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Article XII
Church Covenant
Having been led, by the Holy Spirit of God, to receive Jesus
Christ as Savior and to confess Him as Lord, and on confession of
this faith, having been baptized in the name of the Father and of
the Son and of the Holy Spirit, we do now, in the presence of God
and this assembly, most solemnly and joyfully covenant with one
another, as one body in Christ, to lead a life worthy of the Lord,
fully pleasing to Him.
We promise by the aid of the Holy Spirit, to forsake the
ways of sin and to walk together in Christian love and in the
paths of righteousness. With this in view we engage to strive
together for both the peace and purity of this church, to sustain
its worship and steadfastly to cherish and hold its ordinances,
discipline, and doctrines; to contribute, as faithful stewards,
such time, talent, and money in the measure that God prospers each
of us, that the responsibility for the work of the local church
and the world-wide ministry of spreading the Gospel be faithfully
and effectively discharged.
We also engage to encourage family and private devotions; to
teach the Bible to our children; to seek the salvation of family
and acquaintances; to be just in our dealings and faithful in our
engagements; to be exemplary in our behavior; to avoid unkind
words and unrighteous anger and every form of evil; to combine
zeal and knowledge in our efforts to advance the cause of our
Savior; to make Christ first in all things both spiritual and
temporal.
We further engage to give and receive admonition with
meekness and affection; to remember each other in prayer; and to
aid one another in times of sickness and distress; to cultivate
Christian sympathy in feeling and courtesy in speech; to be slow
to take offense, always ready for reconciliation, and to seek it
without delay being mindful of the Scriptures; to encourage one
another in the blessed hope of our Lord’s return.
We moreover engage that should we move from this place, we
will as soon as possible unite with a local church where we can
carry out the spirit of this covenant and the principles of the
Word of God. |
