比利时信条 The Belgic
Confession (1561)
（洛杉矶华⼈改⾰宗恩约教会译版）
（洛杉矶华⼈改⾰宗恩约教会译版）
第一条 ~~ 第十条
第十一条 ~~ 第廿条
第廿一条 ~~ 第三十条
第三十一条 ~~ 第三十七条
第廿一条 ~~ 第三十条
第二十一条 论赎罪祭
Article 21: The Atonement
第二十二条 论信心的义
Article 22: The Righteousness of
Faith
第二十三条 论罪人的称义
Article 23: The Justification of
Sinners
第二十四条 论罪人的成圣
Article 24: The Sanctification of
Sinners
第二十五条 论律法的应验
Article 25: The Fulfillment of the
Law
第二十六条 论基督的代求
Article 26: The Intercession of
Christ
第二十七条 论圣而公之教会
Article 27: The Holy Catholic Church
第二十八条 教会成员的责任
Article 28: The Obligations of
Church Members
第二十九条 论真教会的标记
Article 29: The Marks of the True
Church
第三十条 论教会的治理
Article 30: The Government of the
Church
第二十一条 论赎罪祭
我们相信，耶稣基督是上帝以誓言，按照麦基洗德的等次被立为永远的大祭司；并为我们的缘故，在上帝面前献上自己，用完全的补赎挽回上帝的忿怒，借着在十字架上把自己奉献，倾倒出祂那洁净我们罪恶的宝血，正如先知所预言的。
因为经上记着说：“他为我们的过犯受害，为我们的罪孽压伤；因他受的刑罚我们得平安，因他受的鞭伤我们得医治。他如羊被带到宰杀之地，被列在罪犯之中。” 1彼拉多虽然先是声明祂是无辜的，但后来还是定祂为罪犯。
因此祂偿还了祂没有抢夺的，2祂也为我们受苦，以“义的代替不义的”3，身体、灵魂都受了我们犯罪所应受的可怕刑罚；因此祂汗珠“如大血点滴在地上”。4祂喊着说：“我的神，我的神，为什么离弃我？” 5
祂忍受这一切的苦，完全是为了要使我们的罪得赦免。
因此，我们应当跟保罗一起说，我们“……不知道别的，只知道耶稣基督并祂钉十字架6”；我们把万事“看作粪土，为要得着基督为至宝7”。因祂受的创伤，我们得到安慰。我们无须去寻求或发明其他任何方法来与上帝和好；只靠基督一次献上的赎罪祭，信徒就得以永远完全。
这就是天使称祂为耶稣的缘故了，因祂要将祂的百姓从罪恶里救出来8。
1 赛53:4-12
2 诗69:4 3 彼前3:18 4路22:44 5
太27:46 6
林前 2:2 7腓3:8 8 太1:21
Article 21: The
Atonement
We believe that Jesus Christ is a high priest
forever according to the order of Melchizedek—made such by an oath— and that he
presented himself in our name before his Father, to
appease his wrath with full satisfaction by offering
himself on the tree of the cross and pouring out
his precious blood for the cleansing of our sins, as the prophets
had predicted.
For it is written that “the
chastisement of our peace” was placed on the Son of God and that “we
are healed by his wounds.” He was “led to death as a lamb”; he was “numbered
among sinners”46 and condemned as a criminal by Pontius
Pilate, though Pilate had declared that he was
innocent.
So he paid back what he had not
stolen,47 and he suffered—the “just for the unjust,”48 in
both his body and his soul— in such a way that when he sensed
the horrible punishment required by our sins his sweat
became like “big drops of blood falling on the ground.”49 He
cried, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”50
And he endured all this for the
forgiveness of our sins.
Therefore we rightly say with Paul that we
“know nothing but Jesus and him crucified”;51 we consider all things
as “dung for the excellence of the knowledge of our Lord Jesus
Christ.”52 We find all comforts in his wounds and
have no need to seek or invent any other means to reconcile ourselves with God than
this one and only sacrifice, once made, which renders
believers perfect forever.
