The following blog post is taken from the opening devotions of the PRCA100 event which was held June 2-6, 2025, on the campus of Calvin University. Although the RFPA is structured as a non-denominational organization (the "Free" in RFPA signifies its freedom from the rule of any church or denomination), its history and mission closely parallel that of the Protestant Reformed Churches in America, which celebrated 100 years of existence at the PRCA100. Speaker Josh Hoekstra, who led these opening devotions, is a member of the RFPA and has previously served as President of the Association.

Grace at 100

This past summer, the Protestant Reformed Churches gathered to celebrate 100 years of God’s faithfulness to our denomination. It was a time of joy, reflection, and deep thankfulness. The theme passage came from Ephesians 2:1–10, which speaks powerfully of the grace of God to a sinful people.

Our conference week began with three exhortations, and they are applicable to all of us.

The passage opens with a grim but honest reminder: “You…were dead in trespasses and sins…by nature the children of wrath.” That’s the story of all of us. Left to ourselves, we are without hope.

But the heart of the passage, and the theme of the [PRCA100 conference], comes in verse 4 with two simple but powerful words: “But God.”

But God

“But” is a divine conjunction. It compares two opposing realities, side by side: our life without God, over against our life with God.

Are you stuck in the miry clay of Psalm 40, or in the Slough of Despond from Pilgrim’s Progress? Without God, you’re finished, dead on the battlefield. But with God? Everything changes. He lifts us from the mire. He rescues. He renews. He gives life.

So many of our stories, both as individuals, congregations, and denominations, include moments when we were lost, hurting, or overwhelmed.

“But God.”

Exhortation 1: Let us celebrate the “But God” moments and give Him the glory for His help.

Together

The passage says that God “quickened us together with Christ… raised us up together… made us sit together in heavenly places.”

Together is part of our identity. Together with Christ, and together as fellow saints. God gathers us, as a shepherd gathers His flock. The Christian life is not meant to be lived in isolation.

But together is hard, especially in times of trial, disagreement, or when the way forward isn’t clear. Still, together is how we walk, and it is how Christ leads us. Together is where we find safety, encouragement, and strength.

This is especially true for officebearers, whose calling is to patiently lead, protect, and preserve that unity.

Exhortation 2: Believers, let’s not lose the precious gift of togetherness. In an age that celebrates individualism, Christ calls us to be a people together: His people.

Grace

“By grace are ye saved…not of works…it is the gift of God.”

That is the story of the last 100 years, and it is the story of all God’s people.

Not our strength. Not our legacy. Certainly not our perfection, for our best works are still full of sin.

But God’s grace.

Grace explains our endurance. Grace explains every restoration we have experienced. Grace explains our hope for the future.

And it is not a small grace. Paul calls it “the exceeding riches of His grace.” That is what we celebrate, not just that God was gracious once, but that He continues to shower us with undeserved kindness in Christ, day after day.

Do you see it? Do you remember it? Can you sing it with joy in your heart?

“Amazing grace, how sweet the sound…”

Exhortation 3: Let us call to mind the exceeding riches of God’s grace—His grace to an unworthy people, made new by His workmanship.

But…Together…Grace

Grace is the golden thread that runs through the story of the [church], our congregations, our families, and our own hearts. It was there at the beginning. It has carried us through every hardship. And it is our only confidence as we look to the future.

Without grace, we would have no story to tell. But because of God's grace, we not only have a past worth remembering, we have a future full of hope. Grace unites us. Grace shapes us. Grace will lead us home.

Let us not simply remember what God has done, but press forward in faith, clinging to the same truth that has carried us to this point:

“Grace.”

This is more than a theme [for the conference week]. It is our confession, our identity, and our legacy.

Soli Deo Gloria.

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To learn more about how the concept of grace inspired the creation of the Protestant Reformed Churches AND the Reformed Free Publishing Association, check out the RFPA's collection of books by author Herman Hoeksema, including Sin and Grace (2003, 2nd ed.), Wonder of Grace (2021, 3rd ed.), and The Protestant Reformed Churches in America (2025, 3rd ed.). Many of these books are available in both hardcover and eBook.