A pastor's wife justifies job at abortion center

When I read this story about a pastor’s wife working at an abortion center, I thought an article from The Onion had slipped through. According to David Day Sr., who for several years has shared the gospel with women headed to Reproductive Health Services in Montgomery, Ala., Callie Chatman works there as an “exit counselor.” He also discovered that her son Jerome is a security guard there and posted a video that reportedly shows her husband, Louis, pastor of New Elam Baptist Church in Montgomery, dropping his wife off for work.

“I was stunned that there is actually a pastor’s wife that works there,” Day told the Christian News Network.

Day, who has spoken with Callie Chatman about her job, said she justifies her presence at the abortion center by pointing out that God forgives sins and we’re not to judge, implying that she ministers to the post-abortive women. But Day advised her that she should be convincing women not to kill their babies instead of just consoling them after their babies were dead.

In response to Day and other Christians who question her reasoning, Chatman told The Christian Post, “I feel we have all sinned. None of us are perfect. No sin is greater than any sin. I don’t know why, other than that’s the only decision [abortion] that a woman could make. That’s her right to make that decision because that’s her body.” She added that pro-lifers could criticize her only after they become sinless.

Should Christians stop criticizing murderers because we’re sinners too? If we must be free of sin in order to call out sin, we should all cease talking and writing about it right now. We all fall short of God’s glory, but I’ll never stop condemning the killing of the unborn or the perversion of marriage. I’ll call a thief a thief and judge his behavior accordingly.

Indeed, we’re all sinners, and we’re not to judge “lest we be judged.” But these facts must be qualified. It’s true that as long as we inhabit this fallen flesh, we will sin. It’s also true that God warns us against judging. Yet He calls us to repent from sin, not stay mired in it, and He opposes hypocritical judging. We make judgments every day. Our survival depends on judging who or what is safe or dangerous or good or evil.

We don’t know for sure if someone is saved, but his or her behavior can provide evidence against it. What can we say about the pro-abortion Christian or the one who engages in homosexual behavior, which Scripture clearly teaches is a sin? What of the professed believer who continues to fornicate or break marital vows? And the self-described Christian who commits murder? We have strong opinions about such people, of course, and we seek guidance from Scripture. I thank God that the ultimate decision is His alone.

Though Chatman might really believe she’s ministering to women who’ve just killed their own children, a purported Christian working in an abortion center looks bad. It gives the appearance of evil. Christians should perceive the Holy Spirit’s conviction when we sin. Does she? We humans have an amazing capacity to justify anything. In judging her, let’s also examine our own justifications.