Do "genuine" Christians who commit suicide go to hell?

[Togetherly]

Do real Christians who believe in Jesus, who know he is the only way to God and heaven...who commit suicide (for whatever reason) go to hell?

 

[Person of]

Of course not.

 

[1-4 All OurGodAll 4-1Sad]

Hey Togetherly.I dont think any one really knows the answer to that but a good thing to do can be to ask other questions and see what answers you get from them.
First i think that if anyone is a real Christian they would not have suicide on their minds at all as they would be pretty much happy with there lives and when going through the tough times can really take comfort in the FACT that as God says in 2nd Corinthians 12:9-10"My grace is sufficient for you,for my power is made perfect in weakness"It then goes on to say(apostle Paul speaking)"therefore I WILL boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses so that Christs power may rest on me.That is why for Christs sake i DELIGHT in weaknesses,in insults,in hardships,in persecutions,in difficulties.For when i am weak then i am strong.(Thanks to our Lords power resting on him,or you,or whoever ACTUALLY does take delight in persecutions etc)as it shows that you really do have the Lord on your mind all the time,REALLY do believe in Him,have faith in Him,believe what the Bible has to say,know that the Lord is focusing on you EVERY second of the day how ever much we forget about Him etc.
I believe that the Lord does not like suicide as it results from hopelessness,stress,bad feelings about ourselves the future etc when really we need to get over the bad times by KNOWING that Gods power rests on us so much more when going through peresuctions etc and to bring the truely lost to God by planting seeds in people and leaving the rest up to God.(1 Corinthians 3:6).
The true meaning of live i believe is to let people know GOD REALLY IS REALLY REAL as 80 odd years compared to an eternity is no contest.
Here are a couple of verses for you Togetherly(not saying you need them as we all do)just a couple i like.
Matthew 5:44
Jeremiah 29:11
Matthew 11:28
Galations 5:16-17
Proverbs 16:3
Romans 8:5
1 John 4:4
Like your name by the way.i dont lie.

 

[joeboonda]

Of course not.

Yeah, what he said. Might they suffer loss of some reward and position, perhaps, depends. But salvation? NEVER. Salvation is a free gift. One can do nothing to earn, keep, or lose it. Anyway, God wants us to trust him and his grace in all circumstances, so suicide is not the way to go if at all possible.

 

[jonmolby]

Hey Togetherly.I dont think any one really knows the answer to that but a good thing to do can be to ask other questions and see what answers you get from them.
First i think that if anyone is a real Christian they would not have suicide on their minds at all as they would be pretty much happy with there lives and when going through the tough times can really take comfort in the FACT that as God says in 2nd Corinthians 12:9-10"My grace is sufficient for you,for my power is made perfect in weakness"It then goes on to say(apostle Paul speaking)"therefore I WILL boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses so that Christs power may rest on me.That is why for Christs sake i DELIGHT in weaknesses,in insults,in hardships,in persecutions,in difficulties.For when i am weak then i am strong.(Thanks to our Lords power resting on him,or you,or whoever ACTUALLY does take delight in persecutions etc)as it shows that you really do have the Lord on your mind all the time,REALLY do believe in Him,have faith in Him,believe what the Bible has to say,know that the Lord is focusing on you EVERY second of the day how ever much we forget about Him etc.
I believe that the Lord does not like suicide as it results from hopelessness,stress,bad feelings about ourselves the future etc when really we need to get over the bad times by KNOWING that Gods power rests on us so much more when going through peresuctions etc and to bring the truely lost to God by planting seeds in people and leaving the rest up to God.(1 Corinthians 3:6).
The true meaning of live i believe is to let people know GOD REALLY IS REALLY REAL as 80 odd years compared to an eternity is no contest.
Here are a couple of verses for you Togetherly(not saying you need them as we all do)just a couple i like.
Matthew 5:44
Jeremiah 29:11
Matthew 11:28
Galations 5:16-17
Proverbs 16:3
Romans 8:5
1 John 4:4
Like your name by the way.i dont lie.

What about those that have mental illness that have depression and struggle with suicide? Are they not real Christians then?

 

[Matariki]

The answer is no. One thing that needs to be understood about suicide is that not everybody who commits it, commits it out of self hate. Many that commit suicide do it on the basis that they think they are relieving the world of a burden. In this context, although their thoughts about reality around them may be distorted by emotional or physical grief, their intention is not evil. God is a good god, and will take individual factors into consideration. If God can do that, then we also need to do that too.

