Human resolve alone will not produce the inner purity God desires. Living a pure life is
not a matter of “gritting our teeth” and “just saying no.” Our life, Paul wrote, is already
hidden with Christ in God. Our outward actions flow from God graciously accepting and
loving us. Inner renewal, not just outward conformity, is God’s calling for us.

• What are some practices you have found that help you set your mind on things above? What activities or settings seem to draw your attention away from God? How do you expect that your inner life might change as you more fully live out Christ’s love and grace, rather than religious rules or social pressures?
• Paul says that a Christian has taken off the old self, with its practices, and put on a new self. Can you see places where this has happened in your life? (This is often harder for those who have been “good” all their lives, but it matters for all of us.) Where does your “old self” still give you trouble?