Colossians 1:6 which has come to you, just as in all the world also it is constantly bearing fruit and increasing even as it has been doing in you also since the day you heard of it and understood the grace of God in truth;  (NASB: Lockman)

WHICH (gospel) HAS COME TO YOU JUST AS IN ALL THE WORLD ALSO: tou parontos (PAPNSG) eis humas kathos kai en panti to kosmo: (Col 1:23)

Which has come (3918) (pareimi) which means to arrive and be present here referring in context to the gospel message.  the gospel had not only come to them, it was an abiding force among them.

Wuest adds that the

"idea is, “which is being alongside you.” Lightfoot translates, “which reached you.” The idea is that the gospel has snuggled close up to the Colossian saints and they have taken it into their hearts." (Wuest, K. S. Wuest's Word Studies from the Greek New Testament: Eerdmans or Logos)

The phrase "in all the world" is not be taken in an absolute sense for it does not mean that every man and woman in the world had heard the gospel.

Robertson writes that "all the world" is best understood as

"a legitimate hyperbole (extravagant exaggeration), for the gospel was spreading all over the Roman Empire."

Paul used a similar hyperbole informing the Roman saints that their

"faith is being proclaimed throughout the whole world" (see note Romans 1:8)

Similarly, he wrote to the saints at Thessalonica that

"the word of the Lord (which in context is equivalent to the gospel) has sounded forth from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone forth, so that we have no need to say anything." (see note 1Thessalonians 1:8) (Compare to Acts 17:6)

Finally, in this same chapter Paul used a parallel phrase describing

"the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven..." (see note Colossians 1:23)

Other Scriptures clearly speak of the worldwide "leaven like" pervasive ability of the gospel:

"And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a witness to all the nations, and then the end shall come. (Mt 24:14)

"Again therefore Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world; he who follows Me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life.” (Jn 8:12)

Vine explains

"in all the world" as "a hyperbolical usage...not intended to be taken literally. The apostle here probably purposed to imply that the gospel is a universal message, designed for all men and suitable to be preached among all nations, whereas the teachings of the false gospels were limited in origin and in the regions of their propaganda." (Vine, W. Collected writings of W. E. Vine. Nashville: Thomas Nelson or Logos)

IT (gospel) IS CONSTANTLY BEARING FRUIT: estin (3SPAI) karpophoroumenon (PAPNSN):

Bearing fruit (2592) (karpophoreo from karpos = fruit, produce + phero = bear, bring)  literally means to bring forth fruit, to be fertile, productive. It is used figuratively to refer to bringing forth deeds or works (fruit), which depending on the context can be good fruit or bad fruit.

The present tense underlines the continuous effect of the gospel is to bear fruit.

Karpophoreo  is used in the natural sense (Mk 4:28) but here is used figuratively to describe the conduct that results from implantation and germination of the "seed" of the gospel. Stated another way, fruit bearing is the outward expression of the power of the gospel (and the Spirit) working inwardly. The gospel is not merely a stagnant system of ethics but is a living, moving, and growing reality which bears fruit and spreads.

The gospel is variously described as the "gospel of grace", "the word of truth", "the word of life", "the Word of the Cross" (1Cor 1:18) and is the power of God unto salvation (see note Romans 1:16) (Click to see various descriptions of the gospel as "the gospel of ____").

As the gospel goes all over the world, it breaks down all barriers: religious, cultural, and racial. The glorious gospel brings people to faith in Christ and bears fruit for God's glory. An excellent illustration of the inherent fruit bearing ability of the gospel is found in the Thessalonian believers where the

"gospel did not come...in word only (not just mere words of men), but also in (inherent) power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction (complete conviction of the veracity of the gospel message)" (see note 1Thessalonians 1:5)

The resulting fruit was the Thessalonian believers who

"became imitators of (Paul, Silas & Timothy) and of the Lord, having received the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit".

But the pervasive effect of the gospel did not stop there. These believers in turn

"became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia". And how did they become an example? They in turn became "light bearers" of the good news "for the word of the Lord (the gospel)...sounded forth from (them), not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place (their) faith toward God (went) forth, so that (Paul, et al had) no need to say anything." (see notes 1Thessalonians 1:6; 1:7; 1:8).

