Paul, we have seen, is no fool. Through his leadership the Gospel has come to Colosse in the person of Epaphras. The church has been born. But now there are troubles. The Colossians are being tempted to draw away from Christ. And so Paul is taking the time to write to them in an attempt to raise them to maturity. As we have seen, his desire for the Colossians is not simply that they profess faith in Christ – that they come to birth – but that they grow to maturity, that they be presented “perfect” in Christ – holy, blameless, and beyond reproach. So how did he intend to accomplish that?