Herman Hoeksema on Arminian prayers

[foundinHim]

Well , really Arminian pray-ers . The following is from his : " Whosoever Will " page 120 .

Never will a regenerated child of God present the matter of his salvation as having had its ititative in him . Never will he say that anything on his part preceded the operation of God's grace in him , that he first willed to come and God's grace thereupon enabled him to come , that he first accepted Christ and thereupon Christ received him , and that he first opened his heart and thereupon Christ entered it . An unmistakable proof of this may be found in the prayer of one that is saved . Here all Arminianism , all boasting of free will in the matter of free will in the matter of salvation is is silenced . The reason is that in prayer one speaks to God . Before men one may talk of coming to Jesus as if it were in the power of the sinner to come or to refuse to come . But as soon as one places himself before the face of God all this is changed . Then all is attributed to divine grace . Before the face of God there is no Arminian .

[red beetle]

Glad to see God has people in South Korea!


Red Beetle

[Ivor Thomas]

Foundinhim, do you agree with what you are saying, that a man can be preaching freewillism, and then praying to God in a different way, making God Sovereign in everything, do you think such a man is acceptable to God?, you made a post about a week ago, where you made out a man can be Arminian in preaching before men, But Calvanist in prayer to God, now you would slip this in here and say Hoeksema agreed with you, and that he agreed with such going's on, Look forward to your answer's, and more of the surrounding context of what Hoeksema saying here. Ivor Thomas..

[Brandan Kraft]

Ivor agreed!

Foundinhim, what is your fascination with defending arminians as Christians? I cannot figure it out.

Brandan

[foundinHim]

Ivor , I did not say those words ; Hoeksema did . But I agree with him . Are any of you in doubt about his calvinistic status because of that quote ? As I said before , many Calvinists have said the same . In prayer before God Arminianism flees away . One asks the Sovereign Lord to open hearts . All prayers supposedly to God are not from real Christians . However , when a Christian ( though Arminian ) prays , he/she can't speak to God in the Arminian sense . That would be an awkward and absurd affair .

Darth , of course there are real Christians who are Arminian . There are some Calvinists who are Christians . There are are unbelieving Arminians as well as unsaved Calvinists . Some Calvinists are theoretical only , they like the doctrine of grace but are not yet redeemed ; perhaps never will be redeemed .

[Ivor Thomas]

Ivor , I did not say those words ; Hoeksema did . But I agree with him . Are any of you in doubt about his calvinistic status because of that quote ? As I said before , many Calvinists have said the same . In prayer before God Arminianism flees away . One asks the Sovereign Lord to open hearts . All prayers supposedly to God are not from real Christians . However , when a Christian ( though Arminian ) prays , he/she can't speak to God in the Arminian sense . That would be an awkward and absurd affair .

Darth , of course there are real Christians who are Arminian . There are some Calvinists who are Christians . There are are unbelieving Arminians as well as unsaved Calvinists . Some Calvinists are theoretical only , they like the doctrine of grace but are not yet redeemed ; perhaps never will be redeemed .

Foundinhim, Hoeksema did not say what your saying, that Arminian's are Christian's, you are very confused in your thinking , maybe someone can help you out now on this very seriouse error you have, but I have to go to bed now. Ivor Thomas...

[Brandan Kraft]

perhaps never will be redeemed .

Here lies your root error. If men are not redeemed now, they never will be. All of Christ's people were redeemed at Calvary.

[foundinHim]

I misspoke when I said that theoretical Calvinists perhaps never will be redeemed . I could have chosen better words . How about this : some who are merely theoretical Calvinists are not among the elect .

But I am puzzled by your remark Darth . "If men are not redeemed now , they will never be . " The elect were purchased by Christ by his cross-work . But in temporal terms many of these people are not yet saved . So their redemption was accomplished at the cross but not applied yet . There is a certain point in which regeneration has to take place .

