《比利时信条》第二十九条 论真假教会的标记

《比利时信条》第二十九条 论真假教会的标记

　　我们相信，我们应该按神的话语，勤勉并非常谨慎地分辨什么是真教会。因为在当今世界，所有的宗派都声称他们自己是真教会 1。我们在此谈论的并非是那些假冒伪善者，他们在教会中和信徒混在一起，尽管他们表面上是在教会中，但他们其实是不属于教会的 2。我们在此所说的是，真教会及其交通必须与一切自称为教会却不属于真教会的各宗派分别出来。

　　真教会可以藉着以下的标记来辨别：她传讲纯正的福音 3；她维持圣礼的纯全施行，正如基督所设立的 4；她为纠正错谬，惩罚罪恶而执行教会纪律 5。简而言之，教会是按照神纯全的话语来治理的 6，弃绝一切与之相违背的错谬 7，并且承认耶稣基督是教会惟一的元首 8。凭此标志，真教会必定能够被人识别出来，并且我们无权从真教会中脱离。

　　那些属于教会的信徒可以藉着基督徒的标记被识别出来。他们信靠基督是惟一的救赎主 9，逃离罪恶并寻求公义 10，不偏左右地爱真神和他们的邻舍 11，把肉体和邪情私欲同钉十字架 12。尽管他们里面还存在很大的软弱，但是，他们会藉着圣灵，在一生的年日里与软弱争战 13。他们因主耶稣基督的宝血、受苦、受死与顺服不断向神呼求，藉着信心，在基督里面他们的罪恶已得到赦免 14。

　　假教会擅敢专权并且她的规章凌驾于神的话语之上，并不想要服在基督的轭下 15。她亦不按基督所吩咐的去施行圣礼，反而是随己意增添或删减神的话语。这种教会依靠人过于依靠基督，逼迫那些按着神的话语过圣洁生活的人，并且逼迫那些谴责假教会罪恶、贪婪、拜偶像的人 16。

　　这两种教会彼此间是很容易识别和区分的。

　　 1.启2:9.
　　 2.罗9:6.
　　 3.加1:8; 提前3:15.
　　 4.徒19:3-5; 林前11:20-29.
　　 5.太18:15-17; 林前5:4, 5, 13; 帖后3:6, 14; 多3:10.
　　 6.约8:47; 约17:20; 徒17:11; 弗2:20; 西1:23; 提前6:3.
　　 7.帖前5:21; 提前6:20; 启2:6.
　　 8.约10:14; 弗5:23; 西1:18.
　　 9.约1:12; 约壹4:2.
　　 10.罗6:2; 腓3:12.
　　 11.约壹4:19-21.
　　 12.加5:24.
　　 13.罗7:15; 加5:17.
　　 14.罗7:24, 25; 约壹1:7-9.
　　 15.徒4:17, 18; 提后4:3, 4; 约贰9.
　　 16.约16:2.

英文对照：

　　We believe that we ought to discern diligently and very carefully from the Word of God what is the true Church, for all sects which are in the world today claim for themselves the name of Church. We are not speaking here of the hypocrites, who are mixed in the Church along with the good and yet are not part of the Church, although they are outwardly in it. We are speaking of the body and the communion of the true Church which must be distinguished from all sects that call themselves the Church.

　　The true Church is to be recognized by the following marks: It practises the pure preaching of the gospel. It maintains the pure administration of the sacraments as Christ instituted them. It exercises Church discipline for correcting and punishing sins. In short, it governs itself according to the pure Word of God, rejecting all things contrary to it and regarding Jesus Christ as the only Head. Hereby the true Church can certainly be known and no one has the right to separate from it.

　　Those who are of the Church may be recognized by the marks of Christians. They believe in Jesus Christ the only Saviour, flee from sin and pursue righteousness, love the true God and their neighbour without turning to the right or left, and crucify their flesh and its works. Although great weakness remains in them, they fight against it by the Spirit all the days of their life. They appeal constantly to the blood, suffering, death, and obedience of Jesus Christ, in whom they have forgiveness of their sins through faith in Him.

　　The false church assigns more authority to itself and its ordinances than to the Word of God. It does not want to submit itself to the yoke of Christ. It does not administer the sacraments as Christ commanded in His Word, but adds to them and subtracts from them as it pleases. It bases itself more on men than on Jesus Christ. It persecutes those who live holy lives according to the Word of God and who rebuke the false church for its sins, greed, and idolatries.

　　These two Churches are easily recognized and distinguished from each other.