This is also why the angel of
God called him Jesus— that is, “Savior”—because he would save his people from
their sins.53
46 Isa. 53:4-12 47 Ps.
69:4 48 1
Pet. 3:18 49 Luke
22:44 50 Matt. 27:46 51 1
Cor. 2:2 52 Phil.
3:8 53 Matt.
1:21
第二十二条 论信心的义
我们相信，为要得着这伟大奥秘的知识，圣灵在我们心中生发真正的信心，这信心拥抱耶稣基督并祂一切的功德，接受祂成为自己的，并且除祂以外别无所求。
因为这是必然的推论，要么我们救恩所需要的一切都不在基督里，要么，如果都在基督里，那么，凡通过信心得着基督的，就有完整的救恩。
因此，若说基督是不够的，在祂以外还需要一些其他东西，那就是最大的亵渎；因为这也等于说基督只是半个的救主。因此我们要如同保罗说：我们唯独因信心称义，靠信心而不靠行为。1
不过，我们的意思不是说使我们称义的是信心本身，因为信心只是工具，我们用来拥抱基督，我们的义。
而是说，耶稣基督是我们的义，祂将一切的功德以及祂为我们所作、替我们所作的一切圣工，归算给我们。而且信心也是保守我们与基督和祂一切益处联合的工具。
当这一切益处成为我们的，它们就足以赦免我们的罪。
1 罗3:28
Article 22: The
Righteousness of Faith
We believe that for us to
acquire the true knowledge of this great mystery the Holy Spirit kindles in our
hearts a true faith
that embraces Jesus Christ, with all
his merits, and makes him its own, and no longer
looks for anything apart from him.
For it must necessarily follow that either all
that is required for our salvation is not in Christ or, if all is in
him, then he who has Christ by faith has his salvation entirely.
Therefore, to say that Christ is not enough but
that something else is needed as well is a most
enormous blasphemy against God— for it then would follow that
Jesus Christ is only half a Savior. And therefore
we justly say with Paul that we are justified “by faith alone” or by faith “apart
from works.”54
However, we do not mean, properly speaking, that
it is faith itself that justifies us— for faith is only the instrument by which
we embrace Christ, our righteousness.
But Jesus Christ is our righteousness crediting to us all
his merits and all the holy works he has done for us and in our place. And
faith is the instrument that keeps us in communion with him and
with all his benefits.
When those benefits are made ours they are more
than enough to absolve us of our sins.
54 Rom. 3:28
第二十三条 论罪人的称义
我们相信，我们的福分就是我们的罪因着耶稣基督得以赦免，并且其中包含了我们在上帝面的义；正如大卫与保罗教导我们的，在上帝面前不凭行为被算为义的人是有福的。1
保罗又说，我们被称为义是“白白的”，或说是“靠着恩典”，藉着基督耶稣的救赎。2因此我们总是抓紧这永恒、稳固的根基，将一切荣耀归给上帝，在祂面前谦卑自己，承认自己的本相；不依仗自己或自己的功德来索取什么，单单依靠、安息在钉十架的基督的顺服中；当我们信靠祂时，祂的顺服就成为我们的。
这足以遮盖我们一切罪孽，叫我们有信心坦然来到上帝面前，解除良心的恐惧、威胁与惧怕，不再效法始祖亚当的恐惧，想用无花果树的叶子来遮掩自己。
实际上，如果我们要靠自己或靠其他任何受造物来到上帝面前，我们早就灭亡了。
因此，每个人必须像大卫一样祈祷：“求祢不要审问仆人，因为在祢面前凡活着的人，没有一个是义的。” 3
1 诗 32:1；罗 4:6 2 罗3:24 3 诗143:2
Article 23: The
Justification of Sinners
We believe that our blessedness
lies in the forgiveness of our sins because of Jesus Christ, and that in it our
righteousness before God is contained, as David and Paul teach us when they
declare that man blessed to whom God grants righteousness apart from works.55
And the same apostle says that we are
justified “freely” or “by grace” through redemption in Jesus Christ.56 And therefore we cling
to this foundation, which is firm forever, giving all
glory to God, humbling ourselves, and recognizing ourselves as we are; not
claiming a thing for ourselves or our merits and leaning and resting only
on the obedience of Christ crucified, which is ours when we believe in him.
