Calvin’s Pulpit in St. Peter’s, Geneva
The First Mark of the Church Is the Pure Preaching of the Word
According to Michael Horton, “the church is the creatura verbi or `creature of the Word,’” in the sense that the Holy Spirit working through the preached word (God’s living and active speech–Hebrews 4:12-13) brings the church into existence. This indicates that the church is “always on the receiving end of its existence.”[1]
Horton continues, the Word . . .
always achieves its purpose (Isa. 55:1– “everyone who thirsts”). The proclaimed word is not simply the sermon, but the faith that is announced, confessed, sung, and witnessed to by the church–by those called to special office but also by the whole body in its general office as prophets, priests, and kings in Christ. Even singing in church is a form of proclamation: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God” (Col. 3:16; cf. Eph. 5:19). Nevertheless, it is especially in its official preaching that this Word is a verbum sacramentale (sacramental word).[2]
Reformed theologian Herman Bavinck offers a thorough and helpful summation of the Word as the primary, but not the only mark of the true church.
That the Reformation rightly sought the key mark of the church in the Word of God cannot be doubted on the basis of Scripture. Without the Word of God, after all, there would be no church (Prov. 29:18; Isa. 8:20; Jer. 8:9; Hos. 4:6). Christ gathers his church (Matt. 28:19), which is built on the teaching of the apostles and prophets, by Word and sacrament (Matt. 16:18; Eph. 2:20). By the Word he regenerates it (James 1:18; 1 Pet. 1:23), engenders faith (Rom. 10:14; 1 Cor. 4:15), and cleanses and sanctifies [the church] (John 15:3; Eph. 5:26). And those who have thus been regenerated and renewed by the Word of God are called to confess Christ (Matt. 10:32; Rom. 10:9), to hear his voice (John 10:27), to keep his Word (John 8:31, 32; 14:23), to test the spirits (1 John 4:1), and to shun those who do not bring this doctrine (Gal. 1:8; Titus 3:10; 2 John 9). The Word is truly the soul of the church.[3] All ministry in the church is a ministry of the Word. God gives his Word to the church, and the church accepts, preserves, administers, and teaches it; it confesses it before God, before one another, and before the world in word and deed. In the one mark of the Word the others are included as further applications. Where God’s Word is rightly preached, there also the sacrament is purely administered, the truth of God is confessed in line with the intent of the Spirit, and people’s conduct is shaped accordingly.[4]
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