Colossians 2:6

As therefore ye received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and builded up in him, and established in your faith, even as ye were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

In him ... in him ... in your faith ... These are all references to the Christian's fidelity "in Christ Jesus," that is, as bona fide members of his church, fully identified as followers of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Rooted and builded up ... Barry pointed out a significant change of tense: "Having been rooted in him once for all, and being built up continually on that foundation."[17] Guthrie's significant analysis of these two verses is:

To receive Christ is but the beginning. The following is to live in him, which is described as involving four aspects, the first three very similar: (1) rooted, (2) built up, and (3) established ... from a building metaphor ... The fourth aspect is abounding in thanksgiving, which echoes the apostle's own enthusiasm to give thanks.[18]

Abounding ... This was one of Paul's favorite words. As Hendriksen said:

Paul does not pray that the Colossians may begin to be thankful, but rather that the ocean of their gratitude may constantly overflow its perimeter. Paul is never satisfied with anything short of perfection. Hence, he loves to use this word overflow or abound.[19]

[17] Alfred Barry, op. cit., p. 106.

[18] Donald Guthrie, op. cit., p. 1146.

[19] William Hendriksen, op. cit., p. 108.