The Wesleyan
Discipline (2004)
Article
3. Covenant Membership Commitments
260. To be identified
with an organized church is the blessed privilege
and
sacred duty of all who are saved from their sins and are seeking
completeness
in Christ Jesus. From the Church’s beginnings in the New
Testament age, it has been understood
that such identification involves
putting
off the old patterns of conduct and putting on the mind of Christ. In
maintaining
this Christian concept of a transformed life, The Wesleyan
Church intends to relate timeless biblical principles to the
conditions of
contemporary
society in such a way as to respect the integrity of the individual
believer,
yet maintain the purity of the Church and the effectiveness of its
witness.
This is done in the conviction that there is validity in the concept of
the
collective Christian conscience as illuminated and guided by the Holy
Spirit.
The following items (265) represent historic, ethical and practical
standards
of The Wesleyan Church. While it is hoped that our people will
earnestly
seek the aid of the Spirit in cultivating a sensitivity to evil which
transcends the
mere letter of the law, it is expected that those entering into
Covenant Membership shall follow carefully and
conscientiously these guides
and
helps to holy living. Disregard of the principles embraced in these
Covenant Membership Commitments subjects a member to Church
discipline
(268).
265. Those admitted to Covenant Membership
in our churches commit
themselves
to demonstrate their life in Christ in such ways as:
Toward God
(1) To reverence the name of God and to honor the
Lord’s Day by
divine
worship and spiritual edification, participating in those activities which
contribute
to the moral and spiritual purposes of this day.
Gen. 2:3; Ex. 20:3, 7-11; Deut. 5:11-15; Isa.
58:13-14; Mark
(2) To seek only the leading of the Holy Spirit and to
abstain from all forms
of spiritism,
such as the occult, witchcraft, astrology and other similar practices.
Lev. 19:31; 20:6; Deut. 18:10-14; Acts 19:18-19; Gal. 5:19-20.
Toward Self
(3) To exercise faithful stewardship through the wise use of
their time
and
material resources, practicing careful self-discipline in order to further the
mission
of Christ’s church (remembering the principle of tithing which is
basic
to the New Testament standard of stewardship) and to demonstrate
compassion to
those in need.
Prov. 3:9;
Mal. 3:10; Matt. 25:34-40; Acts 20:35; 1 Cor. 16:2; 2
Cor. 9:7;
Eph. 5:16; Col. 3:17; James 2:15-16; 1 John 3:17.
(4) To demonstrate a positive social witness by abstaining
from all
forms of
gambling and by abstaining from using or trafficking (production,
sale
or purchase)* in any substances destructive to their physical, mental and
spiritual
health, such as alcoholic beverages, tobacco and drugs (other than
proper
medical purposes of drugs); and by refraining from membership in
secret
societies and lodges which are oath bound, believing that the quasireligious
nature
of such organizations divides the Christian’s loyalty, their
secret
nature contravenes the Christian’s open witness and the secret nature of
their
oaths is repugnant to the Christian conscience.
*See 6805 265;4
in Appendix B. where the General Superintendents on
officially interpreted subparagraph
265:4 and the General Conference on June 20, 1984, sustained the interpretation
(GC-1984-175), thereby authorizing this provision to mean:
“Trafficking,” as used with reference to alcoholic beverages in
265:4, means “production, sale or purchase.”
“Production” means “activity which is
a
part of the manufacturing or primary distribution process.” “
Ex.
principle
of Christian stewardship and the tenth commandment,
is harmful to the individual
in that it is emotionally addictive, is a
poor
example to others, and pollutes the moral climate of society.
Prov. 20:1;
Rom.
Eph. 5:18; 1 Thess.
5:22. Christians are to regard their bodies
as
temples
of the Holy Spirit. While no “thing” of itself is sinful, the
Christian should avoid the use of anything
which would not help
build
the fellowship of the church, would not help the believers to
realize
their full potential in Christ, or which would enslave them.
In the light of the scientific knowledge of our day
concerning the
actual
and potential harm of these substances, total abstinence is
more
in keeping with these biblical principles than is moderation.
Ex. 20:3; Matt. 5:34-36; John 18:20; Acts
4:12; James 5:12.
These prohibitions do not restrict membership in labor,
civic
or other organizations
which do not contradict loyalty to
Christ and the Church.
When in these relationships Christian
principles are
violated, members shall be dealt with because of
such
violations and not because of the membership itself.
Toward Family
(5) To follow the teachings of the Scriptures regarding
marriage and
divorce.
We affirm that sexual relationships outside of marriage and sexual
relationships
between persons of the same sex are immoral and sinful. We
further
affirm that heterosexual monogamy is God’s plan for marriage, and we
regard
sexual sin of the spouse, such as adultery, homosexual behavior,
bestiality
or incest, as the only biblical grounds for considering divorce, and
then
only when appropriate counseling has failed to restore the relationship.
Ex.
(6) To preserve the sanctity of the home by honoring Christ
in every
phase
of family life and by demonstrating Christlike love
(always avoiding
spousal
or child abuse), and by living peacefully with one another, thereby
encouraging
the nurture and education of the children in the Christian faith
so as to bring them
early to the saving knowledge of Christ.
Prov. 22:6;
Mark 10:9; Eph. 5:28; 6:4.
Toward The
Church
(7) To work together for the advancement of God’s
kingdom and for
the mutual
edification of fellow believers in holiness, knowledge and love; to
walk
together in Christian fellowship by giving and receiving counsel with
gentleness
and affection; by praying for each other; by helping each other in
sickness
and distress; and by demonstrating love, purity and courtesy to all.
(8) To grow in the knowledge, love and grace of God by
participating
in public worship, the
ministry of the Word of God, the Lord’s Supper, family
and personal
devotions and fasting.
Mark
28; Eph. 6:18; Phil. 4:6; 1 Tim. 2:1-2; 2
Tim. 3:16-17; Heb.
(9) To preserve the fellowship and witness of the Church
with reference to
the
use of languages. The
languages
and the interpretation of languages in its biblical and historical setting.
But
it is contrary to the Word of God to teach that speaking in an unknown tongue
or the gift of tongues
is the evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit or of that
entire
sanctification which the baptism accomplishes; therefore, only a language
readily
understood by the congregation is to be used in public worship. The
scriptural
sanction, or any pattern of established historical usage in the Church;
therefore,
the use of such a prayer language shall not be promoted among us.
Acts 8:14-17; 1 Cor.
12:1—
Toward Others
(10) To do good as much as is
possible to all people as God gives
opportunity,
especially to those in the body of Christ; by giving food to the
hungry,
by clothing the destitute, by visiting or helping those who are sick or
in prison; by
instructing, correcting or encouraging them in love.
Matt. 25:31-46; Eph. 5:11; 1 Thess. 5:14; Heb.
(11) To respect
the inherent individual rights of all persons, regardless of
race,
color or sex.
1 Cor.
(12) To live honestly, be just in all dealings and faithful
in all
commitments.
Eccl. 5:4-5; Rom.
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