Having laid the doctrinal foundation, Paul now makes the personal application, for truth is something to live as well as to learn.
Put to death (1–7). In Christ, you have died to the old life and been raised to a new life (Rom. 6:1–14; Eph. 2:1–10), so make the new life the focus of your attention. Set your mind on it; seek to experience all that you have in Christ.
Put off (8–9). Like Lazarus (John 11:44), you must get rid of the graveclothes that belong to the old life. By faith, put off the old sins that bound you; Christ has set you free.
Put on (10–25). God wants you to wear the graceclothes, not the graveclothes! If your focus is on things heavenly, you will obey God in things on earth, especially in your relationships with others.
Filled with the Word
Colossians 3:16–4:1 parallels Ephesians 5:18–6:9, except that the emphasis here is on being filled with the Word of God. When the Word controls your life, you will be joyful (3:16), thankful (3:17), and submissive (3:18–4:1), and these are the same characteristics of the Spirit-filled Christian as explained in Ephesians 5:18–6:9. To be filled with the Spirit of God means to be controlled by the Word of God.
