Attempting to gain acceptance from God by our own goodness merely results in dependence on law as the basis for our righteousness. But trying to earn our own way is at best an exercise in futility. God, knowing the limitations of our flesh, resolved this issue once and for all by laying in us the foundation of His holiness. Only through God’s holiness can we build a life pleasing to Him.

So we’ve got to get over the idea that we somehow now have the power to establish our own holiness. What it’s really about is having the Holy Spirit within—the righteousness of Christ Himself—which gives us the ability to make godly choices. What, then, is our obligation in pursuing holiness? Most importantly, we are to “set our minds on the things above,” for God assures us that “the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace.” Colossians 3: 1-4