Article3: Covenant
Section 1: Our New Covenant Confidence
God has graciously entered into a New Covenant with His people (Jer. 31:31-34; 32:40; Heb. 8:7-13; 10:16-17; 13:20-21) through the work of Jesus Christ (Heb. 8:6), whose obedience and blood infallibly secure all of its benefits for them (Matt. 26:26-28; Heb. 13:20-21). By making us members of the one body of Christ (Rom. 12:4-5; 1 Cor. 12:12-27; Eph. 4:25), the New Covenant lays upon us responsibilities, not only to God, but also to each other. In this covenant God writes His law upon our hearts and causes us to walk in His ways. Thus, both our desire and ability to obey spring from the work of Jesus Christ. Christ purchased for us the Holy Spirit, by whose gift of faith we obey, not to establish our own righteousness before God but to express our gratitude for grace. Heritage Baptist Church exists on the basis of the New Covenant and as a local expression of the power and grace of God in that covenant. In our church covenant we expressly renew the New Covenant, confessing both our joyful faith in the God of that covenant and our willing embrace of its obligations. These New Covenant obligations require that we love God supremely and our neighbor as ourselves. By the grace of that covenant, we commit ourselves to the following obligations:
Section 2: Our New Covenant Commitments 2
I. We agree to worship only the one true and living God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit), who has revealed Himself to us in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. We will declare His glory to the nations and have no other gods before Him.
II. We agree to worship God in His appointed way, only through the mediation of His Son, excluding from our worship anything that He has not appointed, observing the ordinances of the New Covenant, not forsaking but carefully and conscientiously attending all the meetings of the church except where legitimately hindered, practicing regular private devotions as well as family worship and uniting with another faithful church when we move from this place.
III. We agree not to use the name of our God lightly or to take it upon ourselves carelessly, but to adorn the triune name of God we have taken upon ourselves in baptism and to labor with zeal for the fame of His name and gospel.
IV. We agree to cease from our own works on the Lord’s Day, unless they are works of necessity, and to sanctify the day by consistently attending the meetings of the church, fellowshipping with one another in our homes, performing acts of mercy, as well as engaging in personal devotion and domestic religion.
V. We agree to honor and obey, within the bounds of Scripture, all our superiors, whether in family, church, state, or business; and, if we be superiors, to deal reasonably and lovingly with our subordinates and thus to teach them by word and example to follow the Lord Jesus Christ. We promise to resist the spirit of our age, especially with regard to the ordinance of marriage— as wives, respectfully submitting to our husbands and, as husbands, tenderly loving our wives.
VI. We agree to avoid whatever tends to destroy us or our neighbors and to engage vigorously in all lawful endeavors to preserve our own lives and the lives of others, especially by walking together in brotherly love, caring for one another, bearing one another’s burdens, watching over each other, faithfully admonishing one another, promptly repenting when we have sinned against one another and not abusing our Christian liberties to our own harm or that of our brethren.
VII. We agree to possess our bodies in holiness as vessels joined to Christ and indwelt by the Holy Spirit, to avoid all uncleanness of thought, speech, or action and to bear witness against the uncleanness and sensuality of our age.
VIII. We agree to be diligent in our callings, in order that we may provide for our own households, avoid theft of time, money, or goods, give tithes and offerings to the church, provide for the needy and support the advancement of the kingdom of God.
IX. We agree earnestly to promote truth among men, to avoid anything that would prejudice the truth or injure our neighbor's good name, to promote the unity of the Spirit by our words and prayers and to avoid all gossip as undermining such unity.
X. We agree to be fully content with our own condition in life, to delight in the advancement of our neighbor, to avoid envying him or coveting anything that is his and to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep.