Views During The Time of the Reformation (44): Views on the Church: The Protestant View

We concluded our preceding article with the observation that the Reformed view of the church, although agreeing principally with the Lutheran conception of the same, nevertheless does reveal certain peculiarities or differences which are not unimportant. In the first place, the Reformed conception, with respect to the institute of the church, declares that, although the Lord ordinarily bestows the benefits of Christ by means of the Word and of the sacraments, He is nevertheless not bound to...