For some who still doubt the Hoeksema quote you should check out what WB posted on 3/6 . In that 1919 article Hoeksema said among other things along the same lines : " Not all Christians are Calvinists . "

Perhaps this should be put on a Gordon Clark thread , but I'll post it here . He wrote a very fine book called : " What Do Presbyterians Believe " . He undertakes an explanation of the Westminster Confession of Faith . Now we all should know that his Calvinistic credentials are not in dispute . He thought Arminianism was illogical , inconsistent and not in harmony with mountains of biblical material . Yet he said on page 174 that : " An Arminian may be a truly regenerate Christian ; in fact , if he is truly an Arminian and not a Pelagian who happens to belong to an Arminian church , he must be a saved man . "

In the appendix there is an address he gave in 1955 . In this speech he talks by way of analogy , of two rivers . " There is one stream which , accepting the Scripture as the only and infallible rule of faith and practice , does not accept all the other thirty-two chapters of the Confession . Though it may accept several , and be called broadly evangelical , it rejects chapter three and other chapters which are definitely Calvinistic . The waters of this stream flow in the same general direction , and we rejoice that they eventually reach the same heavenly ocean; but they flow through stony ground with sparse vegetation , or sometimes they ooze through swamps where the vegetation is dense enough but unhealthful and useless . " He goes on in like manner .

Now am I suggesting that being an Arminian is okay ? No I am not . They are seriously impoverished spititually speaking . And some of them are in open rebellion against God and His Word when they deny clear biblical evidence that goes against their man-centered , God loves everyone , Christ died for everybody , we have free-will nonsense .

But there are varying degrees of Arminianism . At any point of the grid they are in error . However , we have no right to say that they are in an unregenerate state . We do not have that right . And in some areas they may have a higher level of spiritual maturity than many Calvinists .

In glory , in heaven , where we are in Christ's presence , there will be no crying , no pain and suffering like we experience on this earth encased in our earthly tabernacles . The Scripture does not tell us anything about shock or surprise . We may not experience those feelings there either . But let's say ( if you will endulge me a bit ) that we can experience those emotions . I think that those who assume that Arminians are unsaved while on earth may have their jaws drop in glory . " You mean he got in ? ! " Yes , because , bottom line -- he knew that it was Christ alone that redeemed him and he did not contribute an iota to his salvation . He depended on Christ alone .

George Ella wrote Outside the Camp some years ago . He frankly said that he was a saved Arminian for years before he came into a knowlede of the doctrines of grace . He made mention of Toplady as having the same experience . Many of us were indeed , truly saved as Arminians . Only later did we understand ( as much as earth-bound saved sinners can ) the doctrines of grace .

[Brandan Kraft]

So their redemption was accomplished at the cross but not applied yet .

Again, your remarks truly show me that you're a fullerist. Since you are so keen on quoting your favorite gurus to make your point, I'll quote Ella against your statement.

From George Ella's article, The Gospel of Deceit

This new Modernism does not openly reject the all-sufficiency of the atonement in salvation. What it does is claim that the all-sufficiency of the atonement does not refer to its application in the case of sinners. For them, salvation accomplished is not the same as salvation applied.

[Ivor Thomas]

Foundinhim, No Arminian's are not christian's, they may become christian's, but has long as they remain Arminian's they are not CHRISTIAN'S, some Arminian's are born from the womb lost, some that are born are Reprobate, any of them that remain Arminian through out life to death prove themselves to be Reprobate, in saying this we dont condemn, we tell them the Gospel. But has for you telling them they can be Arminian christian's I would remind you when John Pedersen publicly Rebuked you for this Sin, you need to not rubbish what he said , but take his good rebuke and Repent!... Ivor Thomas..

[Brandan Kraft]

This would explain to me why you called Pederson a cult leader foundinhim!

[ray kikkert]

I misspoke when I said that theoretical Calvinists perhaps never will be redeemed . I could have chosen better words . How about this : some who are merely theoretical Calvinists are not among the elect .

