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Not without Fruit

Here is the true mark of a church.

Giants of the Reformation (7)

“Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.” John 13.16, 17

Institutes of the Christian Religion
John Calvin (1509-1564)
“From this the face of the church comes forth and becomes visible to our eyes. Wherever we see the word of God purely preached and heard, and the sacraments administered according to Christ’s institution, there, it is not to be doubted, a church of God exists…If it has the ministry of the Word and honors it, if it has the administration of the sacraments, it deserves without doubt to be held and considered a church. For it is certain that such things are not without fruit.”

Note the emphasis on hearing and doing: Calvin is never far from the importance of Christians and churches bearing fruit in the world. We often hear that one mark of a true church is the preaching of the Word. That’s only half the truth. Calvin says pure preaching and pure hearing, and honoring the Word – these are the true mark. It’s not enough to proclaim the Word purely. This is indeed the task of the preacher, and a true measure of faithfulness in ministry. But for the church, merely attending to such preaching is not enough. The Word must be purely heard and honored with worship, obedience, and fruitfulness. The ministry of the Word – by preaching and shepherding, sacraments, and the practice of church discipline – is the means God has provided to bring His Body to fruitfulness in every good work (2 Tim. 3.15-17). How can we bear fruit, and how can we regard ourselves as members of Christ’s Body, if we fail to honor these expectations and strive for these objectives?

What do you think Calvin means by “hearing” and “honoring” the Word? How can we know if we’re doing that?

T. M. Moore

Prayer for Revival
We’re seeking to begin a new monthly Revival Prayer Group to meet on the third Thursday of every month at 5:00 pm Eastern. We’re looking for men who will commit to regular prayer together, seeking the Lord for revival, renewal, and awakening. To learn more about praying for revival – why, how, and to what ends – write to me, and I’ll send you a free copy of my book, Restore Us! Our Revival Prayer Groups meet online, so all you have to do is click in at the appointed time. If you’d like to participate in this monthly prayer effort, drop me a line at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. I’ll send you the details. We’re hoping to begin in September.

The Fellowship of Ailbe is supported through the generous and faithful gifts of those who benefit from and believe in our work. Does the Lord want to use you in this way? Please look to Him in prayer over this question. You can contribute to The Fellowship of Ailbe by using the Contribute button at our website, or by sending your gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, 19 Tyler Drive, Essex Junction, VT 05452. Thank you.

Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.All quotations from John Calvin,
Institutes of the Christian Religion, John T. McNeill, ed., Ford Lewis Battles, tr. (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1960), Vol. 2, Book IV, pp. 1012ff.

T.M. Moore

T. M. Moore is principal of The Fellowship of Ailbe, a spiritual fellowship in the Celtic Christian tradition. He and his wife, Susie, make their home in the Champlain Valley of Vermont.
Books by T. M. Moore

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