Suicide??

Question: "What is the Christian view of suicide? What does the Bible say about suicide?"
Answer: The Bible mentions six specific people who committed suicide: Abimelech (Judges 9:54), Saul (1 Samuel 31:4), Saul's armor-bearer (1 Samuel 31:4-6), Ahithophel (2 Samuel 17:23), Zimri (1 Kings 16:18), and Judas (Matthew 27:5). Five of them were wicked, sinful men (not enough is said regarding Saul's armor-bearer to make a judgment as to his character). Some consider Samson an instance of suicide (Judges 16:26-31), but Samson's goal was to kill the Philistines, not himself. The Bible views suicide as equal to murder, which is what it is—self-murder. God is the only one who is to decide when and how a person should die.

According to the Bible, suicide is not what determines whether a person gains entrance into heaven. If an unsaved person commits suicide, he has done nothing but “expedite” his journey to hell. However, that person who committed suicide will ultimately be in hell for rejecting salvation through Christ, not because he committed suicide. What does the Bible say about a Christian who commits suicide? The Bible teaches that from the moment we truly believe in Christ, we are guaranteed eternal life (John 3:16). According to the Bible, Christians can know beyond any doubt that they possess eternal life (1 John 5:13). Nothing can separate a Christian from God’s love (Romans 8:38-39). If no “created thing” can separate a Christian from God’s love, and even a Christian who commits suicide is a “created thing,” then not even suicide can separate a Christian from God’s love. Jesus died for all of our sins, and if a true Christian, in a time of spiritual attack and weakness, commits suicide, that would still be a sin covered by the blood of Christ.

Suicide is still a serious sin against God. According to the Bible, suicide is murder; it is always wrong. Serious doubts could be raised about the genuineness of faith of anyone who claimed to be a Christian yet committed suicide. There is no circumstance that can justify someone, especially a Christian, taking his/her own life. Christians are called to live their lives for God, and the decision on when to die is God’s and God’s alone. Although it is not describing suicide, 1 Corinthians 3:15 is probably a good description of what happens to a Christian who commits suicide: “He himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.”

I get asked this question quite often. This is not a question that is easy to answer without going deep into theology. The reason for that is simple. If the person who commits suicide does not know Jesus Christ as their Savior before they commit suicide, then they are lost. (Hebrews 9:27 NIV) Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment - There are no second chances. The state you are in when you die is the state you will remain in for eternity.

If the person who commits suicide has previously accepted Christ as their Savior then you come to a deep theological question. Can a person who is at one time saved ever come back under judgment?

Let me explain right up front that I don't believe a person can lose their salvation. In other words I don't believe anyone who has truly placed their faith in Jesus Christ will one day wake up and realize that they are no longer saved. That may sound like the standard Calvinistic belief but it is not. I am not saying that I don't believe a person who accepts Jesus Christ as their Savior cannot turn from life and again choose death, I am saying it won't happen and then be a surprise to the person.

People who believe that a person once saved cannot ever come back under judgment usually believe this because they say that when you are saved your sins are forgiven past, present and future. Okay, I might even be convinced of that, although I wonder what the purpose of 1 John 1:9 is? (1 John 1:9 NIV) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. This passage was written to Christians.

My premise for believing that a person once saved can still fall into judgment at the hands of God, is that God gave us free will. I don't believe that God takes away our free will when we are saved. I believe we have to choose each and every day whom we will serve; ourselves or God.

Let's look at another passage: (John 10:27-30 NIV) My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. {28} I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. {29} My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all ; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. {30} I and the Father are one." Notice that Jesus says no one can snatch us from His hand. But is that the same as saying I will never let them go? I don't think so. I don't think Jesus is saying that we cannot choose to leave our position, I believe He is saying that Satan nor anyone else can cause you to lose your salvation. We are secure as long as we want to be secure.

I will get into more verses in a few moments, but I want to just look at this logically for a moment. If a person truly comes to faith in Jesus Christ and then finds that they don't want to continue to serve Him. They don't want what God has offered them any longer. Maybe they even come to a crisis in their life and decide that they don't believe anymore that there is a God. In essence they reject God one way or another. When they die, will God force them into heaven because they believed at one instant in time but not after that? I don't believe so. Why would God force anyone to live with Him for eternity if they have decided that they don't want to?

I am not a theologian, I am just a former street cop and that is how I view the scriptures. I have prayed for wisdom and discernment and asked God to open my eyes to what His word really says. I must admit He has helped me, and to my surprise what He has shown me is that His word says exactly what it means and means exactly what it says.