But I am puzzled by your remark Darth . "If men are not redeemed now , they will never be . " The elect were purchased by Christ by his cross-work . But in temporal terms many of these people are not yet saved . So their redemption was accomplished at the cross but not applied yet . There is a certain point in which regeneration has to take place .

I see your babble continues. Your implication makes the doctrine of predestination bankrupt. Those who willfully advocate arminianism and continue in it , hold to the false truth and if that is there lot, they shall be eternally lost. Those who are given understanding in the truth of the Gospel, it will indeed be the truth, it will set them free, it is a knowledge given of God.
Arminianism is the lie of the Devil. Those predestined by God to eternal life will refute this lie and believe the truth of the Gospel.

Careful you do not fall in straddling the fence , lest you land squarely on your private members and become a spiritual enuch.

For some who still doubt the Hoeksema quote you should check out what WB posted on 3/6 . In that 1919 article Hoeksema said among other things along the same lines : " Not all Christians are Calvinists . "

And not all Pharisee's are unsaved. Your point is the babble of one tarrying too long at the wine of men's fancy. Please read Matthew 23 for spiritual insight and vomit forth the filfth of your own fancy.

Perhaps this should be put on a Gordon Clark thread , but I'll post it here . He wrote a very fine book called : " What Do Presbyterians Believe " . He undertakes an explanation of the Westminster Confession of Faith . Now we all should know that his Calvinistic credentials are not in dispute . He thought Arminianism was illogical , inconsistent and not in harmony with mountains of biblical material . Yet he said on page 174 that : " An Arminian may be a truly regenerate Christian ; in fact , if he is truly an Arminian and not a Pelagian who happens to belong to an Arminian church , he must be a saved man . "

The dispute is with those who are willfully ignorant, and willfully advocating arminianism as the truth. In Acts 2 surely there were men arminian theology taught, but indeed when the Gospel was preached of them there were some that in truth , given by God , submitted being pricked in the heart "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" Our battle is not with these, with these will willingly will help, knowing who we are by nature. Our dispute is with the stiff necked arminian of Acts 4 who laid their hands on Peter and John and ask "By what power , or by what name , have ye done this?"

In the appendix there is an address he gave in 1955 . In this speech he talks by way of analogy , of two rivers . " There is one stream which , accepting the Scripture as the only and infallible rule of faith and practice , does not accept all the other thirty-two chapters of the Confession . Though it may accept several , and be called broadly evangelical , it rejects chapter three and other chapters which are definitely Calvinistic . The waters of this stream flow in the same general direction , and we rejoice that they eventually reach the same heavenly ocean; but they flow through stony ground with sparse vegetation , or sometimes they ooze through swamps where the vegetation is dense enough but unhealthful and useless . " He goes on in like manner .

Now am I suggesting that being an Arminian is okay ? No I am not . They are seriously impoverished spititually speaking . And some of them are in open rebellion against God and His Word when they deny clear biblical evidence that goes against their man-centered , God loves everyone , Christ died for everybody , we have free-will nonsense .

But there are varying degrees of Arminianism . At any point of the grid they are in error . However , we have no right to say that they are in an unregenerate state . We do not have that right . And in some areas they may have a higher level of spiritual maturity than many Calvinists .

In glory , in heaven , where we are in Christ's presence , there will be no crying , no pain and suffering like we experience on this earth encased in our earthly tabernacles . The Scripture does not tell us anything about shock or surprise . We may not experience those feelings there either . But let's say ( if you will endulge me a bit ) that we can experience those emotions . I think that those who assume that Arminians are unsaved while on earth may have their jaws drop in glory . " You mean he got in ? ! " Yes , because , bottom line -- he knew that it was Christ alone that redeemed him and he did not contribute an iota to his salvation . He depended on Christ alone .

You should have stopped while you were ahead in this paragraph. The Gospel is a sharp two edged sword. It will convict the elect, it will harden the reprobate. Both are sinners, both totally depraved by nature. One who advocates arminian theology will be cut to the heart or hardened in their man centered, free willist doctrine. The Word of God will rebuke them, it always has.
We do not have to consider your pathetic babble of jaw dropping brothers in the Lord surprised that another sinner "got in" Your insight to eternal life is dung infested to say the least.
What a joy it is for us to be as Ananias in Acts 9 and hear in amazement another vessel of honor , freed from the shackles of bondage, to preach Christ crucified, who once was chief of the Pharisee'. What a joy that is.

George Ella wrote Outside the Camp some years ago . He frankly said that he was a saved Arminian for years before he came into a knowlede of the doctrines of grace . He made mention of Toplady as having the same experience . Many of us were indeed , truly saved as Arminians . Only later did we understand ( as much as earth-bound saved sinners can ) the doctrines of grace .

What , do you think we have been enlightened to the point we ourselves know all there is to know of the sovereign grace of God? God's sovereign grace is a life long journey in His elect vessel. We cannot help but speak the things which we have seen and heard, but that does not stop us from rebuking the serpent of arminianism and declare as Scripture " Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did , so do ye".

[wildboar]

Ray:

I really don't see the profitableness in defending either side on this issue. Life is to short to be spent analyzing the beliefs of others based upon a list of fundamentals that we have created to see if they get into heaven or not. Nor do I want to preach everyone into heaven. But just to be clear, would you say that Hoeksema was in error when he wrote the following:

You know, a Calvinist (excuse the term; I am not any too fond of it myself. Never do I use it if I can help it. I don’t think I have used it a half dozen times from the pulpit, which is not very frequent in three years and a half), I say a Calvinist is after all a distinctive Christian. Not all Christians are Calvinists. Mark, I say: ‘not all Christians are Calvinists.’ They may be Christians all right. Sure! Dear children of God, with whom I love to shake hands. I don’t believe that there is a Calvinist that denies this. I don’t think that there is a Calvinist who maintains that the Calvinists are the only Christians. And those who love to waste paper (and that in this time when paper is so valuable!) by fighting against Calvinists who maintain that they are the only Christians on earth, are fighting a shadow, a product of their own imagination. No, but I claim that a Calvinist is a Christian of a distinctive type, with distinctive principles and views, in distinction, namely, from other Christians. Never let any method of reasoning lead you to the belief that all Christians are Calvinists, for then things will be getting so dark, that you lose all power to distinguish. The Methodist is a good sincere Christian, all right. Of course he is! A dear brother. But he is not a Calvinist. The same is true of the Anabaptist, the Lutheran, etc. All together they constitute the church of Jesus Christ on earth, as long as they confess that Jesus is the Christ. But within that large circle there are different shades and forms of faith, and the Calvinist also maintains his own distinctive world and life view in their midst. Now, what I mean to say is that to maintain your distinctive character as a Calvinistic Christian, you must not merely be able to discern clearly what distinguishes you from the rest, but you must have the courage of your conviction such as can be the fruit only of the faith in the Word of God. Only the conviction that our form of faith is the purest expression of Scripture (again, mark, I do not say: the only form or expression) can give us the courage to refuse amalgamation. And therefore, it is necessary, that we are conscious of the relation between our Reformed Faith and the Word of God.

[Brandan Kraft]

Herman Hoeksema sounds like he was on drugs (if he actually wrote that) when he penned that tripe!

[ray kikkert]

Ray:

I really don't see the profitableness in defending either side on this issue. Life is to short to be spent analyzing the beliefs of others based upon a list of fundamentals that we have created to see if they get into heaven or not. Nor do I want to preach everyone into heaven. But just to be clear, would you say that Hoeksema was in error when he wrote the following:

Arminianism is the lie of the Devil. Calvinism doctrine is the Gospel truth. I have seen the statement from Rev. Hoeksema before and I have no problem with it because I know he tempered it with the truth of predestination. Those whom he refuted in the CRC that advocated the 3 points of common grace advocated arminian doctrine, not Calvinism.

