Deep Dive into Institutes of the Christian Religion by John Calvin - A Comparison of the False and the True Church

The true essence and life of the church are centered entirely on the teaching of the apostles and prophets and Christ himself, the chief cornerstone. This doctrinal foundation requires believers to entrust their salvation to Christ alone, and it alone can sustain the church building. If this sum of necessary doctrine is overturned or if falsehood breaks into the citadel of religion, the death of the church follows, akin to a mortal physical wound.

The unmistakable sign distinguishing Christ’s true followers is that they hear his voice and scrupulously observe his Word. Since Christ reigns by His Word alone, any assembly where this divine scepter is absent, or where lying and falsehood gain sway, is not recognized as His.

The Roman Church’s claim to be the true church is invalidated because it has lost this lawful form. Its reliance on historical antiquity, outward appearances, and the unending succession of bishops is deemed vain. Succession is useless unless successors conserve safe and uncorrupted the truth of Christ and abide in it, which the Roman Church has failed to do. Instead, doctrine has been entirely buried, the ministry of the Word destroyed, and foul sacrilege, such as the Mass, introduced in place of the Lord's Supper. Its assemblies are compared to the idolatrous Kingdom of Israel under Jeroboam, and its condition is likened to Babylon.

Believers must depart from such corruption to avoid deadly participation in idolatry and ungodliness. However, God’s providence maintains certain traces of the church in the Roman domain—namely, baptism and a wonderfully preserved remnant of His people—ensuring the covenant does not utterly perish, even under the tyranny of Antichrist. This preservation is due to God’s faithfulness, not the integrity of the corrupted institution.

Reformed Theologian GPT: https://chat.openai.com/g/g-XXwzX1gnv-reformed-theologian

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