That is enough to cover all our sins and to make us
confident, freeing the conscience from the fear, dread, and terror of
God’s approach,
without doing what our first father,
Adam, did, who trembled as he tried to cover himself with fig leaves.
In fact, if we had to appear before God relying—
no matter how little—on ourselves or some other creature, then, alas, we would
be swallowed up.
Therefore everyone must say with David: “Lord,
do not enter into judgment with your servants, for before you no living person
shall be justified.”57
55 Ps. 32:1; Rom. 4:6 56 Rom.
3:24 57 Ps.
143:2
第二十四条 论罪人的成圣
我们相信，这真信心，由听上帝的道和圣灵的工作而生发，它重生我们，使我们成为“新造的人”，1使我们过“新生命的生活”，2释放我们脱离罪恶的辖制。
因此，这使人称义的信心，绝不会使人疏于过敬虔、圣洁的生活；相反，若没有这使人称义的信心，我们所做的任何事就不是出于爱上帝的心，而是出于自爱或出于惧怕刑罚。
因此，这圣洁的信心，在人里面不可能不结果子，因为我们所说的不是虚空的信心，而是圣经所说：“发出仁爱的信心”，3能使人遵行上帝在圣经中命令的行为。
这些行为乃是由信心的善根所发出的，在上帝面前是好的、可蒙悦纳的，因为它们都被上帝的恩典圣化了。
但它们在我们的称义上都算不得什么，因为我们是通过信靠基督而称义，甚至在我们有好行为之前；否则，那就不是好行为，正如树不是好的，所结的果子也不可能是好的。
因此，我们行善，不是为赚取功德，我们能配得什么呢？我们所做的善行都是出于上帝，是我们欠上帝的债，而不是祂欠我们，“因为你们立志行事，都是上帝在你们心里运行，为要成就祂的美意。” 4因此，我们当留心圣经上的话， “你们做完了一切所吩咐的，只当说，我们是无用的仆人，所做的本是我们应分做的。” 5虽然这样，我们也不否认上帝赏赐我们的善行，但那是祂的恩典。
此外，虽然我们行善，但是我们无法依靠善行得救；因为我们没有任何善行是不受肉体污染而理应受罚的；哪怕我们能指出一项善行，只要上帝想起我们一桩罪恶，就足以使上帝拒绝这项善行了。
这样，我们只能一直在疑惑中飘来飘去，毫无把握，我们微弱的良心也只能不断地受折磨，除非我们的良心安息在我们救主受苦和受死的功德之中。
1 林后5:17 2 罗6:4 3 加5:6 4 腓2:13 5 路17:10
Article 24: The
Sanctification of Sinners
We believe that this true faith, produced in man
by the hearing of God’s Word and by the work of the Holy Spirit, regenerates
him and makes him a “new man,”58 causing him to live the “new life”59 and
freeing him from the slavery of sin.
Therefore, far from making people cold toward
living in a pious and holy way, this justifying faith, quite to the
contrary, so works within them that apart from it they
will never do a thing out of love for God but only out of love for themselves and
fear of being condemned.
So then, it is impossible for this holy
faith to be unfruitful in a human being, seeing that we do not speak of an
empty faith but of what Scripture calls “faith working through love,”60 which
leads a man to do of himself the works that God has commanded in
his Word.
These works, proceeding from the good root of faith,
are good and acceptable to God, since they are all sanctified by his
grace.
Yet they do not count toward our justification— for by faith
in Christ we are justified, even before we do good works. Otherwise
they could not be good, any more than the fruit of a tree could
be good if the tree is not good in the first place.
So then, we do good works, but not for merit—for what would
we merit? Rafter, we are indebted to God for the good works we do, and
not he to us, since it is he who “works in us both to will and do
according to his good pleasure”61—thus keeping in mind what is
written: “When you have done all that is commanded you, then you
shall say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have done
what it was our duty to do.’ ”62 Yet we do not wish to deny that
God rewards good works— but it is by his grace that he crowns
his gifts.