How were the Old Testament saints saved? By sacrifices? No by faith in God to provide a Redeemer to take away their sins. The sacrifices were just a visual manifestation of that faith. How are we saved today? By faith that God did send that Redeemer to take away our sins. His name is Jesus Christ. So you see we are saved exactly the same way the Old Testament believers were. Since we know that to be true and we know that God never changes: (Hebrews 13:8 NIV) Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Then we should be able to see from both the Old Testament and the New Testament how God treats those who willfully turn from Him.

First let's look at the Old Testament. (Ezekiel 18:23-28 NIV) Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign LORD. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live? {24} "But if a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits sin and does the same detestable things the wicked man does, will he live? None of the righteous things he has done will be remembered. Because of the unfaithfulness he is guilty of and because of the sins he has committed, he will die. {25} "Yet you say, 'The way of the Lord is not just.' Hear, O house of Israel: Is my way unjust? Is it not your ways that are unjust? {26} If a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits sin, he will die for it; because of the sin he has committed he will die. {27} But if a wicked man turns away from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he will save his life. {28} Because he considers all the offenses he has committed and turns away from them, he will surely live; he will not die. God does not pull any punches at all, He clearly says here that if a righteous man turns away from Him, He will not remember the righteousness any longer. He also states that He does not take pleasure in death, but wants everyone to come to Him.

Many people try to claim that because the Old Testament was written under the old covenant and because we are under the new covenant you can't take passages like the one in Ezekiel and use them. However, it is very interesting to hold that up to the light of Scripture. I am sure most everyone has heard of the Bereans. Look closely at this passage about them: (Acts 17:11 NIV) Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. Now my question is this; what Scriptures were they judging what Paul said by? It had to be the Old Testament, since the New Testament was not written yet. So for instance if Paul preached that once a person was saved they could never turn away and come back under judgment wouldn't the Bereans have read Ezekiel and denied what Paul said?

Now let's go to the New Testament and see if God has changed: (Hebrews 10:26-27 NIV) If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, {27} but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. If a person deliberately keeps on sinning, would it not stand to reason that they have made a choice to turn away from God? This is not the same thing as being caught up in a sin and stumbling, it is making a choice.

1 John 1:10 makes it clear that we all stumble and sin and that God is faithful to forgive us, but verse 9 clearly shows that we must confess those sins. If we choose to continue sinning, then we are not truly confessing our sins, which implies remorse and turning from those sins.

I don't believe that God has the book of life open on His lap at all times with a bottle of white out waiting for us to stumble. He knows our flesh is weak, yet He loves us. Remember He takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked. On the other hand I don't believe you can make a fool of God either. I don't believe you can accept Christ as your Savior and then go back to living like the world day in and day out, rejecting everything which is holy and pleasing to God and God has no choice but to allow you to enter heaven upon your death.

When a person contemplates suicide they are standing at a cross roads. Down one road is living on in the pain and depression they feel, but it also includes realizing that God is sovereign and our days are ordained by Him alone. It also leads to help through God's promises. He does not want us to be depressed and in pain, but He does want us to come to Him and ask for His help and then believe that He will help us. Down the other road is death on their timing not God's. It is saying that the person doesn't care what God wants, they want what they want, when they want it. It is also saying that they don't think God cares enough to help them through this time of hurt and pain, or maybe it is that they don't think God is powerful enough to save them.

The point is that the cross road is a choice that they have to make. Do they reject God and His plan for their life in favor of their own, or do they get on their knees and accept God's plan for them and His help which He has promised over and over again to give them?

Don't let Satan fool you into thinking that just because you have accepted Christ as your Savior you can take your own life and God will welcome you with open arms into His presence. If God chooses to do just that, then it is His decision and He is just, but would He be any less just to deny you entrance? I don't think so and that question alone should be enough to stop you cold. The other thing that should stop you cold is your love for Christ. If you truly have the relationship you think you have then you should be putting His feelings and His will above your own.

As I have been careful to say in this article I believe if you choose to reject God then He will allow you to do so. I have stated more then once it is a choice, so now let me address another issue. If a person is not able to make a choice then I don't believe any of this applies to them. What I am saying is that if a person is chemically imbalanced or mentally impaired in some way so that they can't make a legitimate choice, then I don't believe God would hold any actions they commit including suicide against them. But if you are here reading this trying to find a loop hole so that you can kill yourself and still be sure you will go to heaven, then you are showing the ability to make that choice and I believe God will hold you accountable accordingly.

If you are reading this and you don't have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, then none of this applies to you either. If you die whether by your own hand or by some other cause it does not matter, you will be lost for eternity. At judgment you will be judged first for not accepting the free gift of salvation that God offered you. Then you will be judged on what deeds you did while you were alive, good or bad, everything you have done will be exposed and you will be punished according to those actions. Nothing you have done will be good enough to get you into heaven. Only the saving blood of Jesus Christ can hide your sin so that you will be acceptable to God.