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Core Values: Being Gospel-Centered Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6
Core Values: Being Church-Oriented Part 1 Part 2
Our First & Second Core Values
Gospel-Centered: We believe Jesus Christ is the central purpose of all Scripture, Christian discipleship, and the substance of both the Old & New Covenants. As a Church, we seek to teach the Scriptures as the whole counsel of God. The method of teaching we use in our public worship, in general, is expositional preaching with the Gospel as the lens.
Church-Oriented: We believe that God calls all believers to live in and submit to the governance of a local church. It is in the church that believers should build their most intimate relationships, seek guidance and wisdom for life decisions, and be held accountable to walk in the truth revealed in sacred Scripture.
Introduction
In our first and second essays, we explored the legitimate powers of the church, as well as the circumstances under which we find ourselves subject to it. If you haven’t read them, the links are at the top of the page. Today, we will leave the doctrinal and enter the practical. First up, SPCC believes all Christians “should build their most intimate relationships” within the Church broadly and the local church specifically.
1 John 3:14
The Apostle John teaches us that one of the ways “we know that we have passed out of death into life,” which is another way of saying “received the Holy Spirit,” is “we love the brothers. Whoever does not love (the brothers) abides in death.” According to John every person who is truly born again has a love for the Church–not in the abstract–but in the real. They attend, give to, and serve in a local church. Why? Because the Holy Spirit loves the Church and causes us to love the Church too.
One Body & One Spirit
The Apostle Paul writes to us that “There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call (Ephesians 4:4.)” The reason why there is one body and one Spirit is because the one body is created by the Spirit of Christ when He regenerates the hearts of men. There are many visible expressions of the Church, yet She remains one by and in Holy Spirit. The saints “love the brothers” because the Spirit does.
Loving The Brothers
Hear me on this one. Christians do not love the idea of the brotherhood; they love the brothers, and there is a difference. One of the ways true Christianity expresses itself is by instilling in each Christian a concrete love for a locally gathered community. The test of our love for the invisible church is found in our love for the locally gathered one. No man can love God and not love the gathered people of God. Again, we turn to the Apostle John. He writes, “If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen (1 John 4:20).” A person with no vital love for God’s people is a person that John marks as one with no true love for God. “Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness (1 John 2:9).”
Loss of Common Ground
Christians love the brothers because of the presence of the Holy Spirit within them. He loves the brothers. It is the Spirit who leads us into forming our intimate friendships with other Christians. Why does He do this? Let me reply with Scripture. “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? 15 What accord has Christ with Belial?[b] Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement has the temple of God with idols (2 Corinthians 6:14-16)?”
When we receive the Holy Spirit and begin to undergo sanctification by His hands, we lose the common ground we once had with our friends and family who “are still in darkness.” The more the Spirit conforms us into the image of Christ, no matter how imperfect we remain, the more we lose common ground with the unregenerate. The Spirit leads us to change our playmates and playgrounds. Those indwelled by the Holy Spirit seek out others who know Him too. That is why we believe that Christians should build their most intimate relationships in the Church.
Christianity Cannot Be Practiced Without Other Christians
Now, not all of our friends have to come from our local church. God does not require the narrowing of our world quite so much. However, all our intimate friends should come from within the Christian Faith, and at least a few intimate relationships should exist within the visible body where we are members. If not, the rest of our second core value would not be able to be practiced. You cannot seek guidance and wisdom or be held to account by strangers. Intimate friendships are a requirement to fulfill the “one another” commands of the New Testament.
Up Next
In Church-Oriented Part 4, we will continue our discussion by focusing on seeking guidance and wisdom for life decisions from within the local church. See y’all next week!
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord!
Thanks For Stopping By
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Ascending Mt. Zion
For the upcoming Lord’s Day August 3rd, 2025
Sermon
We will continue in our Acts Series this week! Acts 25:23-26:32 Part 3
Memory & Meditation
M & M Verses for the Lord’s Day August 3rd, 2025 are
Proverbs 10:23
Doing wrong is like a joke to a fool, but wisdom is pleasure to a man of understanding.
SPCC Prayer Book: Learning Wisdom
Completed Essay Series’ in 2025
Celebrating the Ascension
The Coronation of the Son of Man based on Daniel 7:13-14
The Indwelling Advocate: Christ’s Gift of the Holy Spirit Part 1 based on John 14:15-17
The Indwelling Advocate: Christ’s Gift of the Holy Spirit Part 2 based on John 14:18-21 (Available soon with Part 3 as well.)
Putting On Immortality Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 based on 1 Corinthians 15:35-49
Forsaken For Us All Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 based on Psalm 22:1-15
Christ, His Church, & Marriage Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 based on Ephesians 5:22-33.
Catechism Questions
Westminster Shorter Catechism for August 2025: Questions 31-35
Remember that you can present Questions 26-30, our WSC Catechism Questions from last month, to any member of the Consistory during lunch starting this week.
Lord’s Day Meal
Yes
Psalms & Hymns of Worship
Psalm 75:7-10 Tune: Denfield Hymn- Abide With Me (Indelible Grace)
Psalm 76:7-9 Tune: Bangor Hymn- Speak O Lord (Gettys)
Midweek Worship & Consistory Meeting
Yes. We are at the Senior Center. Pizza arrives @ 6:15ish pm, Opus Dei @ 7 pm with Catechism Lesson & Intercessory Prayer to follow.
Consistory Assignment TBA
The first hour 7:30-8:30 pm is dedicated additional learning and is open for all Heads-of-Households and young men to attend via Zoom. For the meeting on the 18th we are discussing Chapters 3-5 of “Life Together” by Dietrich Bonhoeffer (Amazon link).
We will start Calvin’s Institutes in October. That’ll be a great time to jump in.
Paul writes in 1 Timothy 3: 1 that “The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task.” Men, if you desire to one day enter the Consistory as a deacon or elder, then attendance to this hour will be important for your development and for the Consistory to gauge your aspirations, gifts, and calling in the Lord.
Join Us for Worship
Finally, come and worship with us on the Lord’s Day. We also meet on three Wednesday evenings a month for Catechism Lesson & Prayer. Another Visit our Homepage or What We Believe for more information. Find us on Google Maps or watch our sermons on Youtube.
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord!
Pastor Jeremy
“The Creation is quite like a spacious and splendid house, provided and filled with the most exquisite, and at the same time, the most abundant furnishings. Everything in it tells of God.” – John Calvin
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