Moreover, although we do good works we
do not base our salvation on them; for we cannot do any work that
is not defiled by our flesh and also worthy of punishment. And
even if we could point to one, memory of a single sin is enough for God to
reject that work.
So we would always be in doubt, tossed back and forth
without any certainty, and our poor consciences would be
tormented constantly if they did not rest on the merit of the suffering
and death of our Savior.
58 2 Cor. 5:17 59 Rom.
6:4 60 Gal. 5:6
61 Phil. 2:13 62 Luke
17:10
第二十五条 论律法的应验
我们相信，律法的礼仪和象征在基督降世时就已经废止了，一切的预表都已经结束，所以在基督徒中间不应再被使用。但这些事的真理与本质仍保留在耶稣基督里，已在祂身上应验了。
然而，我们仍然继续使用律法和先知里的见证，好在福音真道上坚固自己，并约束我们完全正直的生活，按照上帝的旨意荣耀祂。
Article 25: The
Fulfillment of the Law
We believe that the ceremonies and symbols of the
law have ended with the coming of Christ, and that all
foreshadowings have come to an end, so that the use of them ought to be
abolished among Christians. Yet the truth
and substance of these things remain for us in Jesus Christ, in
whom they have been fulfilled.
Nevertheless, we continue to use the witnesses drawn
from the law and
prophets to confirm us
in the gospel and to regulate our lives with full integrity for the glory
of God, according to his will.
第二十六条 论基督的代求
我们相信，我们无法接近上帝，除非靠着我们的唯一的中保，义者耶稣基督。1
因此祂降世为人，联合神人二性于一身，好叫我们人可以通过祂与上帝亲近。否则，我们就无法接近。
但是父所立的这位神人之间的中保，绝不因其威严而令我们恐惧，以至于我们必须按照自己的幻想去寻求其他中保。因为无论是在天上还是在地上的受造物中，无一人比耶稣基督更爱我们。“祂本有上帝的形像，反倒虚己，取了奴仆的形像；2凡事与祂的弟兄相同。” 3
假如我们必须另寻一位中保，有谁会像祂这样爱我们呢？甚至“当我们还作祂仇敌的时候”，祂就为我们舍命了。4假如我们必须寻找一位有能力尊贵的，有谁能比得上那位“坐在天父右边”，5拥有“天上地下一切权柄”的呢？6还有谁能比上帝的爱子更蒙上帝垂听呢？
因此，这种不信基督而信圣徒为中保的习惯，完全是由于不信的恶心，这不是尊敬圣徒，而是羞辱他们。因为从他们的著作可以看出，他们不但自己从未这样做也未要求别人这样做，按照他们的职责更是坚决拒绝这种做法。
我们不应以为自己不配祈祷，因为我们向上帝祈祷不是靠自己的价值，乃是完全靠着主耶稣基督的卓越与价值，而祂的义通过信心已经成为我们的了。
既然使徒有充分的理由要我们除去这愚昧的恐惧，或者更准确的说是不信，他就对我们说：“耶稣基督在凡事上与祂的弟兄相同，为要在上帝的事上成为慈悲忠信的大祭司，为百姓的罪献上挽回祭。7祂自己既然被试探而受苦，就能搭救被试探的人。” 8
使徒又鼓励我们说：“我们既然有一位已经进入高天的大祭司，就是上帝的儿子耶稣，便当持定所承认的道。因我们的大祭司并非不能体恤我们的软弱，祂也曾凡事受过试探，与我们一样，只是祂没有犯罪。所以我们只管坦然无惧地来到施恩的宝座前，为要得怜恤，蒙恩惠，作随时的帮助。”9写这封书信的同一位使徒又说：“我们既因耶稣的血得以坦然进入至圣所…就当存着诚心和充足的信心来到上帝面前。”10
照样，基督“既是永远常存的，祂祭司的职任就长久不更换。凡靠着祂进到上帝面前的人，祂都能拯救到底；因为祂是长远活着，替他们祈求。” 11我们还需要什么呢？因为基督自己说：“我就是道路、真理、生命，若不借着我，没有人能到父那里去。”12为什么我们还要寻找另一位中保呢？
上帝既喜悦赐下祂的儿子作我们的中保，我们为什么还要找另一位中保呢？我们不应舍弃祂再去寻找另一位，我们找也找不到。因为上帝赐下中保时，祂非常明白我们乃是罪人。
因此，按着基督的吩咐，我们借着基督我们唯一的中保，求告在天上的父，正如主祷文所教导的；并确信我们奉祂的名向父所求，无不得着。
1 约壹2:1 2 腓2:6-8 3 来2:17 4 罗
5:10 5 罗8:34; 来1:3 6 太
28:18 7 来2:17 8 来2:18 9 来4:14-16
10来10:19, 22 11来7:24-25 12约14:6
Article 26: The Intercession of Christ
We believe that we have no access to God except
through the one and only Mediator and Intercessor: Jesus Christ the Righteous.63
He therefore was made man, uniting
together the divine and human natures, so that we human
beings might have access to the divine Majesty. Otherwise we would have no
access.
