XXVII.
Discerning the True Church
The confession emphasizes the necessity of careful discernment in identifying the true Church amidst common abuses of the title.
XXVII. Still, we believe we must carefully and prudently discern which is the true Church, because this title is abused all too often.
The Marks of the Faithful
The true Church is defined as the company of the faithful who pursue holiness and rely on divine forgiveness, even when hypocrites are present among them.
We therefore say, according to the Word of God, that it is the company of the faithful who agree to follow this Word and the pure religion that depends on it, and who make progress in it throughout their lives, growing and being strengthened in the fear of God, as they need to advance and always go farther.✦✦ Even though they strive, they still ought to have continual recourse to the forgiveness of their sins; nevertheless, we do not deny that among the faithful there are hypocrites and reprobates, whose wickedness cannot erase the title of the Church.✦✦1
Read the original French
XXVII. Toutefois, nous croyons qu’il convient discerner soigneusement, et avec prudence, quelle est la vraie Eglise, parce que par trop on abuse de ce titre. Nous disons donc, suivant la parole de Dieu, que c’est la compagnie des fidèles qui s’accordent à suivre cette Parole et la pure religion qui en dépend, et qui profitent en elle tout le temps de leur vie, croissant et se confirmant en la crainte de Dieu, selon qu’ils ont besoin de s’avancer et de marcher toujours plus outre. Même quoiqu’ils s’efforcent, qu’il leur convient avoir incessamment recours à la rémission de leurs péchés, néanmoins nous ne nions point que parmi les fidèles il n’y ait des hypocrites et réprouvés, desquels la malice ne peut effacer le titre de l’Eglise.
Scripture echoes
- ↩Jas.1.27 — Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.
- ↩Ps.111.10 — The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the LORD; good understanding belongs to all who do his works. His praise endures forever.
- ↩1John.1.8-1John.1.9 — If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 1John.1.9 — If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
- ↩Matt.13.24-Matt.13.30 — He put before them another parable, saying, "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field." Matt.13.25 — but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away Matt.13.26 — But when the wheat sprouted and produced grain, then the weeds also appeared. Matt.13.27 — But the servants of the householder came and said to him, 'Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where then does it have weeds?' Matt.13.28 — But he said to them, 'An enemy has done this.' The servants said to him, 'Do you want us, then, to go and gather them up?' Matt.13.29 — But he said, 'No, lest while gathering the weeds you uproot the wheat along with them.' Matt.13.30 — Let both grow together until the harvest; and at the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, 'First gather the weeds and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.'
Notes
- 1 ↩The opening French is compressed: “Même quoiqu’ils s’efforcent, qu’il leur convient avoir incessamment recours…” Most plausibly the concession looks back to their striving to grow, while the main claim is that they still must keep seeking the forgiveness of their sins. A tighter reading would take the infinitive as what they strive to do.
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