My statements in the previous post are clear. Yet "found in him" seems to like his doctrinal water luke warm. He does not temper his doctrine with predestination first and foremost.

I do not posses the ability to judge the eternal outcome of a fellow creature. I also see the bankrupt theology of the well meant offer of salvation to all without exception. To advocate both is to advocate arminianism.

To be called a Calvinist is not where it's at. The doctrine of Calvinism I believe is maintained by all the elect children of God throughout history. It is the Gospel truth that I wholeheartedly confess.

[wildboar]

Ray:

But Hoeksema is saying that these people are actually Christians. He's not just saying that they might become Christians. He's saying that there are many true Christians who do not hold to the teachings of Calvinism.

[Ivor Thomas]

Hoeksema is clearly saying the standard is the word of God, he is not saying their about freewillers Arminian's, meeting the standard of the word, he is speaking of other's beside calvinist's that still meet the truth of the word.
It does not mention any such notion that Arminian's are christian'. Ivor Thomas

[Ivor Thomas]

Doe's any one know how old Hoeksema was?,and how old he was in his christian walk?, when he said these thing's that have been posted, I believe this could have some bearing on the way it was presented. Ivor Thomas..

[lionovjudah]

Hoeksema is clearly saying the standard is the word of God, he is not saying their about freewillers Arminian's, meeting the standard of the word, he is speaking of other's beside calvinist's that still meet the truth of the word.
It does not mention any such notion that Arminian's are christian'. Ivor Thomas

Ivor:

Who else is there? If one is not a "calvinist" in doctrine, what is left?

It amazes me how you or anyone else can read this, and deny what HH is saying. Not that he is the bar of truth, and I do nto believe WB is stating that HH is the final authority.

IT says what it says, and to read it any different is a bigger error than the possibility of any error on HH part.

As defenders of the doctrines of grace, we must stop using the answer: 'Well it does not mean what it says" or "He did not mean that." When ANYTHING confronts our understanding.

IT is a reoccuring answer we all use. And is a terrible way to answer.

Here is an article that a frined of mine sent me. Now dont all blast me or warn me for posting it. But behind the sarcasm, I find tremendous truth.


1. All repeatedly cite our complete agreement with Reformed Confessions
2. All repeatedly cite our constant debt to ________________ (name reformed bigwig.) Then buy and love all his books. Every paragraph.
3. All agree to tell our Catholic, and Arminian friends they are going to hell because they worship a different Christ all "in love"
4. All agree that postmoderns are not Christians.
5. All agree that Brian McLaren and N.T. Wright are heretics. Cite the Reformed bigwigs who said so.
6. All agree that TULIP is important enough to talk about all day, every day.
7. Trash Arminians as often as possible for their inability to read what the Bible is plainly teaching.
8. Be uncharitable to all non-Calvinists in the name of "truth-telling."
9. Endorse the political agenda of GOP, and tie it to the Christian Worldview. Question the salvation of those who don't agree with our interpretation of that worldview.
10. Forgive the errors of all Puritans, And Reformers. Be outraged at the errors of anyone else and condemn them as heretics.
11. State openly that some people need to "watch" what they blog, and women don't need to blog at all.
12. Question the mental stability of those who persistently criticize Calvinists.

Anyone ready to take the pill and wash it down with the Kool-Aid?

[ray kikkert]

Ray:

But Hoeksema is saying that these people are actually Christians. He's not just saying that they might become Christians. He's saying that there are many true Christians who do not hold to the teachings of Calvinism.

I have no problem that there are some christians that do not hold to the teachings of Calvinism outwardly or in the church they worship at.

What I would advocate is that they do confess the truth of Calvinism in the heart and will grow in that knowledge given by God.

