Kingdom of God Fellowship
~A Church Without Walls~
Church Covenant
Having been led, as we believe, by the spirit of Yahweh, to receive Yeshua Messiah Jesus Christ as our Savior.
And on the profession of our faith, having been baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
We do now, in the presence of Yahweh God, angels, and this assembly, most solemnly and joyfully enter into covenant with one another, as one body in Christ.
We engage, therefore, by the aid of the Holy Spirit, to walk together in Christian love; to strive for the advancement of Yahweh's Kingdom, in knowledge, holiness, and comfort;
To promote and sustain its worship, ordinance, discipline, and doctrines;
To contribute cheerfully and regularly to the support of the ministry, the expenses of the local and global church, the relief of the poor, and the spread of the gospel through all nations.
We also engage to maintain family and secret devotions; to religiously educate our children; to seek the salvation of our kindred and acquaintances;
To walk circumspectly in the world; to be just in our dealings, faithful in our engagements, and exemplary in our deportment;
To avoid all tattling, backbiting, and excessive anger;
To abstain from the sale and use of intoxicating drinks as a beverage, and to be zealous in our efforts to advance the kingdom of our Saviour.
We further engage to watch over one another in brotherly love;
To remember each other in prayer; to aid each other in sickness and distress; to cultivate Christian sympathy in feeling and courtesy in speech;
To be slow to take offense, but always ready for reconciliation, and mindful of the rules of our Savior to secure it without delay.
We moreover engage that when we remove from this place we will, as soon as possible, unite with some other ministry/fellowship/household of faith, where we can carry out the spirit of this covenant and the principles of Yahweh's Word.
Covenant in the Hebrew Bible
In the Hebrew Bible, the covenant (Hebrew: berit) is the formal agreement between Yahweh and the people of Israel and Judah, in which each agrees to a set of obligations toward the other. The language and understanding of covenant is based on ancient Near Eastern treaties between nations.
The Bible understands covenant from two different perspectives. The unconditional or eternal covenant (Hebrew berit ‛olam) between Yahweh and Israel/Judah presumes that the covenant can never be broken, although it does allow for divine judgment.
The conditional covenant means that the covenant might be broken if the people fail to comply with the divine will; but even conditional formulations of the covenant, such as Deuteronomy 28-30 presume that the covenant will be restored when Israel repents. Both understandings refer to the same covenant between Yahweh and Israel, but individual texts portray this covenant from different perspectives.
The eternal covenant with Abraham (Gen 15, Gen 17) defines Yahweh’s relationship with the ancestors of Israel. Yahweh promises to serve as Abraham’s god, to make him a great nation, and to provide him and his descendants with the land of Israel. Abraham in turn promises to worship Yahweh alone and to observe Yahweh’s rules, including circumcision as the sign of the eternal covenant (Gen 17). This covenant is handed down to Abraham’s son Isaac and his grandson Jacob (Israel).
David’s eternal covenant is similar to Abraham’s, especially because it includes an eternal promise of sons ruling in Jerusalem over the land of Israel (2Sam 7). But the dynasty of David ruled for only four centuries, until the Babylonian exile in 586 B.C.E. (2Kgs 25). The Babylonian exile and the end of the house of David led many biblical authors to view the covenant as conditional. Consequently, many texts state that David’s sons will rule forever only if they observe the obligations of Yahweh’s covenant (1Kgs 2:4-5, 1Kgs 9:1-9; Ps 89, Ps 132).
The Sinai covenant narrative (Exodus 19-Numbers 10), which relates the covenant between Yahweh and all Israel, presents detailed civil and religious law collections meant to ensure a holy and just society in the land of Israel. Sabbath observance (Exodus 31:12-17) is called an eternal covenant between Yahweh and Israel, based on the Sabbath’s role as the foundation of all creation (Gen 1:1-2:3). Num 25 defines the eternal covenant granted to Phineas, grandson of Aaron, which enables his descendants to serve as priests at the Jerusalem temple.
Both Exodus–Numbers and Deuteronomy recognize the possible conditional nature of the covenant, noting that the nation will suffer punishment and exile should the people not observe Yahweh’s will. Lev 26 and Deut 28-30 contain lengthy blessings and curses to define the rewards of observance and the consequences of failure to observe the covenant, but both texts maintain that the people will be restored when they repent. Jer 31:31-34 presumes that the covenant has been broken, but proposes a new covenant based on the same observance of divine Torah or instruction.
The prophets likewise explain foreign invasion and exile as the result of the people’s failure to fulfill their obligations to Yahweh (for example, Hos 4; Amos 2:6-16). They view Israel’s restoration or return to the land following exile as a result of Israel’s repentance (Hos 14; Amos 3-5; Jer. 7) or of Yahweh’s commitment to observe the eternal covenant (Isa 40-55; Jer. 33; Ezek. 33-48).
Marvin A. Sweeney, "Covenant in the Hebrew Bible", n.p. [cited 16 Apr 2020]. Online: http://www.bibleodyssey.org/en/passages/related-articles/covenant-in-the-hebrew-bible