说明:
自从1878年起,国会山浸信会就在一个共同的盟约下共同敬拜,这个盟约是由关于我们承诺如何作为教会而共同生活的告白。教会盟约是每个会员各自的承诺,是我们对教会生活的期望的总结,是伦理性的宣告,也是圣经给我们的标准。我们在盟约中总结了我们如何承诺共同生活,它形成了我们世界观的伦理标准(或者说是道德标准),并且基于圣经的基础。我们接受这样一个具有丰富多面性的盟约,是传承了几个世纪以来信徒们所做出的向着神和向着彼此之间的如何在社区里活出福音生命的保证。
今天我们从两个方面来使用这个盟约。我们要求所有加入教会的成员签署这个盟约,我们也在会员大会和圣餐之前作为一个基督的身体一起重新宣告和承诺这个盟约。透过这样的对盟约的宣读,我们尽力保守我们自己远离个人和集体的罪。 同样我们彼此激励在一个更大的盟约的亮光下生活,这个盟约就是由神的慈爱而来,由基督的受死而封印,由我们的救主基督持守到永恒的新约。
(译者注:盟约原文来自国会山浸信会网站(请点击这里),蒙准翻译。如果您的教会有其他版本的会员盟约,欢迎评论留言附在后面,供众教会参考使用。)
译文:
我们因着神圣的恩典得以悔改和相信救主耶稣基督,并且已经将我们自己奉献给他;我们也曾着受浸表达我们的信仰;我们也现在因着圣父、圣子、圣灵的名,靠着祂恩典的扶助,得以庄严而喜乐的建立更新我们彼此之间的盟约。
我们承诺会为圣灵在我们当中的和平与合一致力并祷告。
加入地方教会之后,我们承诺会在弟兄之爱中共同奔走天路,我们会深深的彼此关怀和互相守望,我们也会在需要的时候忠实的彼此劝诫和恳求。
我们承诺不会放弃共同的聚集,也不会忽略为我们自己和其他人祷告。
我们承诺会靠着主的培育与劝诫,活出纯全圣洁的生活样式,努力为我们的家人与朋友的救恩而见证基督。
我们承诺会为肢体的快乐而欢欣,也会竭力带着温柔与同情承担彼此的重担与哀伤。
靠着神的帮助,我们承诺寻求在世上谨慎自守的生活,抵挡不圣洁和属世的邪情私欲。我们也会牢记,既然已经自愿透过浸礼受死、埋葬和从死里复活,我们现在有责任活出一个全新、圣洁的生命。
我们承诺透过我们对教会的崇拜生活、圣职按立、教会纪律和纯正教义的参与和持守,为着这间教会忠心的福音事工而共同努力。我们会喜乐、并且规律的支持教会的事工需要、教会的财务开支、教会对贫苦人的关怀,以及教会向着万国万民的宣教。
当我们需要从此地搬往别处时,我们承诺尽快与当地的地方教会建立同样的盟约关系,继续持守本盟约的原则。
愿主耶稣基督的恩典,天父上帝的慈爱,以及圣灵的交通与我们同在。阿门。
原文:
Having, as we trust, been brought by divine grace to repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and to give up ourselves to him, and having been baptized upon our profession of faith, in the name of the Father and of the Son and the Holy Spirit, we do now, relying on His gracious aid, solemnly and joyfully renew our covenant with each other.
We will work and pray for the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
We will walk together in brotherly love, as becomes the members of a Christian Church, exercise an affectionate care and watchfulness over each other and faithfully admonish and entreat one another as occasion may require.
We will not forsake the assembling of ourselves together, nor neglect to pray for ourselves and others.
We will endeavor to bring up such as may at any time be under our care, in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, and by a pure and loving example to seek the salvation of our family and friends.
We will rejoice at each others’ happiness and endeavor with tenderness and sympathy to bear each other’s burdens and sorrows.
We will seek, by Divine aid, to live carefully in the world, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, and remembering that, as we have been voluntarily buried by baptism and raised again from the symbolic grave, so there is on us a special obligation now to lead a new and holy life.
We will work together for the continuance of a faithful evangelical ministry in this church, as we sustain its worship, ordinances, discipline, and doctrines. We will contribute cheerfully and regularly to the support of the ministry, the expenses of the church, the relief of the poor, and the spread of the Gospel through all nations.
We will, when we move from this place, as soon as possible, unite with some other church where we can carry out the spirit of this covenant and the principles of God’s Word.
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all. Amen.