Adorned by Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth
Week 6: Chapter 5 — Self-Controlled and Pure
Read Chapter 5 of Adorned. Primary Scripture: Titus 2:5; 1 Corinthians 6:19–20; Romans 12:1–2.
Previewing Week 6 of Adorned
Read 3 of 7 discussion questions below. Unlock the complete 12-week guide when you’re ready.
Paul pairs self-control and purity together — two virtues that our culture treats as outdated restrictions but that Scripture presents as marks of a free and beautiful life. Let these questions press past the surface.
Discussion Questions
7 questions1.Nancy argues that self-control (*sophron*) is not about white-knuckled willpower but about a sound, well-ordered mind — a mind brought under the lordship of Christ. How does this reframe the way you think about self-discipline? Does it make the goal feel more or less achievable?
2.She observes that self-control is one of the most counter-cultural virtues Paul names — we live in a world that worships the satisfaction of every impulse. Where do you feel the strongest cultural pressure against self-control in your own life?
3.Nancy discusses emotional self-control alongside the more obvious physical dimensions — the way we manage our words, our reactions, our spending, our schedules. Which area of self-control do you find hardest to sustain, and why?
a.Is there a pattern you notice — certain times of day, certain relationships, certain emotional states — when self-control is most difficult?
b.What spiritual practices have helped you (or might help you) in those moments?