Hoeksema clarifies his statements in the book elsewhere:

"However, this drawing of the sinner by which he is enabled to come to the Savior, to embrace Him, and to appropriate all the blessings of salvation, is accomplished through the preaching of the gospel. Without the gospel, no man can come to Christ. For, first of all, the Christ to Whom the sinner must come unto salvation is revealed in, and presented by the gospel as it is contained and preserved in the Holy Scriptures. Another Christ than that of the Scriptures there is not. Without the gospel, therefore, there is no knowledge of Him, and without knowledge of the Savior the sinner can have no contact with Him. All other things being equal, he is the richer Christian, who has the richer and fuller knowledge of the Christ of the Scriptures. It is by increasing in knowledge that a Christian grows in grace. The preaching of the gospel, therefore, is the means through which the Father draws us to Christ. This is implied in the words of John 6:44, 45: "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him... It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me." This hearing, and teaching, and learning, takes place through the preaching of the gospel. And this is also plainly expressed in Rom. 10:14, "How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him (of) whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?"

and again

"


Nor is it possible, as far as this principle of the new life that is in him is concerned, that he should ever permanently and completely turn back and depart from Christ. A Christian's life does not consist of a series of separate acts of departing from the Savior and returning to Him again. It may appear to him often as if this be the case. In his conscious life he does not always live in close fellowship with the Lord. Besides, he may fall into sin, and for a time it may seem to him as if his relationship to Jesus were completely severed. But in principle this is never the case. It might, nay, it surely would be so, he surely would lose his hold upon the Christ, if even for a moment his abiding in Christ depended on his will and power. But even as his coming to Jesus is but the fruit of the Father's drawing by the Spirit of Christ, so his abiding in Christ is the result of his being held in the almighty hand of Christ, and of the Father. For the Savior Himself declares: "And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one." John 10:28-30. And yet, in another sense, this act of coming to Jesus is never accomplished, and is never finished, even till the day of our death. When someone returns home from a far journey the act of his coming is finished as soon as he arrives. Not so the spiritual act of coming to Christ. The reason is that, although in principle the Christian is fully saved as soon as he appropriates Christ, he is still in the flesh, in his old nature, and that, too, in the midst of this present world. And all that belongs to the flesh and to the world constantly tends to draw him away from Jesus, and from the spiritual things of the kingdom of God. According to the principle of salvation that is in him by grace, he is perfectly righteous before God, justified in Christ; but according to the old man, he is still in sin, and daily he must repent and receive the forgiveness of sin. On the one hand, he rejoices that he has peace with God, yet, on the other hand, his conscience accuses him that he keeps none of God's commandments perfectly, and still violates them all. According to the new principle of life in him, he is holy, delivered from the dominion of sin; but according to the old man, he is corrupt, sold under sin. The new man in him is heavenly, but his old nature is earthy. And so we may say, indeed, that his act of coming to Jesus is never finished. It is a constant act of faith. Constantly, he departs from sin, repents, comes to Christ, seeks refuge in Him as the God of His salvation. "

and again

"
Now, I like to emphasize that it should not be difficult for any believing Christian to accept mysteries. God is great, and we shall never comprehend Him, though by His own revelation we may know Him. He is the eternal One, and we are children of time. He is the infinite, and we are finite. He is the Creator of the heavens and of the earth, and we are mere creatures of the dust. He is the incomparable One, and He dwelleth in an inaccessible light. The more we contemplate Him, the deeper the mysteries become. Not to admit this, is to deny God! And, therefore, the believer does not claim that he can solve all problems, least of all those that concern God's relation to the creature. He does not deny mysteries. On the contrary, he loves them, and in the contemplation of them, he falls down in the dust, worships and adores. But with equal emphasis I insist that mysteries are not the same as flat contradictions, and that the latter are no mysteries, but plain nonsense. Either, God wills that all men be saved, or He does not: both cannot be true. Either, God sincerely offers a Christ that died for all men to every sinner, or He does not: to maintain both is simply impossible. Either, man has a free will to accept or reject Christ, or he is absolutely dependent upon sovereign grace: to maintain both is nonsense. And however this may be, if this double track theology were the proper answer to the opponents of God's sovereignty in the matter of salvation, we would surely find it in the ninth chapter of the epistle to the Romans. For in the strongest terms the apostle taught the truth of absolute predestination, and of God's sovereignty to save whom He will. And against this doctrine the objection was raised, that then God must be indicted of unrighteousness, and that man is without responsibility. Yet, the apostle does not point to another side of this truth. He does not apologize. He does not shift to another track. He leaves the truth to stand in all its implications."


