2024 DEDICATION SUNDAY

Dear Members in Christ,

2024 Dedication Sunday

On the first Sunday of every year, we observe Dedication Sunday. On this solemn observance, the Session and the members make a “Dedication pledge” to affirm our belief, and to serve the Lord Jesus faithfully and fervently in the days ahead. For many we pray, this pledge is repeated year after year with sincerity and faithfulness. And it should be, for it is a meaningful recall of our salvation debt to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. It is also a time for us to consider what the Lord Jesus has done for us. It is a time for us to return our loyal service for Him by our labour of love in the church, which scriptures call the body of Christ.

What is a pledge? The dictionary definition of a pledge is a solemn promise or undertaking. Therefore, the dedication pledge is a solemn promise before God that the Christian would faithfully adhere to the doctrines taught to us in the scriptures and carry out one’s duty faithfully. Also, that the Christian would be very mindful to preserve the purity and the unity of the church. What does this all mean in relation to our faith and our personal practice of devotion to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ?

First, let us remember what the Bible teaches about making a promise before God. The Preacher, the wise king Solomon had this to say in the Book of Eccelesiastes,

“When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.” Ecclesiastes 5:4

It is clear and plain enough in God’s Word. When we make a promise before God, let us be mindful about it and let us be very deliberate in our daily lives to see that our conduct and intent are aligned with the pledge we have made before God. 

A. What is the dedication pledge?

It is a solemn promise made before God (and the congregation). As mentioned above, the definition of a pledge is a solemn promise, like an oath. But bear in mind, the pledge is an individual commitment to God, no one is coerced into taking a pledge. In the case of “Dedication Pledge” the oath-taker promises to adhere to the articles listed in the pledge. The articles relate to faithfulness to the doctrines that are taught in the scriptures, faithfulness in service to God, and faithfulness in guarding the purity of the church. This pledge is made in public, signifying the sincerity of the individual taking the oath. It is god-honoring to promise before God that one would be faithful. As the psalmist has written, “Praise waiteth for thee, O God, in Sion: and unto thee shall the vow be performed.” Psalm 65:1

It is a promise from the heart of the individual oath-taker. The dedication pledge is a voluntary and personal pledge between each believer and the Lord God. Looking at the “Dedication Pledge” you will find that each item begins with the pronoun “I”. These are attached to a verb such as, “I believe…”, “I subscribe…”, “I promise…”, and, “I swear…” In taking the pledge, the individual Christian affirms before God that he or she will be faithful to the promises made. It is also a pledge that the person binds by oath to be responsible for his or her conduct in order that the pledge may be fulfilled.

But, most of all, the “Dedication Pledge” is a pledge to ensure God is reverenced in the Christian’s life. It is every Christian’s duty to ensure that God is given the honor and reverence due unto Him. Therefore by pledging to do one’s Christian duty faithfully, to study God’s Word, and to keep the purity of the church, the Christian is re-iterating what the Bible has been teaching us all along. Be faithful to God’s Word, obey God’s Word, and live a life glorifying to Him.

B. What is it that we pledge to do? 

There are a total of nine articles or statements listed in the Dedication Pledge. On a closer examination of the articles in the pledge, we see that our pledge addresses four areas of our Christian faith.

i. The Word of God. This appears in articles 1, 2, 3, 8 and 9. By saying this pledge the Christian affirms that the Bible is the Word of God and it is perfectly preserved, and it is our guide in faith and life.

ii. The work of God in the church. In articles 3, 4 and 6, the Christian promises to be subject to the authority of the local church, the Calvary Jaya B-P fellowship. This doctrine of submission to church government is taught in the scripture. Furthermore, the one taking the oath promises to safeguard the peace and purity of the church.

iii. The whole hearted devotion of the child of God. The Christian pledges in articles 5, 7 and 8 to devote his or her life studying the Word, and preparing himself for prayer, and for the service to the Lord. 

Brothers and sisters, these are God-honoring promises. We urge everyone to sincerely, wholeheartedly take this pledge, and keep a copy tucked in your Bible. Review it from time to time. God will surely honor and prosper those who honor their pledge to God and to His Word, and to those who look to the wellbeing of the church, and those who seek to serve Him with a whole heart. 

May His name be praised. Amen.

In His Service,
Rev. Lim Seh Beng, Pastor