There are many things we could discuss here. So this brief introduction to the topic of Christianity and Culture will simply discuss a couple of controversial areas facing society today.
Christians believe that God sets the standards of what is right and true. It follows that there are serious consequences for anyone who wants to live without submission to God and His Word.
Therefore, it is a biblical expression of love to want to take the teachings of Jesus to wherever people are and not just expecting them to come to us.
We all have a responsibility for the welfare of the poor and disadvantaged people around us. This means welcoming strangers, refugees and foreigners to our midst. It also means helping with the needs of our local community both spiritual and physical.
The Bible also teaches a complementarian approach regarding the roles of men and women. We believe this is modelled in the Bible.
The Presbyterian Church emphasizes that a difference in role does not equate to a difference in quality, importance, or value. Men and women are equally valued in God’s sight and plan. Women are not inferior to men, just as men are not inferior to women. We are all equal before God.
In the Church community it means God has assigned different roles to men and women. Because Eldership is a role that involves teaching to all the congregation it is preserved for men, The role of Deacon is best performed with men and women serving.
We also believe that God takes our sins seriously. The Bible tells us what sin is and its specifics, not culture or society. Whilst culture is constantly changing, God's Word does not change because it tells us about a God who never changes.
Among the more pervasive sins in our world today are the sins of gossip, slander, drunkenness, greed, self-centredness, addictions to anything, and sexual permissiveness.
To explain this last point further, the Scriptures teach sexual activity is to be the expression of covenantal love. Covenantal love in essence is the unchanging love between Jesus Christ and His bride, the Church. Therefore sex is to be the mutual expression of love between one man and one woman and is to be protected by the covenant of life-long marriage.
Sin in all of its forms and manifestations is to be recognised, confessed and repented of in full reliance on God’s Holy Spirit.
Knowing that all people sin, we do not exclude anyone from our fellowship who genuinely seeks or embraces the saving grace of Jesus Christ. We recognise that some people are just starting their spiritual walk with God and will be helped by other believers who are more mature in Christ. Thus, patience, love and forbearance are marks of the church in our dealing with one another in Christ Jesus.