But this Mediator, whom the Father
has appointed between himself and us, ought not terrify us by his greatness, so
that we have to look for another one, according to our fancy. For
neither in heaven nor among the creatures on earth is there anyone who loves us more
than Jesus Christ does. Although he was “in the form of God,”
he nevertheless “emptied himself,” taking the form
of “a man” and “a servant” for us;64 and he
made himself “completely like his brothers.”65
Suppose we had to find another intercessor. Who
would love us more than he who gave his life for us, even though “we were his
enemies”?66 And suppose we had to find one who has
prestige and power.
Who has as much of these as he who is
seated “at the right hand of the Father,”67 and
who has all power
“in heaven and on earth”?68
And who will be heard more readily than God’s own
dearly beloved Son?
So then, sheer unbelief has led to the practice of
dishonoring the saints, instead of honoring them. That
was something the saints never did nor asked for, but which in keeping with
their duty, as appears from their writings, they consistently refused.
We should not plead here that we are unworthy—for it is not
a question of offering our prayers on the basis of our own dignity but
only on the basis of the excellence and dignity of Jesus Christ, whose
righteousness is ours by faith.
Since the apostle for good reason wants us to get
rid of this foolish fear— or rafter, this unbelief—he says to us that Jesus
Christ was “made like his brothers in all things,” that he might be
a high priest who is merciful and faithful to purify the sins of the
people.69 For since he suffered, being tempted, he
is also able to help those who are tempted.70
And further, to encourage us more to approach him he
says, “Since we have a high priest, Jesus the Son of God, who
has entered into heaven, we maintain our confession. For we do not
have a high priest
who is unable to have compassion for
our weaknesses, but one who was tempted in all things, just as we are,
except for sin. Let us go then with confidence to the throne
of grace that we may obtain mercy andfind grace, in order to be
helped.”71 The same apostle says that we “have
liberty to enter into the holy place by the blood of Jesus. Let
us go, then, in the assurance of faith. ”72
Likewise, “Christ’s priesthood is forever. By
this he is able to save completely those who draw
near to God through him who always lives to intercede for them.”73 What
more do we need? For Christ himself declares: “I am the way,
the truth, and the life; no one
comes to my Father but by
me.”74 Why should we seek another intercessor?
Since it has pleased God to give us his
Son as our Intercessor, let us not leave him for another— or
rafter seek, without ever finding. For when God
gave him to us he knew well that we were sinners.
Therefore, in following the command of Christ we
call on the heavenly Father through Christ, our only
Mediator, as we are taught by the Lord’s Prayer, being assured that we
shall obtain all we ask of the Father in his name.
63 1 John 2:1 64 Phil. 2:6-8 65 Heb. 2:17 66 Rom.
5:10 67 Rom.
8:34; Heb. 1:3 68 Matt. 28:18 69 Heb. 2:17
70 Heb.
2:18 71 Heb. 4:14-16 72 Heb.
