A Covenant People's Beliefs

The relationship between God and his people is called a "covenant" relationship. The theme "I will be your God and you will be my people" is repeated throughout the Old Testament. At the Last Supper, Jesus instituted a new and final covenant when he declared, "this is my blood of the covenant."

A covenant is an agreement between God and those who have a relationship with him. In the covenant relationship there are responsibilities for both parties. God gives love, provision, protection, forgiveness, etc. In return, his people agree to love, trust , and obey him.

The local church covenant for Seventh Day Baptists articulates the responsibility of all themembers of the local church. The covenant is a solemn agreement before God and before the people of God. Signing the covenant means that a person agrees to obey God and be responsible to and for other people in the local church.

Though Seventh Day Baptists have no binding creed as a denomination, this does not mean that you can believe anything you want and be a Seventh Day Baptist. To be a Seventh Day Baptist, one must join a local Seventh Day Baptist church. Each local church has developed a covenant statement. To join a Seventh Day Baptist church means that you agree to that covenant. The glue that holds a Seventh Day Baptist church together is our love for God and for each other, and following the responsibilities articulated in our local church covenant.

Most local Seventh Day Baptist churches have their own statement of beliefs. These statements sometimes reiterate our denominational statement. While some local churches use their statements of belief as a criterion for membership, others use them to teach current members and potential new members.

Though our Statement of Belief is not a binding creed, it is a declaration of what Seventh Day Baptists hold in common. These statements are a part of who we are as a people.

Statement of Belief   Sabbath   Salvation