Put Off These Things

Paul speaks in several places to put off certain behaviors and to put on others. ^“8 But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. ⁹ Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, ¹⁰ and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him” (Colossians 3:8-10 NKJV). To put off means to lay side, put away, put these things behind you, rid yourself of, put away once for all, and get rid of.

In the vernacular—Stop it. It is baggage brought into this relationship with Christ and now it’s time to get rid of. Paul is saying it’s time to clean house. The Holy Spirit is the one who teaches you but you must do the putting off.

It comes from the heart. You have to believe the Word is telling you what is really in your best interest. Look at how these things listed here hurt other people. That is not in the image of the creator who loves each person as much as He does you.