This article is the thirtieth installment in our series "Christian, What Do You Believe: The Belgic Confession of Faith." Find the whole series here.
You’ve just become a Christian. While reading your Bible, you discern that you should join a church. If you lived where I once did, you might start your search on church street—in a quarter-mile stretch hung signs that said Baptist, Revival Center, Methodist, Presbyterian, Roman Catholic, and Reformed. Many other churches were only a short distance farther. How should one choose? This question is not only for new believers. All Christians must belong to a faithful church.
Our impulse might be to evaluate worship style or general atmosphere, or simply to attend a church where we know people. But given the high stakes, we should use higher standards of judgment. Jesus warns that some religious groups trying to appear orthodox are synagogues of Satan (Rev. 2:9). To other churches, Jesus could say, “You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead” (Rev. 3:1). So we should follow John’s instruction: “Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1). It is possible and proper for believers to judge churches.
The sixteenth-century Belgic Confession primarily warned believers against uniting with the Roman Catholic Church and other newly forming radical sects, but the biblical standards of judgment it outlines are just as applicable today.
The Marks of a True Church
The most basic test of a church is her submission to Scripture. A false church “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 bases itself more on men than on Jesus Christ” (BC 29). False churches care more about cultural acceptance and self-preservation than biblical norms. They reject calls to reform, and persecute reformers. By contrast, the true church is “built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone” (Eph. 2:20). This church “governs itself according to the pure Word of God, rejecting all things contrary to it and holding Jesus Christ as the only Head.” She listens to Jesus as he speaks in his word.
By standing upon Scripture, true churches will practice three crucial traits.
Preaching
“The true church engages in the pure preaching of the gospel.” In true churches, ministers expound the full counsel of Scripture and do not “shrink from declaring” anything that is profitable to God’s people (Acts 20:20, 27). Their preaching emphasizes salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. To “distort the gospel of Christ” invites God’s curse (Gal. 1:8–9) and will result in a domino effect of theological and practical errors.
Sacraments
The true church “makes use of the pure administration of the sacraments as Christ instituted them.” A sacrament is “a holy ordinance instituted by Christ; wherein, by sensible signs, Christ, and the benefits of the new covenant, are represented, sealed, and applied to believers.” Biblical sacramentalism is vital because these ceremonies portray the gospel. In the Old Testament God sealed his covenant with circumcision (Gen. 17:10) and reinforced it through the Passover (Exod. 2:24; 6:5; 19:5). The New Testament replaces these with baptism and the Lord’s Supper (Col. 2:11–12; Mark 14:22–25).
Discipline
The true church “practices church discipline for correcting faults.” Faithful congregations courageously follow Jesus’ command that the unruly be warned (1 Thess. 5:14) and, if they persist in disobedience, be cut off from the church (1 Cor. 5:5, 13). Discipline is a sobering symbol of what will happen to the unrepentant at Christ’s final judgment. It is meant to be a remedy, like harsh medicine that can cure a fatal disease. Especially in a permissive culture, discipline is a clear test of a church’s commitment to Christ.
True and false churches will differ in many more ways. But by these tests, “These two churches are easy to recognize and thus to distinguish from each other.” These are not, however, the only tests you should apply. You should also ask: Am I responding to the gospel and submitting to biblical discipline? Are there signs that I am a true Christian?
The Marks of True Christians
It would not be proper to judge a church based solely on the makeup of the congregation or to reject a church because some of its members are spiritual fakes. There is always “a company of hypocrites who are mixed among the good in the church.” Not “All that hear the gospel, and live in the visible Church, are … saved.” Still, it is important to know what makes for a good church member. Choosing a good church isn’t enough. You must also know “how one ought to behave in the household of God” (1 Tim. 3:15). You must judge yourself so that you can truly commune with Christ (1 Cor. 11:31).
True Christians Have Faith
Believers appeal “constantly to the blood, suffering, death, and obedience of the Lord Jesus Christ, in whom they have forgiveness of their sins, through faith in him.” By faith, Christians “have received Jesus Christ the only Savior.” In the church, we must live by faith, trusting only in Christ and showing that trust through courageous, compassionate action (James 2:18).
True Christians “love the true God and their neighbors”
Believers don’t simply belong to a church, adhere to a religion, or even believe in God. They obey the great commandment to love the Lord (Deut. 6:5), and prove that love by caring for their neighbors (1 John 4:19–21). A believer’s loving union with God will be evident in every other relationship. Jesus said, “By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35).
True Christians Pursue Holiness
Motivated by love, believers hate the sin that offends God and hurts their neighbors. They “crucify the flesh and its works” (see Gal. 5:24). They deal with sin strictly, imploring the Spirit to help them follow God’s rule for holiness, “Neither turning to the right or to the left.” Hypocrites crave the praise of men; Christians live for the praise of God. Even true Christians fall short of God’s glory. Still, despite our failures, believers trust that even when we are faithless Christ remains faithful; he cannot deny himself (2 Tim. 2:13).
Jesus calls us to “judge with righteous judgement” (John 7:24). Let us judge to what degree our congregation exhibits the marks of a true church. Where we are less pure, let us work and pray for reformation. And let us examine ourselves individually (2 Cor. 13:5). Don’t be content to belong to a true church. Commit to being a true Christian. Love God and hate sin. And as you see your tremendous shortcomings, take refuge in Christ and find your hope in his life-giving Spirit.
Footnotes
Cf. Westminster Confession of Faith, 25.5.
Westminster Shorter Catechism, Q/A 92.
The Roman Catholic Church augments the biblical sacraments (penance, confirmation, marriage, orders, and extreme unction) and distorts their meaning (baptism eradicates original sin and the Lord’s Supper is sacrifice of Christ).
Westminster Larger Catechism, Q/A 61.
