A covenant is a promise or commitment. God made a commitment with His people by entering into a loving relationship with them; in the Old Testament this was with Abraham. In the New Testament this is through Christ. At Racine Bible Church we believe it is appropriate to have a covenant with one another.
Having been born again by the grace of God through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and being justified on the ground of His shed blood and having confessed our faith before men, we do now in the presence of God and this assembly, most solemnly and joyfully enter into a covenant with one another, as one body in Christ.
We purpose, therefore, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to walk together in Christian love; to strive for the advancement of this body of believers in knowledge, holiness, love and comfort; to promote spiritual maturity; to sustain its worship, ordinances, discipline and doctrine; to contribute cheerfully and regularly to the support of this ministry, the relief of the poor and the spread of the Gospel of Christ to all nations.
We also purpose to maintain family and private devotions; to educate our children in the Word of God; to prayerfully and lovingly seek the salvation of our family and acquaintances.
We purpose too, by the grace and power of God, that as strangers and pilgrims on this earth, we will abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul; that we will put away from us all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor; avoid all gossip, excessive anger and back-biting; and we will be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven us.
We further purpose to watch over one another in brotherly love; to remember each other in prayer; to aid each other in sickness and distress; to cultivate and express Christian sympathy in feeling and courtesy of speech; to be slow to take offense, but always ready for reconciliation, and mindful of the words of our Savior to secure reconciliation without delay.
We moreover purpose that, should we remove ourselves from Racine Bible Church, we will, as soon as possible, unite with another church where we can carry on the spirit of this covenant and the principles of God’s Word.