I was asked to write a form of testimony of coming to the Protestant Reformed Church from the Christian Reformed Church. My first reaction was “Oh, I can’t do that. That isn’t our style of life.”
I contemplated that effort and the longer I did the more I began to put my feelings and thoughts on paper. First, though, I have to go into a little background detail.
I was brought up in the Protestant Reformed Church. I left in 1953 with my parents. That was a very traumatic time in my life. It left me very bitter and resentful towards the PR church.
I married in 1956. My husband belonged to the Christian Reformed Church all of his life. He was a very staunch and faithful member. I couldn’t begin to ask him to attend my church because it was in such a state of turmoil. It wasn’t even questionable where we would go.
We had many wonderful years in the CR church. However, I never did give up my belief on common grace. I thank God for that. We raised four children who all professed their faith and joined the church.
As time moved on the church began to change. It became quite liberal in a lot of ways and issues. My husband, being conservative, became very unhappy and dissatisfied.
After our last child married, we began to attend different conservative CR churches. That became very tiring and I sort of rebelled. I wanted to stay in my own church. I was comfortable there, had my friends, etc.
My husband and I disagreed on many things. I know he was right and I just wouldn’t give in. Satan had such a hold on me. I wouldn’t acknowledge that fact that my husband was the spiritual head of my home. When you don’t have spiritual unity in the home both are very unhappy. I prayed earnestly because this was a real dilemma. When we pray we know God hears us. I, too, began to see the changes and issues in a whole different light. I also realized when I read Ephesians 5:22-23 “Wives submit yourselves unto your own husband, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church.”
You know, young people, when you submit your life unto the Lord, God does bless you and also moves in mysterious ways. It was evident in my life.
Somehow the Lord put it in my heart to attend the Hudsonville PR Church (a church I never thought I’d enter again in my entire life). We heard the precious doctrinal and catechism sermons. Something kept drawing us back. That was the beginning of our becoming members. We thank our heavenly Father each day. Now we can discuss sermons and spiritual things again in unity.
I Cor. 2:7 “But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory.”
Young people, when you become dissatisfied and critical of your church, just count your blessings for a church which holds fast to the pure doctrinal preaching of the infallible Word.