Bill_Spanjer

Kim Davis And Christian Conscience

I remember watching the debate between Doug Wilson and Andrew Sullivan, a gay, politically conservative author over the issue of gay marriage.  I particularly remember Mr. Sullivan saying that the matter would have no effect on traditional married couples and was just a matter of expanding the tent of marriage to let a few others in.  Justice Kennedy, in his decision on the Obergefell case stated that no religious institution or person would be kept from dissenting from the decision and advocating against same sex marriage.  And yet, here we are with a Christian woman in jail for four days now because she refused to issue licenses for gay marriages or even to allow others in her office to do it, given that her name would have to appear on the license.  Nothing will change they swore, and yet you might just end up in jail if you don’t go along with the program.  But she is a political official we are told.  Her duty is to uphold the law whether she personally likes it or not.  This is the take I heard in an interview….

On Holy Indignation

My intention is not to blog on the singular subject of abortion or Planned Parenthood, but the moment strikes me as one of the utmost importance; one that demands extended concentration.  I have noticed recently a strain of response from Christians to the rhetoric and anger of other Christians regarding the recently released videos.  Rachel Held Evans and Ann Voskamp are two examples of prominent bloggers from opposite ends of the Christian social spectrum who are pushing back and calling for a response of grace and love.  They are unsettled by the angry tone of many believers on this issue and believe that it will do more harm than good and may in fact be misrepresenting the Christ that loved sinners without a spirit of condemnation.  

On the one hand, I appreciate the concern.  It is important for us all to remember that people are broken and ultimately need God’s grace, that is, mothers who have had abortions and fathers who have insisted on them, as well as abortion doctors and nurses, technicians and baby part purchasers.  Until there is a Spirit wrought change in the heart, our fist pounding, legislating, blogging and protesting will have little lasting impact.  Therefore our anger must be seasoned with the salt of the gospel and with a genuine concern for lost sinners.  We must not be like James and John, the “Sons of Thunder” who immediately wanted to call down fire from heaven  upon the rebellious.  No, ultimately they need the transforming power of Jesus to heal and save them and we should long for that and pray for it.

On the other hand….

Let Us Stay The Course

I wrote in a post a couple of weeks ago, as the first Planned Parenthood video was released, that as Christians we must not look away, but rather let the video stir us to action and outrage over the atrocity of abortion.  Now three other videos have been released and apparently there will be more to come.  I want to restate my charge to everyone who might read this.  Do NOT look away.  These videos are must see for everyone. For those who support abortion, it is essential that they come to grips with what it is they are supporting.  For those already opposed it is essential that we allow these videos to light a fire under us and move to action for the sake of the unborn so that we a re never silent again.  There are a couple of reactions to the release of these videos that I fear may come.  First,...

The Best of Times, The Worst of Times

The past couple of months have been an absolute whirlwind of cultural disintegration.  It seems like it was a year ago that Bruce Jenner had his Vanity Fair coming out party; so much water has gone over the dam since then.  From the SCOTUS ruling on gay marriage, the $130K judgement against the Klein’s for being unwilling to make a cake for such an event, and the talk of churches losing their tax exempt status, to the latest horrifying videos of Planned Parenthood, it has felt like we are in the middle of a cultural free fall.  We all saw it coming for years now, but these past couple of months have brought the future rushing into the present and with the Obergefell  decision in particular, it seems as if a threshold has been crossed and American Christians are officially on the outside looking in and left to speak from the margins.  While this may be slightly overstated, it has led some….

Don't Look Away

Few things have I found more difficult to watch and listen to than the video that was released on Tuesday of Dr. Deborah Nucatola the Senior Director of Medical Services for Planned Parenthood at a lunch meeting with two people posing as potential buyers of the organs of aborted babies.  To listen to her so casually discussing the high demand for the livers and lungs and even the heads (or as she so professionally calls the calvarium) of babies and how they have perfected the skill of removing “it” (the baby) so as not to damage any of the desirable organs all while she eats her salad and sips her wine was unbelievably sickening and infuriating.  It is utterly incredible and chilling to watch someone who has so lost her humanity that she can talk of dismembering children (eight of which she says she had just done that morning) as if she was discussing shopping for shoes.  How painfully shocking it is to listen to this so called doctor describing all of the particular body parts of the baby with medical clarity and yet with complete blindness to the very fact that….

Where Do We Go From Here?

Though I cannot say it was a shock to hear the SCOTUS ruling this past friday, I will admit that it did hurt. While for years I have been preaching the importance of adopting an exilic mindset, understanding that as Christians we are living in Babylon, it was none the less difficult coming to grips with how quickly and radically we have thrown off our Judeo-Christian heritage. Of course, as many sound minded analysts have noted, the issue is not only the legal redefinition of marriage, but the genuine threat to religious liberty that it poses. Along with many others I fear that this has never been merely about the inclusion of homosexuals in the institution of marriage, but has been intended as a means of  breaking the cultural influence of Christians in America.  In an age of sloppy thinking and emotionally rather than logically driven arguments, the gay marriage issue has provided a perfect opportunity to those who resent….

A Confused Jenner-ation

Thanks to a caller on the Eric Metaxas show that brought up a fine comparison regarding the Bruce Jenner issue and the response to it that has dominated our culture.  The tidal wave of approval of this mans sad condition from the power brokers of the media, news, and entertainment has been predictable and discouraging. But as the caller mentioned, if it was a celebrity woman who was convinced that she was fat even though she clearly was not and went about starving herself to alter her body to conform to a feeling she had, our culture would rightly view her as unhealthy and struggling with anorexia.  No one would call her courageous and applaud her for taking control of her own identity.  When Bruce Jenner makes such radical changes to his body to conform to a feeling he has long struggled with, we do him and others like him no favors by telling him...