Faithfulness to Church Covenant Obligations
ONE of the painful features of the average Christian professor in our day is the lack of conscientiousness in the discharge of what we commonly speak of as “covenant obligations.” Every one of us, on entering formally upon the Christian profession, solemnly and publicly promised, in substance, that we would “faithfully co-operate with all our fellow-members in all the ordinances, worship, and work of the church.” Now this was either a barren and meaningless form, never meant to express obligation on our part, nor on the part of the church, or else it has in it all the solemnity of a “vow” unto the Lord, taken in fellowship with his people. We must assume that the latter was the understanding which we had of the matter when we subscribed or assented to the church covenant. But the painful fact is that but few, comparatively, seem at all to regard this covenant as being of any binding force upon either the conscience or the action. The same class of people who hold all social and business obligations sacred, and would count themselves disgraced if they treated them as they do their church covenant obligations, do habitually set these covenant obligations aside at their pleasure, or, rather, we must fain think, have never thought of them as obligations at all. They participate in the “worship and work” of the church according to their inclinations rather than in accordance with their covenant. The Lord’s supper is neglected, the prayer-meeting is passed by without a thought, the Sabbath services are frequently given up for trivial reasons, or for no other reason than a present disinclination; and as for the “work” of the church, it is systematically avoided by many who never seem once to have realized that they have any connection with it. The benevolent contributions of the church is a matter wholly apart from their purpose. It is urged by some, in answer to this, that religion is a voluntary matter and not one of compulsion, and, therefore, church members or Christians are not to be judged or held bound to the faithful discharge of these duties by any such rules as govern in other walks of life—notably in business and social life. It is true that religion is a voluntary matter. But when you voluntarily took upon yourself the obligations of a religious life, those obligations became as sacred as the promise of God is to you, and should be so regarded. The volunteer soldier is as much bound by the laws of the army as though he had been drafted; indeed we expect better service from volunteers than we do from conscript troops; from men who serve from patriotic motives alone, than from men whose service is compelled. Jesus did not force his yoke upon you, but held it out and said, “Take it upon you.” Now, having taken it, it is in the highest sense disloyal and dishonorable either to pull the neck out or shirk the labor which you have voluntarily engaged to do for and with your Master and with his brethren who are yoked up with you. It is positively shameful the way not a few church members—the nominal followers of Christ, and yoke fellows in the “worship and work of the church”—throw over their engagements with the church at the first or least suggestion of personal inconvenience to them, or for the sake of some carnal or selfish reason wholly apart from Christian obligation or privilege. A slight weariness, such as would not for a moment suggest to them the idea of staying away from business or a social engagement, is sufficient excuse to warrant them in giving up prayer-meeting or even the Sabbath service, and in some cases a Sabbath-school class. Moreover, this slight weariness or indisposition (not so much of body as of mind), frequently yielded to, leads finally to an almost utter abandonment of work certainly, and worship most probably. It is not uncommon for Christians deliberately to contract social engagements which they know will utterly conflict with ordinary church engagements; and yet they do it without a thought that they are being unfaithful to God and the church, or, if they have the thought, they are conscienceless about it. There are thousands who habitually neglect every obligation in the direction of the work of the church; and a simple declaration on their part that they have no taste in that direction, or a mere assertion that they would “rather not,” is deemed a sufficient reason why they should be excused from all service, and any further urging on the part of pastor or fellow-member is deemed an impertinent interference with their liberty of choice as to how they serve God, or as to whether they shall serve him at all. There are as many more thousands who utterly neglect any obligation in the direction of the maintenance of the expense of public worship, or the carrying on of the benevolent work of the church. Their giving is wholly a matter of impulse or conformity to habit, or out of shame when they are present at the time of taking the offerings of the people. As to formally, conscientiously, and systematically setting apart a portion of their income or increase for the work of God, it never occurred to them but to be rejected. The loose change in the pocket, or at least the smaller and baser coins thereof, usually find their way through their unsanctified hands into the basket. This utter lack of conscience on the part of so many professors of religion as to obligations involved in a confession of Christ, leads many who are not Christians to doubt the truth of the whole matter, embarrasses the church in her work, makes the chariot wheels of service to drag heavily, and we doubt not sorely grieves the Spirit.—Independent.