10:19, 22 73 Heb. 7:24-25 74 John
14:6
第二十七条 论圣而公之教会
我们相信并承认，一个单一的大公或普世教会，圣洁的会众，真基督信徒的聚集，等候他们在耶稣基督里完全的拯救，被祂的血洗净，并由圣灵圣化、印记。
这教会从世界之始就存在，并且要一直存到世界之末，因为基督既是永远的王，祂便不能没有子民。
这圣洁的教会蒙上帝保守，抵抗全世界的怒潮，虽然有时她在人的眼中显得非常渺小——彷彿已经被消灭。
例如，在亚哈作王的危险时期，主耶和华保守七千人未向巴力屈膝1。
因此，这圣洁的教会并不限于某个地区或某些人，而是遍及分散在全世界；但在同一个圣灵里，靠着信心的能力，仍然同心合意彼此连接、联合。
1 王上19:18
Article 27: The
Holy Catholic Church
We believe and confess One single
catholic or universal church— a holy congregation and gathering of
true Christian believers, awaiting their entire salvation in
Jesus Christ being washed by his blood, and sanctified
and sealed by the Holy Spirit.
This church has existed from the beginning of the world and
will last until the end, as appears from the fact that Christ is
eternal King who cannot be without subjects.
And this holy church is preserved by God against the rage of
the whole world,
even though for a time it may appear
very small in the eyes of men—as though it were snuffed out.
For example, during the very dangerous time of Ahab the
Lord preserved for himself seven thousand men who did not bend their knees to
Baal.75
And so this holy church is not confined, bound, or
limited to a certain place or certain persons. But it is
spread and dispersed
throughout the entire world, though
still joined and united in heart and will, in one and the
same Spirit, by the power of faith.
75 1 Kings 19:18
第二十八条 教会成员的责任
我们相信，这圣洁的会众既然是那些得救之人的聚集，并且在她之外并无救恩，因此在任何境况下，没有人应当离开她，自以为满足。所有人都有责任加入她、与她联合，维护教会的合一，藉着服从她的教导与管教，藉着俯首在耶稣基督的轭下，藉着在同一个身体上的互为肢体，按着上帝所给的恩赐彼此服事、建造。
为了更有效地保守这合一，按照上帝的话，所有信徒都有责任与那些不属教会的人分别，加入真教会，不论上帝在哪里设立她，即便执政者和皇家法令禁止如此行，即便以死亡与身体刑罚为代价。
因此，凡离开这真教会，或不加入她的人，都是违反上帝旨意而行事。
Article 28: The
Obligations of Church Members
We believe that since this holy
assembly and congregation is the gathering of those who are saved and there is
no salvation apart from it, no one ought to withdraw from it,
content to be by himself, regardless of his status or condition.
But all people are obliged to join and unite with it, keeping
the unity of the church by submitting to its instruction and
discipline, by bending their necks under the yoke of Jesus Christ, and
by serving to build up one another, according to
the gifts God has given them as members of each other in the same
body.
And to preserve this unity more effectively, it is the duty
of all believers,
according to God’s Word, to separate
themselves from those who do not belong to the church, in order to join
this assembly wherever God has established it, even if civil
authorities and royal decrees forbid and death and physical punishment result.
And so, all who withdraw from the church or do
not join it act contrary to God’s ordinance.
