Church Covenant Study Our Church Covenant, Lesson 9 “We further engage…to aid each other in sickness and distress; to cultivate Christian sympathy in feeling and courtesy in speech.”
I. Love manifests itself in deeds I John 3:18 “My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.” There is no need to say that we love God and His people if by our deeds we destroy them. II. In time of sickness and distress is a very good opportunity to let our love manifest itself I John 3:17 “But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?” a. The members of the early church recognized this (Acts 2:44-45; 4:34-35) b. Many times, churches rely heavily upon a pastor to do all the visiting of the sick and seeing that the needy are cared for. Our covenant pledges the members of the church to this task. For this specific responsibility, the early church ordained deacons to relieve the preachers. (Acts 6:2-3) c. Church have been imposed upon as charitable institutions Churches are often approached and requested to provide charitable support. Unfortunately, for every person in honest need of assistance, there are 3 or 4 who are looking to take advantage. III. Cultivate sympathy in feeling Why do we cultivate a crop? For the same reason we should cultivate sympathy in feeling. Romans 12:15 “Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.” The suffering of one member should bring sympathy from all Romans 12:4-5 “ 4For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: 5So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.” “We further engage……to be slow to take offense but always ready for reconciliation, and mindful of the rules of our Savior to secure it without delay.” I. Slow to take offense The pledge here is not on the part of the offender, but on the part of those who would be offended. a. It is the spirit of the Christian to forbear, rather than be offended Ephesians 4:1-3 “1I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, 2With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; 3Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Colossians 3:12-13 “ 12Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; 13Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.” As Christians, we should keep the proverbial “chip” off of our shoulders. b. Being born of love we should be longsuffering I Corinthians 13:4 “Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up.” II. Always ready for reconciliation 1. Reconciliation becomes the very core of Christianity Romans 5:10 “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.” 2. Thus, reconciliation becomes our mission II Corinthians 5:18-19 “18And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.” 3. Some conclusions: a. If we preach reconciliation to the sinner, isn’t it rather foolish not to practice it among ourselves?
b. It is inconsistent to say we are reconciled to God, and not be willing to be reconciled to His people. c. Reconciliation with God will not allow deliberate refusal to be reconciled to a brother I John 2:9 “He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.” III. Mindful of the rules of our Savior 1. The Christian should always be willing to abide by “thus saith the Lord”. a. We are so taught under the Lord’s commission to His church (Matthew 28:20) b. It is only here that we can always find safe and infallible instruction (2 Timothy 3:16-17) IV. Secure reconciliation without delay 1. The rules of our Savior so instruct us Matthew 5:23-24 “23Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; 24Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.” 2. Agreement with our brother is the word of the Lord – rather than seeking “reason” to be offended. Matthew 5:25 “Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.” Romans 12:18 “If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.” “We moreover engage that when we remove from this place, we will as soon as possible unite with some other church, where we can carry out the spirit of this covenant and the principles of God’s Word.” I. When we move our church membership should move Some Baptists have taken to the practice of leaving their membership in churches they never attend. This practice has no Biblical basis and also conflicts common sense. a. how do I move my church membership from one church to another? 1. The normal way is by letter of recommendation Paul recommended Phebe to the church at Rome from the church at Cenchrea Romans 16:1-2 “1I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea: 2That ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also.” The brethren of Ephesus recommended Apollos to the churches of Achaia Acts 18:27 “And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he was come, helped them much which had believed through grace.” It is probable that church membership was not involved here, but the letter of recommendation is certainly advocated. In Paul’s second letter to the church at Corinth, he certainly implies that custom was to have a letter of recommendation 2 Corinthians 3:1 “Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you?” Paul, in his letter to Philippi, recommended that Epaphroditus be received Philippians 2:29 “Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness; and hold such in reputation.” 2. In cases where churches have been disbanded, records have been destroyed, etc, the only things left to do is make such a statement to the church into which you seek membership, and be received on statement. II. Why should I move my church membership? In order to carry out the spirit of your covenant with the church. If you are located so that you cannot attend the church where your membership is, you certainly will have difficulty in carrying out the spirit of the church’s covenant. a. The church is the Bible-prescribed place to bring God glory Ephesians 3:21, Ephesians 1:22-23 b. You cannot give God the glory to which He is entitled unless you are where you can make the most of your church membership. III. Why should I carry out the spirit of the church covenant? Because it involved the principles of God’s Word. Every point in this covenant has been shown to be there because it is a principle of the Word of God –you can’t ignore the spirit of this covenant without ignoring the spirit of God’s Word.
Bethel MBC 1/14/09
Lesson # 9
