Article XXVIII
The Necessity of Church Membership
Believers are called to unite with the local church as the body of Christ, regardless of external opposition, because separation from the assembly is contrary to God's ordinance.
We believe that because this holy assembly and congregation is the gathering of those who are saved, and because there is no salvation outside of it, no one—regardless of their position or status—should withdraw and remain apart, content to be alone. Instead, everyone should join and unite with it, maintaining the unity of the Church by submitting to its teaching and discipline, bowing under the yoke of Jesus Christ, and using the gifts God has given them to build up their brothers and sisters as fellow members of one body. To preserve this unity more faithfully, it is the duty of all believers, according to the Word of God, to separate themselves from those who do not belong to the Church and to join this assembly wherever God has established it, even if rulers and government edicts oppose them, and even if doing so brings death or physical punishment. Therefore, all who withdraw from it or refuse to join it act against God's ordinance.
Read the original Latin
Nous croyons que puisque cette sainte assemblée et congrégation, est l'assemblée des sauvés, et qu'il n'y a point de salut hors d'elle, que nul, de quelque état et qualité qu'il soit, ne se doit retirer à part pour se contenter de sa personne, mais tous ensemble s'y doivent ranger et unir, entretenant l'unité de l'Église, en se soumettant à son instruction et discipline, ployant le col sous le joug de Jésus-Christ, et servant à l'édification des frères, selon les dons que Dieu a mis en eux, comme membres communs d'un même corps; et, afin que cela se puisse mieux garder, c'est le devoir de tous fidèles, selon la Parole de Dieu, de se séparer de ceux qui ne sont point de l'Église pour se ranger à cette assemblée, en quelque lieu que Dieu l'ait mise, encore que les magistrats, et les édit s des Princes fussent contraires, et que la mort et punition corporelle en dépendît. Ainsi tous ceux qui s'en retirent, ou ne s'y rangent, contrarient à l'ordonnance de Dieu.
The Belgic Confession companion
Rule yourself daily, not just on retreat
Chosen Portion turns the mirror into a daily practice — a short reading and examining question each morning before you lead anyone.
Chosen Portion makes the mirror daily: the ruler-formation questions this collection preserves become a two-minute morning examination in the app.
- A daily formation reading drawn from centuries of counsel to those in authority
- One pointed examination question a day — two minutes, before the meetings start
- Track your practice over weeks and watch the examined life become a habit