The false teachers in Colossae were attempting to impose all kinds of specific rules and regulations on the believers. Paul, in contrast, gives them a very comprehensive principle by which they are to seek to live their daily lives; 'whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus'.
One way in which the teaching and admonishing that is required may be carried out, is through the enthusiastic, thankful singing praise to God. It should be quite evident that what has gone before will clearly restrict what is thus to be used for this teaching and admonishing through singing praise, to 'the Word of Christ'. Paul says
If the Word of God is to 'dwell richly' in the child of God, he is first of all to listen to the Word. This is more than a mere hearing the sounds of words as they are preached or to skim quickly over the words as they are read. We always need to ask 'what is God
When Paul wrote this letter to the Colossians, one purpose was to correct heretical teaching, but the principal reason was to help believers to become more and more conformed to the image of the Lord Jesus Christ. One of the major ways in which this is done is through the living Word of God. Just