In religion, a covenant is a formal alliance or agreement made by God with a religious community or with humanity in general.
[citation needed] Bilateral covenants are generally conditional with blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience as in Deuteronomy 28 and 30.
In this theological system a covenant may be defined as, "an unchangeable, divinely imposed legal agreement between God and man that stipulates the conditions of their relationship.
[14] In the Allegheny Wesleyan Methodist Connection, those probationers entering into the Church as full members are read the following covenant:[15] You solemnly, severally avouch the Lord Jehovah, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, to be your God, the object of your supreme affections and your portion forever.
You do also cordially join yourselves to this church, and engage to submit to all its rules of government; to seek earnestly its peace, purity, and edification, and to walk with all its members in charity and faithfulness and sobriety.
[15]The Emmanuel Association of Churches, a Methodist denomination in the conservative holiness movement, uses the following Covenant:[16] Dearly Beloved: The Scriptures teach us that the church is the household of God, the body of which Christ is the Head, and that it is the design of the gospel to bring together all who are one in Christ to aid in that fellowship which is communion one with another in the Holy Ghost.
The privileges of this fellowship are watchful care of pastors, the enjoyments of the blessings which come from those of like faith, and the peculiar incitement to holiness.
Will you maintain the means of grace—such as secret and family devotions, assembling together for prayer and worship, and giving liberally to support the work of the church and the ministry of the gospel throughout the whole world?
"Will you remember the Christian sabbath to keep it holy by doing no worldly business therein, such as buying or selling and by refraining from all pleasure seeking and from any occupation or travel which cannot be done for the glory of God?"
"Will you walk together in humility and carefulness, giving and receiving admonition in the fear of God, praying for another, and remembering each other in sickness and in other times of need?
Will you be careful at all times to manifest meekness of spirit, gentleness of heart, and Christlike firmness in upholding God's standards of holiness in every walk of life?
[21] In the International Pentecostal Holiness Church, those who take their covenant recite the following:[21] With these values in mind, we recognize that the blessed Spirit of God has called us to live this countercultural lifestyle that sets us apart from the world.
We will heed the injunction of the apostle Paul, who exhorted us to “walk worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:1-3).
We will also heed the exhortation recorded in 1 Thessalonians 5:12-15: We beseech you, brethren, to know them which labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake.
As opportunity affords, we will be engaged in works of mercy, such as visiting the sick and imprisoned and the distressed, and all who may need and will accept our ministrations.
[25] In the LDS Church, ordinances which are accompanied by covenants include baptism and confirmation;[26] partaking of the sacrament;[27] reception of the Melchizedek priesthood;[28] the temple endowment;[29] and celestial marriage.
This moment is referred to in the verse 7:172 of the Quran as follows:[33] This covenant is significant in that it asserts that an understanding of the origin of man is something deeply inherent to and natural within every person.
Any person confessing to faith can become a Muslim and partake of this covenant with God: And ˹remember˺ when We made the Sacred House a centre and a sanctuary for the people ˹saying˺, “˹You may˺ take the standing-place of Abraham as a site of prayer.” And We entrusted Abraham and Ishmael to purify My House for those who circle it, who meditate in it, and who bow and prostrate themselves ˹in prayer˺.Gerhard Bowering has written about the mystical aspects of the Covenant in Islam.
[36] For their part in the greater covenant, the followers of each religion have a duty to investigate with an open mind whether a person who claims to be the promised messenger of their faith does, or does not, spiritually fulfill relevant prophecies.
[38] Bahá'ís consider Bahá'u'lláh's covenant as unique in religious history, and the most powerful means for ensuring the spiritual health of the Faith's adherents, and their enduring unity and complete protection from any efforts to foment dissension or to create schism.
[36] In Indo-Iranian religious tradition, Mithra-Mitra is the hypostasis of covenant, and hence keeper and protector of moral, social and interpersonal relationships, including love and friendship.
[citation needed] In living Zoroastrianism, which is one of the two primary developments of Indo-Iranian religious tradition, Mithra is by extension a judge, protecting agreements by ensuring that individuals who break one do not enter Heaven.