XXVIII.
The Marks of the True Church
The confession establishes the Word of God and the sacraments as the essential marks for identifying a true Church.
XXVIII. Under this belief, we declare that where the Word of God is not received, where there is no profession of submitting to it, and where there is no use of the sacraments, properly speaking, one cannot judge that there is any Church.✦
Separation from Corrupt Assemblies
The confession rejects the papacy as a true church due to its corruption of truth and sacraments, warning believers against participation.
Consequently, we condemn the assemblies of the papacy, since the pure truth of God is banished from them, in which the sacraments are corrupted, debased, falsified, or altogether annihilated, and in which all superstitions and idolatries hold sway.1 We therefore hold that all those who involve themselves in such acts and participate in them separate and cut themselves off from the body of Jesus Christ.✦✦2
The Validity of Baptism and the Call to Purity
While acknowledging the validity of baptism received in the papacy, the confession warns against the defilement caused by participating in its corrupt practices.
Nevertheless, because some small trace of the Church still remains in the papacy, and because the virtue and substance of baptism remain there—and since the efficacy of baptism does not depend on the one who administers it—we confess that those baptized there have no need of a second baptism.✦3 Still, because of the corruptions present there, one cannot present children for baptism without defiling oneself.4
Read the original French
XXVIII. Sous cette créance nous protestons que là où la parole de Dieu n’est point reçue, et où on ne fait nulle profession de s’assujettir à elle, et où il n’y a nul usage des sacrements, à parler proprement, on ne peut juger qu’il y ait aucune Eglise. Partant, nous condamnons les assemblées de la papauté, vu que la pure vérité de Dieu en est bannie, esquelles les sacrements sont corrompus, abâtardis, falsifiés ou anéantis du tout; et esquelles toutes superstitions et idolâtries ont la vogue. Nous tenons donc que tous ceux qui se mêlent en tels actes, et y communiquent, se séparent et se retranchent du corps de Jésus-Christ. Toutefois, parce qu’il reste encore quelque petite trace de l’Eglise en la papauté, et même que la vertu et substance du baptême y est demeurée, joint que l’efficace du baptême ne dépend pas de celui qui l’administre, nous confessons ceux qui y sont baptisés n’avoir besoin d’un second baptême. Cependant à cause des corruptions qui y sont, on n’y peut présenter les enfants sans se polluer.
Scripture echoes
- ↩1Thess.2.13 — And for this reason we also thank God without ceasing, that when you received the word of hearing from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as what it truly is — the word of God, which also is at work in you who believe.
- ↩1Cor.12.27 — Now you are the body of Christ, and individually members of it.
- ↩1Cor.10.16-1Cor.10.21 — The cup of blessing that we bless — is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break — is it not a sharing in the body of Christ? 1Cor.10.17 — Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. 1Cor.10.18 — Look at Israel according to the flesh. Are not those who eat the sacrifices partners in the altar? 1Cor.10.19 — What am I saying then? That a thing sacrificed to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? 1Cor.10.20 — No, but what the nations sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God; and I do not want you to become partners with demons. 1Cor.10.21 — You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.
- ↩1Cor.1.13-1Cor.1.17 — Has Christ been divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? 1Cor.1.14 — I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, 1Cor.1.15 — so that no one may say you were baptized in my name. 1Cor.1.16 — I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else. 1Cor.1.17 — For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to proclaim the gospel — not with eloquent wisdom, so that the cross of Christ would not be emptied of its power.
Notes
- 1 ↩abâtardis is stronger than mere damage: the sacraments are treated as bastardized or made illegitimate; 'debased' keeps that loss of purity without slang.
- 2 ↩French communiquent can include both taking part in the acts and receiving communion; participate in them preserves the broader sense in the final English.
- 3 ↩vertu is the sacramental power of baptism, paired with substance; efficace later in the sentence is its efficacy, which does not rest on the minister.
- 4 ↩présenter les enfants means bringing children to be baptized in papal assemblies, not a generic presentation.
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