In other words, the testimony to the life changing power of the gospel was so evident in the lives and message of the Thessalonian believers ("fruit") that they in turn became fruit bearers as they proclaimed the divine message of the gospel. What's the message for us today? Don't be fearful to speak the truth in love beloved. You have the Spirit of Christ Who will prepare hearts of those who hear (cf Acts 16:14) and you have been entrusted with the treasure of the gospel "seed" to sow, a "seed" whose efficacy and power is independent of your eloquence or your formal theological training. This is good news indeed. Now go and bear fruit, fruit that will remain (Jn 15:16).

Let your life be a living epistle testifying to the transforming power of the gospel. You are now to be a

"letter...known and read by all men (2Co 3:2) ...a letter of Christ...written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of human hearts." (2Cor 3:3)

Wiersbe adds this note on the "word of truth the gospel"

"When it is planted in the heart, it can produce fruit...Near King’s Cross station in London, England, there is a cemetery containing a unique grave, that of the agnostic Lady Ann Grimston. She is buried in a marble tomb, marked by a marble slab. Before she died, she said sarcastically to a friend, “I shall live again as surely as a tree will grow from my body.” An unbeliever, Lady Ann Grimston did not believe that there was life after death. However, a tree did grow from her grave! A tiny seed took root, and as it grew, it cracked the marble and even tore the metal railing out of the ground! There is life and power in a seed, and there is life and power in the Word of God. When God’s Word is planted and cultivated, it produces fruit. Faith, hope, and love are among the firstfruits in the spiritual harvest. These spiritual graces are among the evidences that a person has truly been born again." (Wiersbe, W: Bible Exposition Commentary. 1989. Victor or Logos)

AND INCREASING: kai auxanomenon (PPPNSN):  (Mk 4:8 Acts 6:7 12:24 19:20 1Pe 2:2)  

Increasing (837) (auxano) (present tense = continually increasing, pervading, diffusing throughout) (click all uses) means to grow or cause to grow or increase. For someone or something to grow it must be acted upon by an outside power (passive voice indicates subject receives action from outside source) or have the element of life within him or it and indeed the gospel has the inherent

"power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek." (see note Romans 1:16).

It is important to remember that the gospel is not a stagnant system of ethics but is living, dynamic and growing truth. The living gospel is the power that transforms lives. As it does so, the witness of those transformed lives produces fruit, including new converts. So as the gospel produces fruit in individual lives, its influence spreads.

Jesus used auxano in Mt 13:32  to describe the kingdom of God as like a mustard seed although

"smaller than all other seeds; but when it is full grown (auxano) it is larger than the garden plants, and becomes a tree."

In (Mark 4:8) Jesus in describing the Word of God taught that  the seed (the Word) that

"fell into the good soil...grew up and increased (auxano) and yielded a crop and produced thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold."

 Thus Jesus taught that when the gospel enters a divinely prepared heart, fruit would be evident. As someone has well said "No fruit. No Root!" This is not "works salvation" for salvation is by faith alone but Jesus and Paul both taught that genuine faith that truly saves is not alone!

Lightfoot adds that the gospel

increasing" is "not like those plants which exhaust themselves in bearing fruit. The external growth keeps pace with the reproductive energy.

Increasing shows the supernatural character of the gospel. In nature, a plant does not usually bear fruit and grow at the same time. In fact plants often have to be pruned in order to bear fruit, for if the plant is allowed to grow wild, the result is that all the life of the plant goes into leaves and branches rather than into fruit. The gospel gives life and grows at the same time bearing fruit in the salvation of souls and in the building up of the saints, as it spreads from city to city and from nation to nation.

EVEN AS IT HAS BEEN DOING IN YOU ALSO SINCE THE DAY YOU HEARD OF IT AND UNDERSTOOD THE GRACE OF GOD IN TRUTH: kathos kai en humin, aph es hemeras ekousate (2PAAI) kai epegnote (2PAAI) ten charin tou theou en aletheia:

The gospel is not like earthly investments which require long term outlook to yield a good return. The "investment" of the gospel in the Colossian saints bore fruit when it was heard and received in their honest and good heart that held it fast and in turn bore fruit with perseverance. (Lu 8:15)

Robertson adds that

The growing and the fruit-bearing go on simultaneously as always with Christians (inward growth and outward expression).

