All Articles For Bruinsma, Wilbur G

The Ephesian believers lived during a pivotal period in the history of the church. It was that time, soon after Christ’s ascension into heaven, when God chose to reveal to His church what had been hid in Him since the beginning of time (Eph. 3:9). That which God was now revealing to the early New Testament church had “in other ages” remained a mystery to the sons of men (v. 5). Now the saints in Ephesus are privileged to receive the labors of a man to whom this mystery had been revealed: the great apostle Paul. Paul writes in Ephesians...

Rev. Bruinsma is pastor of First Protestant Reformed Church in Holland, Michigan. In vain one searches for the treatment of or even. a reference to the terminology “means of grace” in the writings of Anabaptist leaders. It is difficult to ascertain whether the absence of such reference is due to their, loathing of systematized theology, or whether they simply denied the existence of any means of grace. Both are probably true. But we are interested in pursuing the latter, namely, that the Anabaptists denied the existence and the necessity of means of grace. This denial finds its source in the...

Rev. Bruinsma is pastor of First Protestant Reformed Church in Holland, Michigan. Solomon exhibits in this passage, as always, a keen insight into human nature. He knows the pride that resides in our flesh. He knows that there is nothing that hurts our pride more than when we are shown our weakness and helplessness. And he knows that there is no, greater way our weakness is revealed than through adversity or calamity in life. This is something no man can avoid. Neither can he overcome it in his own strength. How often this results in frustration and rebellion against God,...

Rev. Bruinsma is pastor of Kalamazoo Protestant Reformed Church in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Where to Search for a Spouse Jack had been wandering the aisles of a large hardware store for about a half hour before being approached by a store assistant. When asked if he needed help, Jack explained that his teacher in school had instructed the class to purchase a book on ancient history. He had been looking for that book for some time now but could not seem to find it. The assistant stood there with his mouth open. “Um, sir,” the assistant finally replied, holding back a...

Rev. Bruinsma is pastor of Kalamazoo Protestant Reformed Church in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The new millennium is almost upon us. Soon the 1900s will be no more. It will be the year 2000. It is natural that many in this past year have been reflecting on the old millennium and what has gone before. The world in which we live has changed dramatically as time has progressed. In just the last century man has advanced in knowledge a hundredfold! So much so, in fact, that unbelieving optimists contend that, given this rate of development, man in this new millennium will learn...

Rev. Bruinsma is pastor of Kalamazoo Protestant Reformed Church in Kalamazoo, Michigan. A Sure Standard. Now we face a new millen- nium. What must our call- ing be as we step over the threshold of the old and into the new? Are we called to join hands with the apostatizing church world and lighten up a bit? Should we quit warring and simply learn to get along? Soldiers of Christ, we are fighting a warfare and we may not give in to unbelief and the lie! Our calling at this point in the history of the world is to bear...

Rev. Bruinsma is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Kalamazoo, Michigan. … and the glory of children are their fathers.  Proverbs 17:6We have already considered in our last article the first part of this verse, which speaks of children’s children being the crown of old men. When the family unit is preserved from one generation to the next, then fathers and mothers are able to see their children’s children. Their grandchildren are about a father’s feet as jewels which bedeck his royal crown. Families with legitimate children and legitimate grandchildren are of great joy and satisfaction to a man...

Previous article in this series: March 1, 2010, p. 254. It has been some time now since our last article on this subject. We asked the question in the last article whether or not it is proper for families or confessing individuals in existing churches to move to a place of an established mission field? Our answer to this question is: yes. We recognize, however, that there are objections to this position. There are legitimate questions that arise in this connection. It is for that reason we are trying to examine the issue a little more closely. Before extolling the...

Previous article in this series: March 15, 2011, p. 271.

Rev. Bruinsma is pastor of First Protestant Reformed Church in Holland, Michigan. Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God? Psalm 77:13 An earnest expression of praise to God! The psalmist is overwhelmed with the greatness of our God: who is so great a God as our God? What powerful display of God’s majesty and might could have moved him to speak such lofty words concerning our God? Read the Psalm. You will discover that these words were born out of some very painful and troublesome experiences. And that is the...