God in eternity has chosen those whom he in his divine wisdom both loves and hates—the elect and the reprobate. Since earliest history, God has shown the distinction between these two groups. He has promised that he will bless the elect and preserve them, and also that he will curse the reprobate and bring them to destruction. If you read the historical parts of the Bible, you will clearly see both of these things happening. Take, for example, the story of Noah or of David and Goliath. In both cases, the faithful child of God overcame the godless, blaspheming reprobate, thanks to God’s providential care.

Throughout history God has preserved both his church and the truth of his word, and has helped them to grow. He used the wicked men of this world to force his church to battle for the truth, and thereby to grow in their doctrinal understanding of God’s word. Through these battles, God has rooted out those who claim to be his people, but are not willing to fight for the truth, and has kept his church pure. By this means we have today what is the clearest and purest manifestation of the truth the world has ever known, that is, the Protestant Reformed Churches. We are immensely blessed of God that he has chosen us to be his people, and has worked through our ancestors to bring us all here where we are today. To be able to hear the unadulterated truth of God’s word is a wonderful thing that we so often take for granted. Praise be to God for this great blessing, and may we strive to live a life of thanksgiving before him.