XXXIV.
The Purpose and Substance of the Sacraments
The sacraments serve as divine pledges to strengthen our faith, yet they derive all their true substance and meaning solely from Jesus Christ.
XXXIV. We believe that the sacraments are added to the Word for fuller confirmation, so that they may be to us pledges and tokens of the grace of God, and by this means help and relieve our faith, because of the weakness and dullness that is in us; and that they are such outward signs that God works through them by the power of his Spirit, so as not to signify anything to us in them in vain. Nevertheless, we hold that their entire substance and truth is found in Jesus Christ; if they are separated from him, they are nothing more than shadow and smoke.
Read the original French
XXXIV. Nous croyons que les sacrements sont ajoutés à la Parole pour plus ample confirmation, afin de nous être gages et marreaux de la grâce de Dieu, et par ce moyen aider et soulager notre foi, à cause de l’infirmité et rudesse qui est en nous, et qu’ils sont tellement signes extérieurs, que Dieu opère par eux en la vertu de son Esprit, afin de ne nous y rien signifier en vain. Toutefois, nous tenons que toute leur substance et vérité est en Jésus-Christ; et si on les sépare, ce n’est plus rien qu’ombrage et fumée.
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