Question

I don't know where to put this, so it's going here...if your a mod and wanna move it feel free to.

So...If God has our life set before us and knows what we're gonna do and when we'll die and all that good stuff...does that mean that he has suicide as a plan for some people? Cause if He didn't want it to happen it wouldn't...so does that mean that God wan'ts some people to commit suicide?

Hun, God doesn't want anyone to commit suicide. That is part and parcel with free will, that we are free to choose whether we want to do what is right and what is wrong. There are many things in this world that God doesn't want to happen, but He gives us free rein enough to make our own decisions and face the consequences for them.

Thou Shalt Not Kill is a commandment and those who commit suicide either 1. don't know God's commandments 2. don't really understand how this law is very important to follow.

Judas committed suicide and I doubt he went to heaven. God commands true believers to send the gospel throughout the world...so that they
can prevent others from committing suicide. (says so in bible)

I don't think so.
I would see it as, that God has a plan for all of us, but we don't always follow it. God knows exactly what will happen in everyone's life, but that's because he has the advantage of not being binded by time. We have to make the decision as to whether we follow God's plan for us or not. I believe that suicide is not part of God's plan.
Does that make sense? I don't know if I'm talking rubbish here... Lol...
Good question though.

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Look, there were quite a few people in the BIBLE who committed suicide, and none of them were condemned (not even Judas). Some (like Samson) were even lauded for their actions.

Samson killed himself in a bid to get revenge on his captors. Saul killed himself when he lost a battle, and his sword bearer committed suicide immediately afterwards. Achitopel hanged himself after failing to overthrow David.

Because there were so many (seven I think - I've got references if you want, but I try to stay away from encouraging study of the subject TOO much) suicides in the Bible, and not ONCE does the Bible specifically mention the morality of suicide, I do believe that one who kills themself can go to heaven.

However, I wonder how MANY who kill themselves actually go to heaven. To get into heaven, you must be willing to submit your entire life to God's will. I envision it with God at his desk, working for his people when you come into His office unannounced. God looks up and asks, "what are YOU doing here so early?" If you were unwilling to give your life entirely up to God in life, will you be willing to give up EVERYTHING to follow him in heaven?

And in that statement, I mean no condemnation for the depressed or suicidal. I'm not out of it, and I have a really hard time rationalizing my cutting and my thoughts of suicide (though the past months have gone well). I can not speak for any others in their struggles, but in MY life, my depression has been prolonged and continues today becase there are areas that I refuse to submit to my Lord as a free gift. I believe God DOES let suicidal people into heaven, but I wonder if I would submit to God immediately after I decided for the last time that the life He gave me was worthless - and beyond repair. I know what I've been like at those times, and I am usually willing to give up ANYTHING to make the pain stop. Anything except control of my life - not to doctors, therapists, friends, family NOR God.

Depression is also medical - don't get me wrong! But in many cases, the chemical inbalances are CAUSED by negative thoughts, or by guilt (or trauma) and this has been well documented in people who do NOT have chronic depression. For that reason, therapy is NECESSARY, though preferably with a Christian counselor, because a person can cause and maintain a chemical imbalance just by tearing themselves down every day in their mind. There are certainly many other, more physical conditions that are NOT always caused by negative thoughts (Like BPD, DID etc...) But I'm talking from experience about pure chronic depression, which is every bit as dangerous if not treated - though negative thoughts will often pull a person down with ANY mental disorder - until they have both a chemical treatment AND therapy.

The idea that God knows what will happen before it does happen seems to be very Biblical, though the Bible is ALSO very clear about free will. I submit that this is one of the areas in the Bible that does not follow logically. In our world, bounded by our physical laws, we cannot create something (like a Chemical reaction) KNOWING what the outcome will be, but yet give the chemical reaction the freedom to do something else. It just doesn't make sense. But the Bible seems to be clear in its teaching on both, so I find myself believing both. I honestly believe that God created us to be perfect, but knew that part of His gift of free will and love meant that we WOULD sin. However, in my experience, love NEEDS this freedom to flourish. We NEED to be able to hurt each other in order to truly love each other. We NEED to be able to deny God in order to truly have a loving relationship with Him.

Love is what I live for - MY love that I can give away freely. And God's love that gives me the strength and will to give love to people around me. This love, born of free will, is what makes us powerful in Christ, and ultimately it is the difference between life and death.

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Just for clarification's sake, suicide is not an unforgiveable sin. Suicide does not mean that a person doesn't go to heaven, just that they stumbled in their faith, just like every other sinner.

Although right now I can't find anywhere in the Bible where God specifically says that suicide is a sin, God does say that not doing what you know you should do (or the good you know you should do) is a sin (James 4:17). Since we know that we should be serving God, if we give up by committing suicide, that is probably a sin. When Paul and Silas were freed from jail and therefore the jailer was about to commit suicide (because his superiors would deal very harshly with him for letting prisoners escape), Paul shouted "Don't harm yourself . . . .Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved." Acts 16:25-35. So Paul's view on the subject was pretty much that suicide ought not be done; Jesus can save us and help us out of anything.

If someone (who is of sane mind and who has a free choice to end their life or not) kills himself, he cannot be assured that he will have any window of time between his act of suicide and dying to ask God to forgive him. YOU KNOW WHY MOST PEOPLE HURT THE MOST INSIDE? BECAUSE THEY FEEL LIKE THEY ARE CUT OFF FROM GOD. They are feeling that even when God's presence is permeating throughout the earth. CAN YOU EVEN IMAGINE WHAT IT WILL BE LIKE IF YOU CHOSE TO FORSAKE GOD AND WIND UP IN HELL FOREVER WITHOUT HIS PRESENCE AT ALL? God is not present in hell.

So, although probably none of us can answer your question completely because it appears that God did not specifically say whether suicide was a sin, the real question is "Do you really want to risk an eternal mistake like ending your life and not be able to ask forgiveness for it in time to go to heaven, or would you rather hang around and see WHAT MIRACULOUS THINGS GOD IS GETTING READY TO DO IN YOUR LIFE?" Satan is the Father of LIES. JESUS IS THE TRUTH. Satan wants people to commit suicide because he knows that if he can get them to do that they might be forever separated from God. Jesus said that He came to give LIFE AND TO GIVE IT TO YOU MORE ABUNDANTLY.

What if you feel no matter how hard you try to live this life for God you mess things up worse so killing yourself would be better for the Lord, and His purpose...Or maybe killing yourself would bring others closer to God....

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Blood-stained brow,
He wasn't broken for nothing.
Arms nailed down,
He didn't die for nothing.

i believe in the sovereignty of God.... He works all things according to the purpose of His will

Yes, sometimes in God's plan ppl commit suicide... Does that mean he wants them to? NO!!! there is a difference between saying "ok Lynne, time for you to die, and i want you to do it by suicide" and saying "ok, Lynne is really depressed and suicidal, and i want her and others to learn from this situation, so in this instance i am going to allow her to have this pain and react in the way that she will, ie, kill herself, because in My Larger plan, this works in accordance to my will..."

does that make any sense?

i have been extremely suicidal and depressend in the past, so i have had to deal with this alot. hope this helps.

Lynne

thanks for the quick answers...i appriciate it...