That ye put off concerning the former conversation, the
old
man
Which is the corruption of nature; why this is called a man, and
an old man, (See Gill on Romans
6:6), the putting him off, is not a removing him from the
saints, nor a destroying him in them, nor a changing his nature;
for he remains, and remains alive, and is the same old man he
ever was, in regenerate persons; but it is a putting him off from
his seat, and a putting him down from his government; a showing
no regard to his rule and dominion, to his laws and lusts, making
no provision for his support; and particularly, not squaring the
life and conversation according to his dictates and directions;
and therefore it is called a putting him off, concerning the
former conversation: the change lies not, in the old man, who can
never be altered, but in the conversation; he is not in the same
power, but he retains the same sinful nature; he is put off, but
he is not put out; and though he does not reign, he rages, and
often threatens to get the ascendant: these words stand either in
connection with ( Ephesians
4:17 ) and so are a continuation and an explanation of that
exhortation; or else they point out what regenerate souls are
taught by Christ to do, to quit the former conversation, to hate
the garment spotted with the flesh, and to put it off; for the
allusion is to the putting off of filthy garments, as the works
of the flesh may be truly called, which flow from the vitiosity
of nature, the old man:
which is corrupt according to the deceitful
lusts;
the old man, or the vitiosity of nature, has its lusts; and these
are deceitful; they promise pleasure and profit, but yield
neither in the issue; they promise liberty, and bring into
bondage; they promise secrecy and impunity, but expose to shame,
and render liable to punishment; they sometimes put on a
religious face, and so deceive, and fill men with pride and
conceit, who think themselves to be something, when they are
nothing: and through these the old man is corrupt; by these the
corruption of nature is discovered; and the corruption that is in
the world is produced hereby; and these make a man deserving of,
and liable to the pit of corruption; and this is a good reason,
why this corrupt old man, with respect to the life and
conversation, should be put off.