# Covenanting



## Arch2k (Dec 21, 2005)

Historically, the act of covenanting with God is seen by Presbyterians as a divine ordinance for the church. For some historical covenants, see THE ORDINANCE OF COVENANTING.

Is there any precedent for a family covenanting with God or even individuals officially covenanting with God?

Have any of you covenanted with God as a family or individually?

Is this a duty that we have as a family unit/individual?


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Dec 21, 2005)

Jeff, 

You may be aware of these sources, but see this thread, which includes the personal covenant of Thomas Boston. 

Samuel Wylie on the Obligation of Covenants

James R. Willson on Public Covenanting

Scottish National Covenant

Solemn League and Covenant

Westminster Assembly on the Solemn League and Covenant

Webmaster on Church Membership and Covenanting

Family Covenanting

Also see the RPCNA Directory for the Worship of God:



> Covenanting
> 
> 3. The Terms of Communion recognize public covenanting as an ordinance of God to be observed by churches and nations. The "œCovenant of Church Membership" is to be accepted by individuals who profess faith in Christ and unite with the church. To covenant with God is a solemn act of worship in which individuals, churches, or nations, declare their acceptance of Him as their God, and pledge allegiance and obedience to Him. The Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America entered into such a covenant in 1871, which is still binding.



There is also discussion of this in Horton Davies' _The Worship of the English Puritans_.


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## crhoades (Dec 21, 2005)

So how does one hold to a proper view of covenanting without running into Steelite teachings...(and could someone define that?). What are the differeneces?


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Dec 21, 2005)

I posted some thoughts on this previously here and here. 

Also see What the Solemn League and Covenant Means for Today.


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## Arch2k (Dec 21, 2005)

I haven't made it through all of the articles, but the one of Family covenanting hits on my question:



> Family Covenant
> 
> Considering the great happiness which may flow from a full and perfect union of this household and its posterity, by joining of all in one and the same Covenant with God, we each for himself subscribes his name hereto. We, the members and descendants of the family of Joseph Parnell McCarter signing our names to this covenant, do swear to follow Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior, looking to Him as the only propitiation for our sins, and endeavoring to serve Him in gratitude for His gift of salvation in accordance with His holy word. Having been instructed and catechized in the Westminster Standards (especially in its Confession and Catechisms) and the Bible, we swear a firm commitment to the Presbyterian and Reformed Faith as outlined in the Westminster Confession and Catechisms (strictly interpreted), affirming it as an accurate summary of the teaching of scripture.
> 
> In so doing, we affirm our agreement with the doctrines outlined in the Westminster Confession and Catechisms, including but not limited to the total depravity of man, justification by faith alone, sola scriptura, predestination, the abiding authority of the Ten Commandments, the Christian Sabbath, the establishment principle, six-day creation, and the coming Day of Judgment. We do also affirm our agreement with the regulative principle of worship, rejecting the addition to worship of any element not explicitly or implicitly commanded in the word of God. Consequently, we commit ourselves to defending and upholding exclusive psalmody and no musical instruments in the public worship of God, as well as other necessary consequences of the regulative principle of worship. We swear to abstain from immoral entertainment and adultery. We swear to marry in the Lord, and only such as will in good conscience subscribe to this Family Covenant. In marriage we swear to obey the divine command to be fruitful and multiply, and to abstain from acts which would wrongly thwart or hinder the command. And we swear to confess and repent of our sins in accordance with Biblical mandate. We swear to uphold and defend the reformed Christian faith, and to promote Christ´s kingdom here on earth - in our own personal lives, our families, our church, and our state - which will tend to the glory of God, the preservation of religion, and the peace of this family.



Is this something we have a duty to do? Besides covenanting with my local church, do I have a responsibility to covenant as a family unit?

Is Joshua's statement "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" a reference to such a thing?


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Dec 21, 2005)

> _Originally posted by Jeff_Bartel_
> Is this something we have a duty to do? Besides covenanting with my local church, do I have a responsibility to covenant as a family unit?



In my opinion, excepting the fundamental covenant of church membership, covenanting on the individual or family level is not a mandatory duty (unlike the clear Scriptural warrant that exists for church and state to covenant with God). It is, however, a very good thing, yet not one to be undertaken lightly. It is a solemn engagement to serve God and great care must be given to discerning whether such a covenant is warranted. 

I am speaking of course as to the sample covenant between family and God given above. Marriage itself is a covenant relationship between husband, wife and Christ. 

The historical examples of Presbyterian individual and family covenants have been inspiring to me, and I commend them highly. 



> Is Joshua's statement "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" a reference to such a thing?



Matthew Henry refers to Joshua's statement as a "bond" (a term that I think is synonymous with "covenant") that engages his family to the dedicated service of God. I think it is a simple form of covenant. Those noble words ought to inspire every family to consider their covenant relationship to God, even if they choose not to covenant specifically and verbally in a particular form or document.



[Edited on 12-22-2005 by VirginiaHuguenot]


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## WrittenFromUtopia (Dec 21, 2005)

When a family and myself joined the RPCNA, we publicly covenanted ourselves to the Church and God as members.



> *Covenant of Communicant Membership*
> 1. Do you believe the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the Word of God, the only infallible rule for faith and life?
> 
> 2. Do you believe in the one living and true God"”Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, as revealed in the Scriptures?
> ...


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