Author: Bert Witvoet

Two days ago, Alice and I drove to Grand Rapids to enjoy a farewell banquet offered by the Board of Trustees of the Christian Reformed Church (CRC). The main purpose of the event was to honour three retiring leaders: Banner Editor Robert DeMoor, World Renew U.S. Director Andy Rijskamp and CRC Executive Director Joel Boot.

What makes it difficult is that one can never do justice to how great God’s love is by talking about it. Our greatest efforts at explaining God’s love always fall far, far short of the intended goal

Something in me says that keeping the awareness of the antitheses and of common grace in healthy tension is still important today. It’s not easy to do, I realize. But whether we use other terminology or metaphors, we still face the dilemma of either avoiding worldly literature because we want to stay pure or we indulge in an overly comfortable adoption of secular values.

The attack on the personnel of the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo in Paris evoked a strong response from proponents of free speech in many democratic countries. Thousands of people took to the streets and held placards which stated unequivocally “Je suis Charlie” or “I am Charlie.” In my imagination I saw myself holding such a sign. But after some reflection, I asked myself “Am I really Charlie?”

Bert Witvoet is a bit puzzled by the Bible’s silence on exceeding the speed limit of 50 in a residential zone. Is it fair that Old Testament people didn’t have to obey impersonal stop signs made by human hands?
Wouldn’t Isaiah have called that a form of idolatry? Hmmm!

Bert Witvoet is a bit puzzled by the Bible’s silence on exceeding the speed limit of 50 in a residential zone. Is it fair that Old Testament people didn’t have to obey impersonal stop signs made by human hands?
Wouldn’t Isaiah have called that a form of idolatry? Hmmm!