Vs 1, 2

Were you not raised to life with Christ?  Then aspire to the realm above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God, and let your thoughts dwell on that higher realm, not on this earthly life.
The Message: So if you're serious about having this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it.  Pursue the things over which Christ presides.  Don't shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you.  Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ - that's where the action is.  See things from his perspective.

Both the NIV and the NLT phrase this first question as a statement - Since you have been raised........, but the question is a good one.  How serious are we about recognising that we are raised to a new life when we become Christians?  Do we keep it in our minds during out daily activities, or do we allow old habits to surface?

New Bible Commentary, p 1272.  ....this verse affirms that the Colossians have already been raised with Christ.   They now share in his resurrection life, so their lives are to be different.  Their interests are to be focused on Christ; their minds, aims, ambitions, in fact their whole outlook, are to be centred on that heavenly realm where he rules and where their lives truly belong.  A continuous ongoing effort is required (literally: 'keep on setting your minds/hearts' [NEB:aspire] ) for such a focus does not come automatically. ........... This realm above is to be sought diligently (and in contrast to any false seeking of heavenly experiences by the promoters of the Colosian 'philosophy') for this is where Christ is, seated as king in the place of homour.

Quest Study Bible notes, p. 1629.  We are raised with Christ according to God's  viewpoint.  When christ was raised, God counted all believers - past, present and future - to have been raised with him.
                                                      Paul knew that we would have to attend to earthly affairs.  But earthly things must not be permitted to take presedence over the things of God - his word, his service, his praise.  This must be the basis from which we pursue jobs, families and other important matters of daily life.

V 3.

I repeat, you died; and now your life lies hidden with Christ in God.

We must always remember that our life is changed by God when we accept Christ as Lord. The Message puts it: Your new life, which is your real life - even though invisible to spectators - is with Christ in God.

Another way of saying, 'Christian, get real!'  Our new lifestyle must become our 'real' one.  Our old lifestyle is dead, and must be discarded by our conscious decision - an act of our will.

V 4.

When Christ, who is our life, is manifested, then you too will be manifested with him in glory.
NLT: And when Christ, who is your real life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.
The Message:  When Christ ( your real life, remember) shows up again on this earth, you'll show up too - the real you, the glorious you.

This verse seems to talk about when Christ comes again in the 'second coming' in all his glory, which his followers will share.

But, right now, Christ's earthly body is his followers, Christians, in whom the Holy Spirit lives and works.  It is our job to continue Christ's work on earth, and when we do that, we become more and more the people God intends us to be - more and more like Jesus.

V 5.

Then put to death those parts of you which belong to the earth - fornication, indecency, lust, foul cravings, and the ruthless greed which is nothing less than idolatry.

If we are to be Christ's body on earth, we must act like it and not indulge in a lifestyle which focuses our attention on things that  meet selfish and self-centred needs and do not glorify God.  When our own physical and material needs become all-important to us, we begin to worship the things that meet those needs and forget to worship God.

This list of sinful, earthly things (NLT) is similar to the list of acts of the sinful nature listed by Paul in Galatians 5 -sexual immorality, impure thoughts, eagerness for lustful pleasure, idolatry, particpatin in demonic activities, hostility, quarrelling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, divisions, the feeling that everyone is wrong except those in your own little group,  envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other kinds of sin. (NLT, Galatians 5: 19-21)  In Galatians, Paul recognises the difficulty we have in putting to death our old sinful, selfish, self-centred nature.  In Galatians 5: 16, he gives us a clue how to deal with this.  He tells us to live by the Spirit (NIV) and 5: 18 - to be led by the Spirit.

When we allow the Holy Spirit free reign in our characters and personalities, he will change us to be more Christ-like. He will develop in us what Paul calls the fruit of the Spirit - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. (NIV Galatians 5: 22)  He will help us to put to death those parts of us which belong to the earth.

V 6.

Because of these, God's dreadful judgement is impending;
NIV: Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.
NLT: God's terrible anger will come upon those who do such things
The Message: It's because of this kind of thing that God is about to explode in anger.

We don't like to talk about God's anger, wrath or judgement.  It's much more comfortable to talk about his love. We think of anger in terms of our own anger or the anger of others which is usually selfish, malicious, vicious or destructive - or all of the above at once!  But God's anger is very real, but it's not selfish like ours.  He is angry when selfish behaviour destroys his wonderful creation and especially his children whom he loves. He is holy and has a right to be angry at unholiness.

About thirty years ago, my beloved firstborn son, at the age of around eight years and in Grad 3 at school, was selected to compete in an inter-school sports meeting where all the other children were in Grades 4 - 6.  He was the exception.  And wasn't his mother proud!!!  I sat in those stand and watched ...and saw a little boy wandering, bewildered by all the people and unsure of where he was to be.  He stood in the wrong line - and missed his race.  And I was up in the stands and unable to help.  I was so angry that you would have seen the steam coming out of my ears.  I was angry that the teachers, knowing he was younger and less experienced than all the rest, did not take better care of him and make sure he knew where he was supposed to be.  I wanted to run down and tear strips of them. (Fotunately, my much more sensible husband restrained me).

My anger was because of my love for my son.  He was not destroyed by the incident.  In fact, thirty years later, he probably doesn't even remember it.  But if a mother can be so angry on behalf of her son, how much more will God be angry when he sees our self-destructive behaviour? Especially when he has already put in place a plan for us to live the way he indends for us and we ignore it?

Doesn't he have the right to be angry and to take action against evil in his world?  If we were in his place, we'd have acted long ago!  But, our actions would have been selfish and not purely for love as God's are.

New Bible Commentary, p. 1272.  The wrath of God describes his holy anger against sin and the judgement that results.  It has nothing to do with spiteful reaction or outburst of passion.  Not is it an unchangeable process of cause and effect.  Rather, it is the outworking of God's holiness against all unrighteousness.

V 7

and in the life you once lived these are the ways you yourselves followed.

Paul says that before the Colossians were Christians, they knew no better. Selfish and self-gratifying behavour is what is natural to all of us.  We've all been there - and often still are!

Vs 8 - 10

But now you must yourselves lay aside all anger, passion, malice, cursing, filthy talk - have done with them! Stop lying to one another, now that you have discarded the old nature with its deeds and have put on the new nature, which is being constantly renewed in the image of its Creator and brought to know God.

These kinds of behaviour that Paul mentions are things we can do something about - if we are willing.  They are behaviours over which we have control in ourselves.  We can decide not to do them any more.  The Holy Spirit will develop new attitudes and character in us, but these are habits which God expects us to do something about.

Passion: NLT and NIV translate this as rage.

Discarding the old nature and putting on the new nature is something that is an act of our will.  We make the decision and must stick to it.  God is willing to help us and the Holy Spirit within us is constantly reminding us as he re-makes our character into one that is like Christ's. But the decision to listen to the Spirit and to take action is ours.  God still allows us a free will.

V 11.

There is no question here of Greek and Jew, circumscised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and is in all.

No-one is exempt from all this. Race, nationality, gender, social standing, education, church affiliation, financial status, or any other human position make no difference to God.  We are all the same in his eyes.  We all sin, we all are offered the same way out - through the saving sacrifice of Jesus Christ.  We all need to make the same decisions as to whether to accept or not the offer made to us by God.  And we all face the same judgement if we choose not to accept.

When we do accept, Christ is present in all of us through his Spirit. No-one has a larger 'portion' of Christ than anyone else. No-one, through study or 'good behaviour' or status within the church is able to be, or has the right to think they are, closer to God than anyone else.