August 4, 2024 Series #2 Our Philosophy of Ministry TEXT: I Corinthians 1:1-19
Introduction:
We, the membership of Summerville Baptist Church, rest our faith for salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ. We believe that the Grace of God with the guidance of the Holy Spirit has allowed us to write this Constitution. We band together within the tenets of Baptist distinctives as enumerated in our Declaration of Faith and Principles of Christian Belief. The observance of these beliefs guides us in our worship, behavior, and Christian service.
- Church membership is based upon biblical Salvation (vv. 1-3)
- A biblical church is only made up of saved and baptized believers (v. 2a)
- A biblical church is only made up of those who have been cleansed of sin (v. 2b)
- A biblical church is only made up of children of God by faith in Jesus (v. 3)
- Church membership is based upon the leading of the Holy Spirit (vv. 4-9)
- The Holy Spirit leads us to receive God’s grace by faith in Christ (v. 4)
- The Holy Spirit grows us spiritually in maturity and confidence (vv. 5-7; Romans 8:1-17)
- The Holy Spirit leads us to live like the child of God we are forever (vv. 8-9)
III. Church membership is based upon being united together in beliefs (vv. 10-19)
- Unity requires no divisions in the body (v. 10)
- Carnality creates divisions in a church
- Sin creates divisions in a church
- Man–centeredness creates divisions in a church
- Unity repairs all contentions in the body (vv. 11-16)
- Humility repairs the contentions caused by pride
- Repentance repairs the contentions caused by sinfulness
- Respect of God and others repairs the contentions caused by personality worship
- Submission to God and His Word repairs contentions caused by self-will
- Unity reveres the wisdom of God in the body (vv. 17-19)