In the following article by one of the pastors in our denomination explains why the church should be reformed.

By Rev. Robert E. Grossmann

No church can rightly claim to be the only true church. Jesus tells us in Matthew 24:26 that it is absolutely wrong for us to think that we, and we alone, are the only true Christians. The idea that one particular group has exclusive claim to Christ is an idea that Christ Himself says is the mark of the false prophet.

Why the Reformed Church?

The answer to this question is that the Bible, like the whole universe, is God-Centered. The focus, the purpose, the source, and the foundation of all things is God. Yet most thinking, including religious thinking, is man-centered. I think it is fair to say that the reformed churches in particular (including presbyterianism) have historically really worked at being as God-centered as the Bible itself is.

It is the genius and hallmark of truly reformed churches to make God’s Word in the Bible the foundation of all things and to do all things for the glory of God alone.

True Reformation

The biblical pattern for all true reformation, be it individual or societal, is found in 2 Kings 23. Here we read that king Josiah gathered all the people and “he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant which was found in the house of the Lord.” Then the king and all the people “made a covenant... with all their heart and with all their soul to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book.” They promised to believe and obey all the words of the Bible.

The Apostle Paul echoes this very idea for he did not “shun to declare unto you all the counsel of God” (Acts 20:27).

Truly God-Centered Religion

I would like to show the necessity of a distinctly reformed church from:

• The God-centeredness of the Gospel
• The God-centeredness of the Bible
• The God centeredness of the Church

God-centered religion demands that family, state, labor, science and indeed all of life, be God-centered; but because of sin religion must begin with the Gospel revealed in the Bible and proclaimed by the church.