This article is in response to a conversation that Pastor Chuck Smith had on the subject of abortion. Unfortunately hypocrisy is a good word for what happened in that conversation. In this conversation the woman caller obviously does not want an abortion and is emotionally drained from even debating this issue in her heart.
She said the doctors say the conjoined twins may not live more than a day, and we must keep in mind that she gave no indication as to how far along she was. Pastor Smith goes on to tell her that due to the chance of a low life expectancy the Lord probably would not condemn her for having an abortion. My first issue is simply this, what does life expectancy have to do with anything? Someone may not live long so killing them is acceptable? The second issue here is that he uses Scripture to assure her that God would not condemn her if she had the abortion.
“The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst they said to him, Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say? This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”(John 8:3-11) This passage is of a woman who had already sinned, not one contemplating sin. The Bible gives no reference to Jesus forgiving unrepentant sinners, therefore we must conclude that she was repentant. He said to her, “go and sin no more.” He did not say go on and sin cause God will forgive you anyway. To use this passage as he did was a deception and a misuse of the Sacred Text.
In the second conversation, Pastor Smith attempts to defend what he said. In doing so he both lies and shows his own hypocrisy. He first says that he is totally opposed to abortion but then adds that there are certain circumstances in which it is acceptable. Life begins from the womb(Job 31:15, Psalm 22:9-10, Psalm 139:13-16, Isaiah 44:24) God is the giver, sustainer, and taker of life. This is final, at no point is abortion right. Pastor Smith first used the term “fetus” rather than baby, which caught my attention immediately. He then avoided the term babies in the plural and called it a baby with two heads as if trying to de-humanize it. In his second call he said that she stated that her life was in danger which she never said, and that the baby would not live for more 5 minutes after birth, which she also did not say. There are many cases where doctors are wrong. Doctors have said babies were dead yet the baby ended up being born alive, or that the baby would have a problem, and yet it came out healthy. They ignore the fact that God in His glorious sovereignty may have a purpose in this, and they treat it as a mistake that she should fix. WRONG!!!!! Many conjoined twins have been born, and have lived many yaers together. There was no point where they referred her to an agency to help. Let me say this, you cannot be completely against abortion…..except. No, your either for it or your against it. PERIOD! It’s time christians everywhere call Chuck Smith to open repentance for this grevious sin against God and against the children involved.
Written By: Rick Garland
The Gospel Beacon 