“We have gone from death to life, but we are stones. Living stones are those who are not yet quarried... still being shaped by the elements, still acquiring sediment.”
“We are Living stones, the people of god, called to love one another. Worship, forgiveness, witness!”
Holiness is a wooing of a sort of Christ-like integrity that draws us into the presence and the being of God and encourages us to take others on that journey too.
Holiness is a feeling that drives us to become; this understanding that there's more to you in life; this feeling that pushes you to want to do more, to be better, to become a better version of yourself, continually.
Holiness is connected to God and to action, takes us out into the world, it does not hide us away in a holy huddle. It is relational (in scripture).
It is not about transformative piety; it is not about something we can manufacture for ourselves and make for ourselves; it is the gift of the grace of God given by God and God alone.
“Holiness is supremely shown in God coming close to the unholy.”
Holiness is not tolerance, holiness is not being driven by what I think is right and wrong, that is not holiness. Holiness is a sacred space that is embodied in us, the life of the Holy Trinity.
“Holiness is making other people uncomfortable. Holiness is relationship building and hospitality.”
“What makes one person holy and thus included is not human action it is divine grace and human response.”
Holiness is not something over which we have power and control. It is the movement of God. Jesus makes the unholy holy in every way.
The call of the Christian is to live on the very front line of holiness, so we can reach over the frontier and draw people into the love of Christ.
“‘Sinners’ became holy only because Christ is in the middle of it. Christ is the one who makes us holy.”
“How do we walk together? What do we do when we separate ourselves from the other? What are we doing to ourselves and them?”
How do we listen to each other? How do we understand ourselves and our communion as living stones God, God's holy people?
“Learn, listen, and evangelize!”
These are only a few of the quotes from 1 Peter Week 2: A Holy People following Christ.
The First Peter Bible Study is now ‘soul-ly’ on Zoom Wednesdays! 😊The next sessions are July 26 and August 2, 9 from 6–8pm.
To access this worldwide Bible study, email Bonnie Bivins at blbivins@verizon.net to get the Zoom link and study materials!
To Watch the 1 Peter 2 Video Click Here:
Ways to participate:
Come Wednesdays from 6–8pm and participate LIVE.
View the current week’s video and come Wednesday at 7pm to reflect on the questions LIVE.
View the previous week’s video and find a friend, family member, or Trinity Church member to pair with, and discuss the study material.
Come and listen to Archbishop of Canterbury Welby leading next week’s Bible text with global contextual reflections.