The Creation of All Things

Sermon on Belgic Confession Article 12 - Trinity Reformed Church - May 12th, 2024
We believe that the Father by the Word, that is, by His Son, has created of nothing the heaven, the earth,
and all creatures, when it seemed good unto Him, giving unto every creature its being, shape, form, and
several offices to serve its Creator; that He also still upholds and governs them by His eternal providence
and infinite power for the service of mankind, to the end that man may serve his God.
He also created the angels good, to be His messengers and to serve His elect; some of whom are fallen
from that excellency in which God created them into everlasting perdition, and the others have by the
grace of God remained stedfast and continued in their first state. The devils and evil spirits are so
depraved that they are enemies of God and every good thing; to the utmost of their power as murderers
watching to ruin the Church and every member thereof, and by their wicked stratagems to destroy all; and
are, therefore, by their own wickedness adjudged to eternal damnation, daily expecting their horrible
torments.
Therefore we reject and abhor the error of the Sadducees, who deny the existence of spirits and angels;
and also that of the Manichees, who assert that the devils have their origin of them-selves, and that they
are wicked of their own nature, without having been corrupted.