Read with me the opening paragraph of our church covenant.
Having been led by the Holy Spirit (Rom 8:14-16; Gal 5:18,25) to receive the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 2:36; 15:11) as our Savior (Luke 2:11); and upon our profession (Heb 4:14) of our faith in Him (Gal 3:26; Col 1:4), having been baptized in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Mat 28:19), we do now solemnly and joyfully enter into this covenant (Neh 8:10) with one another as one body in Christ (Rom 12:5).
The first thing I want to draw to your attention is the triunity of God. First, we give credit to the Holy Spirit for His work in our salvation, then particular focus is on the Lord Jesus, the Christ. Yes, it seems awkward to put the definite article in front of “Christ.” Yet I am convinced every reference should be read like that. Second, Jesus, the Spirit told Mary to call Him Jesus for He will save his people from their sins (Matt 1:21). He is the Lord—the master, the boss. And He is the Christ—God’s anointed king. This language needs to be so inherent to our biblical worldview that it sweats from the pores of our thinking. Third, we see the Father being acknowledged in the baptism formula of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Have you been baptized as a believer by immersion? Have you thought about why not?
The church covenant immediately references baptism after we receive Christ as Lord and Savior—because of the commandment in the Great Commission. Read Matthew 28:18-20.
Notice that we enter into this covenant with one another. The “one another” language is all over the NT. We aren’t flying solo. I can’t say that enough. Going to a ‘church’ service is NOT like going to the movies. And we are making a mistake when we create the impression it is the same. We are not attending a service but worshipping collectively with our church family. Who is sitting next to you, in front of you and behind you? Do you know their names? Are you making a concerted effort to learn who the “one another” is around you? Yes, this makes some uncomfortable. Some want to fly under the radar and do ‘church’ alone. But we can’t let them.
Our covenant gives particular focus in the first paragraph to the truth that the church is not the brick and mortar building. Instead, it is comprised of all those who have joyfully entered into a binding agreement, a covenant, with one another, with shared commitments further articulated in the rest of the covenant.
Finally, who are you praying for who has yet to receive Christ? Read John 1:12, “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” To receive Christ is to believe He is who He said He was and is and He has accomplished all that the NT says He did. Are you a baptized believer? Who do you know who isn’t and who you need to witness to, pray for, invite to church, etc.?
