's the spiritual reality so there's nothing more to be done in in us right and that's the spiritual reality and of course our minds will be renewed and our lives will be transformed and we are being changed from glory to glory and there's a lot that happens in our in the realm of our soul right in the realm of our soul a lot that is happening but in the spirit we are complete okay um who is the head of all principality and power okay so let's look at verse 11 in him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of christ buried with him in baptism in which you were all you also were raised with him through faith in the working of god who raised him from the dead and you being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh he has made alive together with him having forgiven you all trespasses having wiped out the hand right men sorry handwriting of requirements that was against us which was contrary to us and he has taken it out of the way having nailed it to the cross having disarmed the principalities and powers he made a public spectacle of them triumphing over them in it okay so verses 11 to 15 he's talking about something that has already happened something that has happened in the past right because of the Christ referring to the work Christ's work on the cross right so but first of all he's talking about the fact that you were circumcised but with this circumcision made without hands now it was not a natural physical circumcision right and by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ okay so the circumcision was actually a symbolic thing which the Jews indulge in now he's saying you were circumcised with the circumcision made without hands so it was not a physical act so what kind of act was it what did it result in is that what is he referring to he's referring to the the fact that the body of the sins of the flesh being removed right by the circumcision of Christ was to was to have buried with him in baptism in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God who raised him from the dead so when he was buried we were worried okay we can identify with that so when he was buried we were worried and when he was raised and we were raised for with him we were also raised with him and through faith in the working of God who raised him from the dead so when he was buried we were worried when he was raised we were also raised and he's talking about the the work that happened in us right the work of redemption the work of salvation that happened in us and so he's saying through faith in the working of God through faith in this in this mighty working of God in this resurrection power that worked and raised Christ from the dead okay so you put your faith in that what happened you put put your faith in an event you put your faith in God who who did this and and that resulted in change in you that resulted in you know in the fact that this circumcision made without hands in you right and what is this is referring to the removal of the sins of the flesh right and this is what happened verse 13 and you being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh now he's talking about the old man he's talking about the old you and old me so sorry I just moved this yeah so saying that and you being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh he has made alive together okay so we were dead in our trespasses right we were dead in our sense we were not alive to God right we have we were not alive to God we were not responding to God we were dead in our trespasses to the things of God okay we were more we were alive to sin we were alive to righteousness but we were dead in our trespasses right so so he's saying that he has made you who are in this condition who are in the uncircumcision of your flesh and who are dead in your trespasses what has he done he has made alive together with him having forgiven you all trespasses so this is what happened he made you alive together with him we see a similar thing in uh Ephesians chapter 2 as well right Ephesians 2 verse 1 and you he made alive who were dead in trespasses and sins right so you who are dead in trespasses and sins he has made alive okay and alive together with it and the and the old English used there is quickened together okay quickened together and the word is used for you know to for a for a spiritual quickening like we were quickened together made alive together and if time is used it's used for you know that kind of a kind of a spiritual quickening like Ephesians we see the same thing we've made alive here also in Colossians we see that right so we were made alive together with him having forgiven you all trespasses so having forgiven meaning it's something that he has already done okay now all this came into being when we put our faith in the working of God okay so it's not automatic we need to understand that but all this was set in motion and it came into being it became a reality in our lives when we put our faith in the working of God when we put our faith in what he has done and all this came into being so here he's saying that you know you he has having forgiven your trespasses having forgiven you all trespasses okay so there's nothing that is left unforgiven because he removed the body of sins okay so having forgiven you all trespasses verse 14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us so everything that we owed God everything that was required of us everything that legally we were actually supposed to face the consequences of right because of the sin because of sin nature right it was it was wiped away so you're saying having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us which was contrary to us and he has taken it out of the way how having nailed it to the cross something beautiful so he's just you know just explaining this mystery you know which he's talking about in chapter one you know this mystery of which he was a steward the mystery of the glory of Christ in us the hope of glory you know the mystery which was now made known to the saints he's just going to great detail and talking about what was done so he's saying you know having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us you know this was needed this was the right place to go this was the this was your destination right which was away from God away from Christ this this is where eternal damnation would take you I mean this is what the sins would take you to the international but he took it out of the way he has taken it out of the way having wiped it out having nailed it to the cross so everything is referring to what happened on the cross okay having nailed it to the cross verse 15 having disarmed okay so having nailed having forgiven now here he's saying having nailed or having disarmed sorry all principalities okay so so he's saying that in the word again used there in the old English and spoiled which means you know having taken out having captured having removed the spoils right and what was maybe the powers of darkness caring about saying you know it was their spoil it was their trophy having removed it having disarmed the principalities and powers he made a public spectacle of them okay so he's talking about principalities he's talking about powers and we we know that these are you know different hierarchies in the spiritual realm we read about that in Ephesians 6 right also where he's talking about you know we do not wrestle against flesh and blood but against principalities against powers against rulers of the darkness of the age against spiritual host of wickedness in the heavenly places we see this kind of a you know hierarchy being mentioned there and and so he's referring to that and he's saying that having disarmed principalities and powers he made a public spectacle of them okay which means that he made a show of them he made a public spectacle of them he made an exhibit of them exhibit of their defeat okay so the one thing to have a quiet defeat and put things out of the way but it's a public spectacle for everyone to see you know when it's a public spectacle it's in full view it's something that no one can miss so he made a public spectacle of this disarming of principalities and powers and he's saying try and think over them in it okay try and think over them in it being victorious over them in in the in the what he did on the cross okay he's talking about the cross right he's talking about how he nailed it to the cross and and it's everything is happening around the cross and what happened because of when you say cross you know we're talking about the the physical death we're talking about what was what he carried and what was destroyed right so he disarmed principalities and powers he made a public spectacle he made an exhibit of them he made a you know something that people could see public spectacle of them try and think over them in this work of the cross right try and think over them in it okay so he's going on to talk about some important things here the reason you know he shared all this first of all he's talking about let no one deceive you through philosophy and empty deceit okay so let no one do that because in Christ dwells all the knowledge all and all wisdom richly right so that's hidden treasures sorry I'm just looking for that phrase hidden treasures hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge so in him and he also talks about how in him there's a fullness of the godhead dwells bodily so this is who Christ is okay so don't let anyone deceive you out of the you know deceive you with philosophy and empty deceit and so on okay so here he's he's talking about this you know this is what Christ did on the cross right you were forgiven of all trespasses and you have been washed and you have been made alive you have been forgiven and and he has disarmed the principalities and powers etc right he's wiped out he is taken away everything that was against us everything that was incriminating us everything that was pointing us to the fact that we should spend an eternity away from him you know all those legal requirements or legal clause he has removed it having nailed it to the cross so let no one judge you in food or drink or regarding a festival or a new moon or Sabbaths which are a shadow of things to come but the substance is of Christ let no one cheat you of your reward taking delight and false humility and worship of angels intruding into those things which he has not seen vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind and not holding fast to the head from whom all the body nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments grows into the increase that is from God therefore if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world why as though living in the world do you subject yourselves to regulations do not touch do not taste do not handle which all concern things which perish with the using according to the commandments and doctrines of men these indeed these things indeed have an appearance of wisdom of self-imposed religion false humility and neglect of the body but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh okay so he makes this very clear so he's referring to again from this we see that some of the teachings probably some of the persuasions that were happening during that time in the church there some of those things which are happening so maybe there was a drawing back to people who are drawing you know or teaching and saying that you need to keep the law right you need to be circumcised so he's you know earlier on he's saying you know you are actually circumcised and this is what circumcision is you're circumcised with circumcision not made with hands by putting away the body of the sins of the flesh so you're already you know circumcised and this is what it is right so people were probably there was again a teaching of going back to the law okay yes you are saved but you need to do this you need to keep this you need to keep the fees you need to keep the you know these things and on certain days you need to eat this on certain days you cannot eat this you know so he's talking about all that all those restrictions and do not touch do not taste do not handle okay all the ritual purifications and everything and he's saying you know there's all concern things which perish with the using these are material things these are physical things that you know this will perish or this will come to an end with the using but know that the substance is of Christ there is a shadow you know these are point to certain you know spiritual truths but know that the substance is of Christ the substance is of Christ right so so he he's mentioning all this okay so specifically right certain things let no one judge you in food or in drink or regarding a festival or a new moon or Sabbaths okay so which they probably were being taught so he's saying okay no one needs to judge you or say what you are doing is wrong in these areas in these matters right because you've been set free from that now all this these festivals and Sabbaths there they are a shadow of things to come but the substance is of Christ okay the the substance is of Christ in the in the sense you know the ceremonial laws some of the fees and everything it has significance it is pointing to certain truths but the substance you have already experienced you know the reality is Christ himself okay okay so we'll stop here verse 17 and then we'll continue on from next class onwards right okay thank you god bless you yeah sure Dave yes I'll I'll post the notes in the classroom thank you thank you for reminding