 The Bahá 'í teachings speak of both a " Greater Covenant " , being universal and endless , and a " Lesser Covenant " , being unique to each religious dispensation . The Lesser Covenant is viewed as an agreement between a Messenger of God and his followers and includes social practices and the continuation of authority in the religion . At this time Bahá 'ís view Bahá 'u'lláh 's revelation as a binding lesser covenant for his followers ; in the Bahá 'í writings being firm in the covenant is considered a virtue to work toward . The Greater Covenant is viewed as a more enduring agreement between God and humanity , where a Manifestation of God is expected to come to humanity about every thousand years , at times of turmoil and uncertainty . With unity as an essential teaching of the religion , Bahá 'ís follow an administration they believe is divinely ordained , and therefore see attempts to create schisms and divisions as efforts that are contrary to the teachings of Bahá 'u'lláh . Schisms have occurred over the succession of authority , but any Bahá 'í divisions have had relatively little success and have failed to attract a sizeable following . The followers of such divisions are regarded as Covenant @-@ breakers and shunned , essentially excommunicated . 