第二十九条 论真教会的标记
我们相信，我们应当非常谨慎、殷勤地按着上帝的话来分辨什么是真教会，因为世上一切教派都自称“教会”之名。
但我们所说的，并不是那些在教会中与真信徒混杂在一起的假信徒。从表面上看来，他们在教会中，但其实他们不属于教会。我们所说的是区分真教会的身体和团契，与一切自称为“教会”的教派。
辨别真教会的标记为：这教会有纯正的福音宣讲；有纯正的圣礼执行，正如基督所设立的；有执行教会管教以纠正错误。简言之，这教会凡事按照上帝纯正的话语来治理，凡与上帝话语相悖的都予以拒绝，并承认耶稣基督为教会唯一的元首。透过这些标记就可以确知认出真教会，无人可以与这教会分离。
论到那些属于真教会的人，我们可以靠真基督徒的独特标记来认出他们：通过信心，通过他们在接受耶稣基督为唯一的救主之后，远离罪、追求义。他们爱真上帝和他们的邻舍，不偏左右，把肉体及邪情私欲钉在十字架上。
尽管他们里面依旧留有极大的软弱，但他们一生靠圣灵对抗自己的软弱，不断诉诸主耶稣基督的宝血、死亡、受苦与顺服，在祂里面藉着对祂的信心，罪得赦免。
至于假教会，自诩自己和自己规条的权威超过上帝的话语；不愿服从基督的轭下；也不按照基督在祂话语中命令的方式施行圣礼，反而，随自己的意思在上帝的话上有所增减；她依靠人过于依靠耶稣基督；她逼迫那些按上帝的话而过圣洁生活，并那些斥责她的过错、贪心与拜偶像的人。
这两个教会容易辨认，因此也很容易区分开来。
Article 29: The
Marks of the True Church
We believe that we ought to discern diligently and very
carefully, by the Word of God, what is the true church—for all sects in
the world today
claim for themselves the name of “the
church.”
We are not speaking here of the company of hypocrites who are
mixed among the good in the church and who
nonetheless are not part of it, even though they are physically there. But
we are speaking of distinguishing the body and fellowship of the true
church from all sects that call themselves “the church.”
The true church can be recognized if it has the following
marks: The church engages in the pure preaching of the gospel; it
makes use of the pure administration of the sacraments as Christ instituted
them; it practices church discipline for correcting faults. In
short, it governs itself according to the pure Word of God,
rejecting all things contrary to it and holding
Jesus Christ as the only Head. By these marks one can be assured of
recognizing the true church—and no one ought to be separated from it.
As for those who are of the church, we can
recognize them by the distinguishing marks of Christians: namely by faith, and
by their fleeing from sin and pursuing righteousness, once they have received
the one and only Savior, Jesus Christ. They love the
true God and their
neighbors, without turning to the right
or left,
and they crucify the flesh and its
works.
Though great weakness remains in them, they fight against it by
the Spirit all the days of their lives, appealing constantly to
the blood, suffering, death, and obedience of the Lord Jesus, in whom they have
forgiveness of their sins, through faith in him.
As for the false church, it assigns more
authority to itself and its ordinances than to the Word of God; it
does not want to subject itself to the yoke of Christ; it does not
administer the sacraments as Christ commanded in his Word; it rafter adds to them or subtracts from them as it pleases; it bases itself on men, more
than on Jesus Christ; it persecutes those who live holy
lives according to the Word of God and who rebuke it for its faults, greed, and
idolatry.
These two churches are easy to recognize and thus to
distinguish from each other.
第三十条 论教会的治理
我们相信，这个真教会必须以我们的主在祂话语中所教导我们的属灵原则来治理，也就是说必须有上帝的仆人或牧师传讲上帝的道并施行圣礼，也必须有长老和执事与牧师共同组成教会会议。
借着这种方法，真教会得到保守，真道得以在各处传扬，犯罪者在属灵上受到矫正与监督，以至于贫困者也得以按其需要得到救济与安慰。
通过这种方法，当忠信的人按着使徒保罗在他写给提摩太的书信中所规定的方式被选举出来时，凡事在教会中就能规规矩矩地按着次序行了。1
1 提前3
Article 30: The
Government of the Church
We believe that this true church ought to be
governed according to the spiritual order that our Lord has taught us in his
Word. There should be ministers or pastors to preach the Word of
God and administer the sacraments. There should
also be elders and deacons, along with the pastors, to make up the
council of the church.
By this means true religion is preserved; true
doctrine is able to take its course; and evil men
are corrected spiritually and held in check, so that also the poor and
all the afflicted
may be helped and comforted according
to their need.
By this means everything will be done well and in
good order in the church, when such men are elected who are
faithful and are chosen according to the rule that Paul gave to
Timothy.76
76 1 Tim.
3