Understood (1921) (epiginosko (epí = upon, gives force of “fully” or in addition to what one already has+ ginosko = to know) means to recognize something for what it really is and in the present context indicates that the Colossians had personally come to know the grace of the gospel fully and experientially (they had experienced the power of the gospel in their lives). The noun form of epiginosko (epignosis) is used four times in this short epistle (Click for all 4 uses) clearly an emphasis directed to refute those who might teach that one needed a "higher or fuller knowledge" in order to be "saved", somewhat like the New Age movement teaches in our culture.

Grace (5485) (charis) is a word with a number of meanings in the NT, the specific nuance being dependent on the context.

(1) a quality that adds delight or pleasure or a winning quality or attractiveness that invites a favorable reaction = graciousness, attractiveness, charm, winsomeness  (Luke 4:22, Colossians 4:6)

What is the "grace of God in truth"? It is nothing less than the heart of the gospel message. "Of God" expresses its source (as in Acts 20:24) and elsewhere is attributed to Christ (Gal 1:6).

We do not deserve nor can we earn salvation but it is

"by grace through faith you have been saved and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God." (see note Ephesians 2:8)

The truth of the gospel is that salvation is through G.R.A.C.E. which has been summarized in the acrostic or acronym

G.od's R.iches A.t C.hrist's E.xpense

Paul wrote to Titus that

"the grace of God has appeared (in the Person of Jesus Christ and His gospel), bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age." (see notes Titus 2:11; Titus 2:12)

Salvation is

"to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved."

Truth (225) (aletheia from alethes = true in turn from a + lêthô  = that which is hidden or lanthanô = conceal, this combination meaning out in the open, containing nothing that is hidden) describes the body of reality (facts, events, etc) or the content which is true, or which is in accordance to what actually occurred. Truth is the unveiled reality lying at the basis of and agreeing with an appearance; the manifested, the veritable essence of matter. Truth is the correspondence between a reality and a declaration which professes to set it forth. Words are true when they correspond with objective reality. Persons and things are true when they correspond with their profession. Hence a truth is a declaration which has corresponding reality, or a reality which is correctly set forth. Since God is Himself the great reality, that which correctly sets forth His nature is pre-eminently the Truth. Obviously whatever God says is "the truth", and in fact "the Truth" is actually embodied in the Person of Christ Jesus!

In truth not a false gospel but genuine and real, free from adulteration such as characterized the false gospels. Some were preaching a “different gospel—which is really no gospel at all” (Gal 1:6-7) because it is a gospel of faith plus works but the true gospel is one of grace alone.

The grace of God is a beautiful description summarizing the glad tidings than the wonderful truth of God’s grace has been bestowed on guilty men who deserve God’s wrath! It doesn't get much better than that!

Commenting on "heard" Robertson adds that the tense of

"heard" is "definite aorist indicative. They heard the gospel from Epaphras and at once recognized and accepted (understood) (ingressive second aorist active of epiginosko, to know fully or in addition). They fully apprehended the grace of God and should be immune to the shallow vagaries of the Gnostics."

JESUS PAID IT ALL
Click Title & Praise God for His Gospel of Grace
Words by Elvina Hall Music by John Grape

Refrain:
     Jesus paid it all,
     All to Him I owe;
     Sin had left a crimson stain,
     He washed it white as snow.

For nothing good have I
Whereby Thy GRACE to claim,
I’ll wash my garments white
In the blood of Calv’ry’s Lamb.

Lord, now indeed I find
Thy power and Thine alone,
Can change the leper’s spots
And melt the heart of stone.

Colossians 1:7 just as you learned it from Epaphras, our beloved fellow bond-servant, who is a faithful servant of Christ on our behalf,   (NASB: Lockman)

JUST AS YOU LEARNED IT FROM EPAPHRAS: kathos emathete (2PAAI) apo Epaphra: (Col 4:12; Phm 1:23; Ro 10:14)

You learned the gospel from Epaphras (NET)

You learned about this Good News from Epaphras (GWT)

You learned about God’s grace from Epaphras (NCV)

Salvation is by God's grace but He does use men like Epaphras to proclaim His gospel of grace. This principle is clearly taught in Romans where Paul writes that

Whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved” but then follows with the question "How then shall they call upon Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring glad tidings of good things!” (see notes Romans 10:13