XXII.
The Fruit of Faith
Faith in Christ regenerates the believer, empowering a life of holiness and the natural production of good works.
XXII. We believe that through this faith, we who are naturally enslaved to sin are regenerated into a new life. Now, through faith, we receive the grace to live in holiness and in the fear of God by receiving the promise given to us through the Gospel: namely, that God will give us his Holy Spirit. Thus, faith not only does not diminish the desire to live a good and holy life, but gives birth to that desire and stirs it up within us, necessarily producing good works.
Justification by Christ Alone
Good works, while a product of the Spirit, do not contribute to our justification or standing as children of God, which rests solely on Christ's satisfaction.
Furthermore, although God regenerates us to accomplish our salvation, reforming us so that we do good, we nevertheless confess that the good works we do under the guidance of his Spirit are not taken into account to justify us or to merit God's regarding us as his children, because we would always be adrift in doubt and anxiety if our consciences did not rest on the satisfaction by which Jesus Christ has acquitted us.
Read the original French
XXII. Nous croyons que, par cette foi, nous sommes régénérés en nouveauté de vie, étant naturellement asservis à péché. Or, nous recevons par foi la grâce de vivre saintement, et en la crainte de Dieu, en recevant la promesse qui nous est donnée par l’Evangile, savoir, que Dieu nous donnera son Saint-Esprit. Ainsi la foi non-seulement ne refroidit pas l’affection de bien et saintement vivre, mais l’engendre et excite en nous, produisant nécessairement les bonnes œuvres. Au reste, bien que Dieu, pour accomplir notre salut, nous régénère, nous réformant à bien faire, toutefois nous confessons que les bonnes œuvres que nous faisons par la conduite de son Esprit, ne viennent point en compte pour nous justifier, ou mériter que Dieu nous tienne pour ses enfants, parce que nous serions toujours flottants en doute et inquiétude, si nos consciences ne s’appuyaient sur la satisfaction par laquelle Jésus-Christ nous a acquittés.
French Confession of Faith (Confession de La Rochelle / Gallican 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