XII. LORD'S DAY.



Question 31. Why is he called Christ, that is anointed?

Answer. Because he is ordained of God the Father, and [a] anointed with the Holy Ghost, to be our [b] chief Prophet and Teacher, who has fully revealed to us the secret counsel and will of God concerning our redemption; and to be our only High Priest, [c] who by the one sacrifice of his body, has redeemed us, and makes continual [d] intercession with the Father for us; and also to be our eternal King, [e] who governs us by his word and Spirit, and who defends and [f] preserves us in (the enjoyment of) that salvation, he has purchased for us.


Question 32. But why art thou called a christian?

Answer. Because I am a member of Christ [g] by faith, and thus am partaker [h] of his anointing; that so I may [i] confess his name, and present myself a living [j] sacrifice of thankfulness to him: and also that with a free and good conscience I may fight against sin and [k] Satan in this life: and afterwards [l] reign with him eternally, over all creatures.
[a]: Heb. 1:9
[b]: Deut. 18:18; Acts 3:22; John 1:18; John 15:15; Mat. 11:27
[c]: Psa. 110:4; Heb. 7:21; Heb. 10:14
[d]: Rom. 8:34
[e]: Psa. 2:6; Luke 1:33
[f]: Mat. 28:18; John 10:28
[g]: 1Cor. 6:15
[h]: 1John 2:27; Joel 2:28
[i]: Mat. 10:32
[j]: Rom. 12:1
[k]: Eph. 6:11,12; 1Tim. 1:18,19
[l]: 2Tim 2:12

Article 29: Of the marks of the true Church, and wherein she differs from the false Church.

We believe, that we ought diligently and circumspectly to discern from the Word of God which is the true Church, since all sects which are in the world assume to themselves the name of the Church. But we speak not here of hypocrites, who are mixed in the Church with the good, yet are not of the Church, though externally in it; but we say that the body and communion of the true Church must be distinguished from all sects, who call themselves the Church. The marks, by which the true Church is known, are these: if the pure doctrine of the gospel is preached therein; if she maintains the pure administration of the sacraments as instituted by Christ; if church discipline is exercised in punishing of sin: in short, if all things are managed according to the pure Word of God, all things contrary thereto rejected, and Jesus Christ acknowledged as the only Head of the Church. Hereby the true Church may certainly be known, from which no man has a right to separate himself. With respect to those, who are members of the Church, they may be known by the marks of Christians: namely, by faith; and when they have received Jesus Christ the only Savior, they avoid sin, follow after righteousness, love the true God and their neighbor, neither turn aside to the right or left, and crucify the flesh with the works thereof. But this is not to be understood, as if there did not remain in them great infirmities; but they fight against them through the Spirit, all the days of their life, continually taking their refuge in the blood, death, passion and obedience of our Lord Jesus Christ, "in whom they have remission of sins, through faith in him." As for the false Church, she ascribes more power and authority to herself and her ordinances than to the Word of God, and will not submit herself to the yoke of Christ. Neither does she administer the sacraments as appointed by Christ in his Word, but adds to and takes from them, as she thinks proper; she relieth more upon men than upon Christ; and persecutes those, who live holily according to the Word of God, and rebuke her for her errors, covetousness, and idolatry. These two Churches are easily known and distinguished from each other.