No Salvation Outside the Church

[Arch2k]

The Belgic Confession of Faith, Article XXVIII
Every One Is Bound to Join Himself to the True Church

We believe, since this holy congregation is an assembly of those who are saved, and outside of it there is no salvation, that no person of whatsoever state or condition he may be, ought to withdraw from it, content to be by himself; but that all men are in duty bound to join and unite themselves with it; maintaining the unity of the Church; submitting themselves to the doctrine and discipline thereof; bowing their necks under the yoke of Jesus Christ; and as mutual members of the same body, serving to the edification of the brethren, according to the talents God has given them.

The Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter XXV
Of the Church

II. The visible church, which is also catholic or universal under the gospel (not confined to one nation, as before under the law), consists of all those throughout the world that profess the true religion;[2] and of their children:[3] and is the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ,[4] the house and family of God,[5] out of which there is no ordinary possibility of salvation.[6]
2. I Cor. 1:2; 12:12-13; Psa. 2:8; Rev. 7:9; Rom. 15:9-12
3. I Cor. 7:14; Acts 2:39; Gen. 17:7-12; Ezek. 16:20-21; Rom. 11:16; see Gal. 3:7, 9, 14; Rom. 4:12, 16, 24
4. Matt. 13:47; Isa. 9:7; Luke 1:32-33; Acts 2:30-36; Col. 1:13
5. Eph. 2:19; 3:15
6. Acts 2:47

What are the differences between the Westminster and Belgic on this point? Are they essentially saying the same thing, just nuanced differently (i.e. the Westminster is allowing for the exception while the Belgic is positing the rule)?

Discuss.

 

[Puritan Sailor]

I think the more immediate concern for the qualification in the WCF was the presence of invalids or infants dying in infancy who never could hear the preaching of the gospel. But I'm sure they also would have in mind the possibility with the advent of the printing press and such, that it is possible for someone in the midst of a heathen land to pick up and read the Bible and be saved. I don't think the Beglic authors would object to the WCF in this. They are just speaking more generally, where as the WCF I think is aiming to be more precise.

 

[Contra_Mundum]

The visible church has an "ideal" quality to it, meaning that if it were possible it would perfectly represent the true church, which contains only saints. So, the statement extra ecclesiam nulla salus is speaking principially of of the true church, of whom Christ is the head. Wherever he is the true Lord, there is the one and only place of salvation, and all believers are permanent citizens of that kingdom. Outside of THAT church, there is NO salvation, inside it there is ALL salvation. So affirms the Belgic, written in the crucible of fierce persecution of the faithful, and for whose confessors the TRUE and INVISIBLE church was a most vital principle.

The WCF was written in a period of church stability, indeed of Protestant Establishment. For them the VISIBLE church was to be formed and governed by this very Creed. So, it was important that they add the word "ordinary," not so as to proclaim any other Way of salvation, but to affirm that the earthly church is not in fact the TRUE church. There is a kind of sacramental connection between the church militant and triumphant, but one is the Sign, the other the thing Signified. The WCF statement warns those who forsake the visible church that they do so at their peril. Where else will one find the gospel but in the church? Nay, but if the church forsake the gospel, then salvation will be found outside it, until the faithful church be Re-Formed around the gospel once again.

So, in a rather wonderful way, the church without a complete Re-formation (Dutch under persecution) confesses an ideal truth; and the church having undergone a (modestly) successful Re-formation (English under Protestant Establishment) confesses the secular truth.

 

[VirginiaHuguenot]

J. Van Bruggen, The Church Says Amen: An Exposition of the Belgic Confession, p. 163:

This article says that there is no salvation outside of the Church, and it is of paramount importance to understand this correctly. It does not say that no one shall be saved outside the Church, nor does it say that there is no saved person outside the Church; rather, salvation is not outside of her. Salvation is what God gives to His Church. That is why we must seek it there and not anywhere outside of the Church. Neither does this article say anywhere that whoever withdraws himself from the Church cannot be saved, but rather that this is "contrary to the ordinance of God."

 

[MW]

J. Van Bruggen, The Church Says Amen: An Exposition of the Belgic Confession, p. 163: