The Helvetic Confession of Faith: Summary
Chapter 1 - Of the Holy Scripture Being The True Word of God
Canonical Scripture
Scripture Teaches Fully All Godliness
The Preaching of the Word of God Is the Word of God
Inward Illumination Does Not Eliminate External Preaching
Heresies
Apocrypha
Chapter 2 - Of Interpreting the Holy Scripture; and of the Fathers
The True Interpretation of Scripture
Interpretations of the Holy Fathers
Councils
Traditions of Men
Chapter 3 - Of God, His Unity and Trinity
God Is One
God Is Three
Heresies
Chapter 4 - Of Idols or Images of God, Christ and The Saints
Images of God
Lactantius
Chapter 5 - Of the Adoration, Worship and Invocation of God's Name
God Alone Is To Be Adored and Worshipped
God Alone Is To Be Invoked Through the Mediation of Christ Alone
The Saints Are Not To Be Adored, Worshipped or Invoked
The Due Honor To Be Rendered to the Saints
Relics of the Saints
Swearing by God's Name Alone
Chapter 6 - Of the Providence of God
All Things Are Governed by the Providence of God
The Epicureans
Means Not To Be Despised
Chapter 7 - Of the Creation of all Things: Of Angels, the Devil, and Man
God Created All Things
Of Angels and the Devil
Of Man
The Sects
Chapter 8 - Of Man's Fall, Sin and the Cause of Sin
The Fall of Man
Sin
Death
Original Sin
The Sects
God Is Not the Author of Sin, and How Far He Is Said to Harden
Curious Questions
Chapter 9 - Of Free Will, and Thus of Human Powers
What Man Was Before the Fall
After the Fall
Man Does Evil by His Own Free Will
Man Is Not Capable of Good Per se
Understanding of the Arts
Of What Kind Are the Powers of the Regenerate, and in What Way Their Wills Are Free
The Regenerate Work Not Only Passively but Actively
The Free Will Is Weak in the Regenerate
In External Things There Is Liberty
Heresies
Chapter 10 - Of the Predestination of God and the Election of the Saints
God Has Elected Us Out of Grace
We Are Elected or Predestinated in Christ
We Are Elected for a Definite Purpose
We Are to Have a Good Hope for All
Whether Few Are Elect
What in This Matter Is To Be Condemned
Admonitions Are Not in Vain Because Salvation Proceeds from Election
Whether We Are Elected
Temptation in Regard to Predestination
Chapter 11 - Of Jesus Christ, True God and Man, the Only Savior of the World
Christ Is True God
The Sects
Christ Is True Man, Having Real Flesh
A Rational Soul in Christ
Two Natures in Christ
Not Two but One Christ
The Sects
The Divine Nature of Christ Is Not Passible, and the Human Nature Is Not Everywhere
The Sects
Our Lord Truly Suffered
Impartation of Properties
Christ Is Truly Risen from the Dead
Christ Is Truly Ascended Into Heaven
The Sects
The Fruit of Christ's Death and Resurrection
Jesus Christ Is the Only Savior of the World, and the True Awaited Messiah
The Creeds of Four Councils Received
The Sects
Chapter 12 - Of the Law of God
The Will of God Is Explained for Us in the Law of God
The Law of Nature
The Law Is Complete and Perfect
Why the Law Was Given
The Flesh Does Not Fulfill the Law
How Far the Law Is Abrogated
Chapter 13 - Of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, of the Promises, and of the Spirit and Letter
The Ancients Had Evangelical Promises
The Promises Twofold
The Fathers Also Had Not Only Carnal but Spiritual Promises
What Is the Gospel Properly Speaking?
Of the Spirit and the Letter
The Sects
The Teaching of the Gospel Is Not New, but Most Ancient Doctrine
Chapter 14 -Of Repentance and the Conversion of Man
What Is Repentance?
True Repentance Is Conversion to God
Sacerdotal Confession and Absolution
Of the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven
Opening and Shutting (the Kingdom)
The Ministry of Reconciliation
Ministers Remit Sins
How Ministers Absolve
Diligence in the Renewal of Life
Errors
The Sects
Papal Indulgences
Satisfactions
Chapter 15 -Of the True Justification of the Faithful
What Is Justification?
We Are Justified on Account of Christ
Imputed Righteousness
We Are Justified by Faith Alone
We Receive Christ By Faith
James Compared with Paul
Chapter 16 -Of Faith and Good Works, and of Their Reward, and of Man's Merit
What Is Faith?
Faith Is the Gift of God
Faith Efficacious and Active
Concerning Good Works
Works of Human Choice
The End of Good Works
Good Works Not Rejected
We Are Not Saved by Good Works
Good Works Please God
We Teach True, Not False and Philosophical Virtues
God Gives a Reward for Good Works
There Are Not Merits of Men
Chapter 17 -Of the Catholic (Global) and Holy Church of God, and of the One Only Head of the Church
The Church Has Always Existed and It Will Always Exist
What Is the Church?
One Commonwealth
Only One Church for All Times
The Catholic Church
Parts of Forms of the Church
The Particular Church
The Two Peoples
The Church the Temple of the Living God
Christ the Sole Head of the Church
No Disorder in the Church
Dissensions and Strife in the Church
Of the Notes or Signs of the True Church
Outside the Church of God There Is No Salvation
The Church Is Not Bound to Its Signs
The Church Appears at Times To Be Extinct
Not All Who Are in the Church Are of the Church
We Must Not Judge Rashly of Prematurely
The Unity of the Church Is Not in External Rites
Chapter 18 -Of the Ministers of the Church, their Institution and Duties
God Uses Ministers in the Building of the Church
The Ministry Is Not To Be Despised
Who the Ministers Are and of What Sort God Has Given the World
Christ the Teacher
Ministers of the New Testament
Papal Orders
Concerning Monks
Ministers Are To Be Called and Elected
Ordination
Priesthood of All Believers
Priests and Priesthood
The Nature of the Ministers of the New Testament
Ministers as Stewards of the Mysteries of God
The Power of Ministers of the Church
The Lord Reserves True Power for Himself
The Power of the Office and of the Minister
The Power of Ministers Is One and the Same, and Equal
Order To Be Preserved
When and How One Was Placed Before the Others
The Duties of Ministers
Discipline
Even Evil Ministers Are To Be Heard
Synods
The Worker Is Worthy of His Reward
Chapter 19 -Of the Sacraments of the Church of Christ
The Sacraments [Are] Added to the Word and What They Are
Some Are Sacraments of the Old, Others of the New, Testaments
The Number of Sacraments of the New People
The Author of the Sacraments
Christ Still Works in Sacraments
The Author and the Ministers of the Sacraments To Be Distinguished
The Substance or Chief Thing in the Sacraments
The Similarity and Difference in the Sacraments of Old and New Peoples
Our Sacraments Succeed the Old Which Are Abrogated
In What the Sacraments Consist
The Consecration of the Sacraments
Signs Take Name of Things Signified
The Sacramental Union
The Sects
The Thing Signified Is Neither Included in or Bound to the Sacraments
The Purpose for Which Sacraments Were Instituted
Chapter 20 - Of Holy Baptism
The Institution of Baptism
One Baptism
What it Means To Be Baptized
We Are Baptized with Water
The Obligation of Baptism
The Form of Baptism
The Minister of Baptism
Anabaptists
Chapter21 -Of the Holy Supper (Communion) of the Lord
The Supper of the Lord
The Author and Consecrator of the Supper
A memorial of God's Benefits
The Sign and Thing Signified
Spiritual Eating of the Lord
Christ as Our Food Sustains Us in Life
Christ Received by Faith
Spiritual Food
Eating Necessary for Salvation
Sacramental Eating of the Lord
Unbelievers Take the Sacrament to Their Judgment
The Presence of Christ in the Supper
Other Purposes of the Lord's Supper
Preparation for the Supper
The Observance of the Supper with Both Bread and Wine
Chapter 22 -Of Religious and Ecclesiastical Meetings
What Ought To Be Done in Meetings for Worship
Meetings for Worship Not To Be Neglected
Meetings Are Public
Decent Meeting Places
Modesty and Humility To Be Observed in Meetings
The True Ornamentation of Sanctuaries
Worship in the Common Language
Chapter 23 -Of the Prayers of the Church, of Singing and of Canonical Hours
Common Language
Free Prayer
The Method To Be Employed in Public Prayers
Singing
Canonical Hours
Chapter 24 -Of Holy Days, Fasts and the Choice of Foods
The Time Necessary for Worship
The Lord's Day
Superstition
The Festivals of Christ and the Saints
Fasting
Public and Private Fasting
Characteristics of Fasting
Lent
Choice of Food
Sects
Chapter 25 -Of Catechizing and of Comforting and Visiting the Sick
Youth To Be Instructed in Godliness
The Visitation of the Sick
Chapter 26 - Of the Burial of the Faithful, and of the Care to Be Shown for the Dead; of Purgatory, and the Appearing of Spirits
The Burial of Bodies
The Care of the Dead
The State of the Soul Departed from the Body
Purgatory
The Apparition of Spirits
Chapter 27 -Of Rites, Ceremonies & things Indifferent
Ceremonies and Rites
Diversity of Rites
Things Indifferent
Chapter 28 -Of the possessions of the Church
The Possessions of the Church and Their Proper Use
The Misuse of the Church's Possessions
Chapter 29 -Of Celibacy, Marriage and the Management of Domestic Affairs
Single People
Marriage
How Marriages Are To Be Contracted
Matrimonial Forum
The Rearing of Children
Chapter 30 -Of the Magistracy
The Magistracy Is from God
The Duty of the Magistrate
War
The Duty of Subjects
Sects and Seditions
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