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Examine the Word

• Read Leviticus 11:45 and 1 Peter 1:15-16
• Read 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12
• Read Galatians 5:16

For Discussion

• Define “holy.” What does it mean that God is holy?
• God commands His people in the Old Testament (Israel) and the New Testament (the church) to become like Him and be marked by holiness. Why would God want His people to be known as holy?
• Holiness is our calling and identity, now that we’re followers of Jesus (see 1 Thess 4:1-12). Do we take this calling seriously enough? Why or why not?
• What does holiness look like in practical terms? Who have you seen embody holiness lately? How have you seen God form holiness in you lately?
• Holiness is a choice to not yield to the desires of the flesh. What does Galatians 5:16 teach us about the way the flesh is defeated?

For Practice

• Write: Prayerfully make a goal to grow in holiness this month. Write down what you’d like to see God do in your life.
• Thank: Holiness is a gift. It’s a way of living that is rooted in the way humanity was created to function in the beginning. It’s also the way of living that we will fully embrace in the new creation. Take time to thank God for the gift of holiness.
• Contemplate: Consider the holiness of God. Spend some time in Revelation 4.

For Family Discussions

• Talk about what it means to be holy. How is holiness possible when we follow Jesus and have His Spirit living in us but impossible on our own?
• Talk about the difference between holiness and perfection. God knows we are human and will make mistakes. That’s what grace is for!