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

2:27; Acts 20:7; Heb. 4:9.

(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 November 7, 1983,

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.” “Salemeans “giving up property to another for money or other valuable consideration.”

Ex. 20:17; Rom. 14:21; 1 Cor. 6:12. Gambling violates the

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. 6:12; 14:21; 1 Cor. 6:12-20; 10:23; 2 Cor. 7:1;

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. 20:14, 17; 22:19; Lev. 20:10-16; Matt. 5:32; 19:19; Mark

10:11-12; Luke 16:18.

(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.

Rom. 15:1-2; Eph. 4; 1 Thess. 5.

(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 2:18-20; Acts 13:2-3; 14:23; Rom. 12:12; 1 Cor. 11:23-

28; Eph. 6:18; Phil. 4:6; 1 Tim. 2:1-2; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; Heb.

10:25; 1 Peter 2:2; 2 Peter 3:18.

(9) To preserve the fellowship and witness of the Church with reference to

the use of languages. The Wesleyan Church believes in the miraculous use of

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

Wesleyan Church believes that the use of an ecstatic prayer language has no clear

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—14:40; Gal. 5:22-24.

 

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. 3:13; 10:23-25.

 (11) To respect the inherent individual rights of all persons, regardless of

race, color or sex.

1 Cor. 8:13; 12:13; Gal. 3:28; 1 Tim. 5:21.

(12) To live honestly, be just in all dealings and faithful in all

commitments.

Eccl. 5:4-5; Rom. 12:17; Phil. 4:8-9; 1 Peter 2:12.

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