ARTICLE, X THE CHURCH COVENANT.
With Scripture References
1. Having been led by the Holy spirit to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior; (Romans 8:14 – For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. John 1:12 – But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, [even] to those who believe in His name. Philippians 3:20 – For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ) and on public confession of our faith (Romans 10:9 – that if you confess with your mouth Jesus [as] Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved. Matthew 10:32 – “Everyone therefore who shall confess Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven), having been immersed in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19 – “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Matthew 3:16 – And after being baptized, Jesus went up immediately from the water); we do now, in the presence of God and this assembly, solemnly and joyfully enter into covenant with one another, as one body in Christ (Ephesians 4:16 – from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by that which every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love. Romans 12:5 – so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another).
2. We purpose, therefore, by the aid of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 3:16 – that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man), to walk together in Christian love (Ephesians 5:2 – and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you, and gave Himself up for us . . .), to strive for the advancement of this church in knowledge, holiness and comfort (Philippians 1:9 – And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment. 1 Thessalonians 3:13 – so that He may establish your hearts without blame in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints. 2 Corinthians 1:4 – who comforts us in all our affliction so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God), to promote its prosperity and spirituality (Ephesians 4:12 – for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ); to attend its services regularly (Hebrews 10:25 – not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another); to sustain its worship (Acts 2:42 – And they were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer), ordinances (Matthew 28:19 – “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 11:26 – For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes), discipline (Matthew 18:15-17, “15And if your brother sins, go and reprove him in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. 16‘But if he does not listen [to you,] take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed 17“And if he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax-gatherer), and doctrines (1 Timothy 4:6b – you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, [constantly] nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which you have been following.), to give faithfully of time and talent in its activities (Ephesians 5:15-16, Therefore be careful how you walk not as unwise men, but as wise, 16 making the most of your time, because the days are evil. 1 Peter 4:2 – so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God); to contribute cheerfully and regularly, as God has prospered us, to the support of the ministry, the expenses of the church, the relief of the needy, and the spread of the gospel throughout all nations (2 Corinthians 9:7 – Let each one [do] just as he has purposed in his heart; not grudgingly or wider compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver. 1 Corinthians 16:1,2 Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I directed the churches of Galatia, so do you also. On the first day of every week let each one of you put aside and save, as he may prosper, that no collections be made when I come).
3. We also purpose to maintain family and private devotions (2 Timothy 2:15 – Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed handling accurately the word of truth. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 – pray without ceasing); to train our children according to the Word of God (Ephesians 6:4 – And fathers, do not provoke your children to anger; but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord); to seek the salvation of our kindred and acquaintances (2 Corinthians 5:20 – Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were entreating through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God); to walk circumspectly in the world (Ephesians 5:15 – See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise), to be just in our dealings (Titus 2:12 – instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age), faithful in our engagements (Luke 16:10 – He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much), and exemplary in our conduct (Philippians 1:27a – Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ); to avoid all gossip, backbiting (Romans 1:28-29, 28 And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind to do those things which are not proper, 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil, full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; [they are] gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents), and unrighteous anger (Ephesians 4:26 – be angry, and [yet] do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger. James 1:20 – for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God), to be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18 -And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit), and not be mastered by anything else (1 Corinthians 6:12 – All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything), including non-medicinal use of alcohol or other drugs (Proverbs 20:1 – Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, And whoever is intoxicated by it is not wise, I Timothy 5:23 – No longer drink water [exclusively,] but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.), worldly philosophies (Colossians 2:8 See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ), and bodily appetites (1 Corinthians 9:27 – but I buffet my body and make it my slave, lest possibly, after I have preached to others, I myself should be disqualified, 1 Peter 2:11 – Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul); and to abstain from all forms of activity which dishonor our Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 4:1 – I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, entreat you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called. I Thessalonians 5:21 -But examine everything [carefully]; hold fast to that which is good; 22 abstain from every form of evil.), cause stumbling to a fellow believer (Romans 14:13 – Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this– not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother’s way), or hinder the winning of a soul to Christ, our Savior (Luke 17:1 – And He said to His disciples, ‘It is inevitable that stumbling blocks should come, but woe to him through whom they come!), and to give Him preeminence in all things (Colossians 1:18 – And He is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all [things] he might have the preeminence).
4. We further purpose to encourage one another in the blessed hope of our Lord’s return (1 Thessalonians 4:17-18, Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words), to watch over one another in brotherly love (Philippians 2:3-4, Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself, 4 do not [merely] look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others), to remember each other in prayer (James 5:16a – Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another . . .), to aid each other in sickness and distress (Matthew 25:37-40, Then the righteous will answer Him, saying ‘Lord when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You drink? 38 ‘And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? 39 ‘And when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 ‘And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, [even] the least [of them,] you did it to Me’); to cultivate Christian sympathy in feeling and courtesy in speech (Ephesians 4:29 – Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such [a word] as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, that it may give grace to those who hear); to be slow to take offense (James 1:19 – This you know, my beloved brethren. But let everyone be quick to hear, slow to speak [and] slow to anger), but always ready for reconciliation and to seek it without delay (Matthew 5:24 – leave your offering there before the altar, and go your way; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering). We moreover purpose that when we remove from this place we will as soon as possible unite with some other church of like faith and practice where we can carry out the spirit of this covenant and the principles of God’s Word. In the event there is no such church, we shall seek, with the Lord’s help, to establish one (Matthew 28:19-20, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Hebrew 10:24 – and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another . . .).