 

[Person of]

First i think that if anyone is a real Christian they would not have suicide on their minds at all as they would be pretty much happy with there lives

Saying that a Christian should be happy is preposterous. If a mentally ill, physically deformed, or person with an abusive past gets saved, that doesn't mean those problems will go away.

 

[1-4 All OurGodAll 4-1Sad]

What about those that have mental illness that have depression and struggle with suicide? Are they not real Christians then?[/quote
Mental illness and depression are two different things.
In my opinion real Christians dont have depression for long periods(why would they?)As for people with mental illness some follow God as best they can,some dont bother,(or believe)just like people without mental illness.
People with mental illness who have depression are inj the same box.Some follow God as best they can,some dont.
I believe in some cases people with mental illness and or depression could help themselves out more by listening to God and obeying Him,reading the Bible and following what it says not taking parts of it which dont suit you and putting them aside,just the same as people without mental illness.
Maybe also some people with mental illness play on it and or feel sorry for themselves etc and compromise their attitude towards God and the Bible so they can live as they want,just as some people without mental illness do.
A lot of all this depends on the illness,how coherent they are etc etc.

 

[Person of]

What about those that have mental illness that have depression and struggle with suicide? Are they not real Christians then?[/quote
Mental illness and depression are two different things.
In my opinion real Christians dont have depression for long periods(why would they?)As for people with mental illness some follow God as best they can,some dont bother,(or believe)just like people without mental illness.
People with mental illness who have depression are inj the same box.Some follow God as best they can,some dont.
I believe in some cases people with mental illness and or depression could help themselves out more by listening to God and obeying Him,reading the Bible and following what it says not taking parts of it which dont suit you and putting them aside,just the same as people without mental illness.
Maybe also some people with mental illness play on it and or feel sorry for themselves etc and compromise their attitude towards God and the Bible so they can live as they want,just as some people without mental illness do.
A lot of all this depends on the illness,how coherent they are etc etc.

You really haven't spoken to many people on a personal level, have you?

Saying that a Christian cannot be depressed for long periods is not Biblical, so it's purely your opinion, which totally contradicts observation.

 

[SharonL]

Usually people who commit suscide are not in their right mind at the moment - God knows a person's heart and the problems, or sickness or whatever causes the person to reach that level does not change the heart.

 

[Matariki]

Mental illness and depression are two different things.

These days, medically, mental illnesses, mental disease and mental disorders are considered to be the same things. - mental illness - definition of mental illness in the Medical dictionary - by the Free Online Medical Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia.

Any of various psychiatric conditions, usually characterized by impairment of an individual's normal cognitive, emotional, or behavioral functioning, and caused by physiological or psychosocial factors. Also called mental disease, mental disorder.

Depression is classed as a Mental Disorder/Illness (which is different from feeling 'down' or 'under the weather'.)

NIMH · Depression

What Is Depression?
Everyone occasionally feels blue or sad. But these feelings are usually short-lived and pass within a couple of days. When you have depression, it interferes with daily life and causes pain for both you and those who care about you. Depression is a common but serious illness.
Many people with a depressive illness never seek treatment. But the majority, even those with the most severe depression, can get better with treatment. Medications, psychotherapies, and other methods can effectively treat people with depression.

In my opinion real Christians dont have depression for long periods(why would they?)As for people with mental illness some follow God as best they can,some dont bother,(or believe)just like people without mental illness.
People with mental illness who have depression are inj the same box.Some follow God as best they can,some dont.

It might not look obvious to us, but when has the bible ever said that only happy people can honor God and serve him best? The oldest written account that is in the bible is the book of Job. And I'm not surprised that God had that be the case, especially when reading it in context with the new testament. Just as the book of Job has demonstrated, depression can hit just about anyone at anytime, and comes in different forms for different reasons. Although Job was suffering (not just psychologically, but also psychically and spiritually) he demonstrated to us that regardless of how much suffering you're going through, you can still have faith and honor God.

Major depressive disorder, or major depression, is characterized by a combination of symptoms that interfere with a person's ability to work, sleep, study, eat, and enjoy once-pleasurable activities. Major depression is disabling and prevents a person from functioning normally. Some people may experience only a single episode within their lifetime, but more often a person may have multiple episodes.

Dysthymic disorder, or dysthymia, is characterized by long-term (2 years or longer) symptoms that may not be severe enough to disable a person but can prevent normal functioning or feeling well. People with dysthymia may also experience one or more episodes of major depression during their lifetimes.

Minor depression is characterized by having symptoms for 2 weeks or longer that do not meet full criteria for major depression. Without treatment, people with minor depression are at high risk for developing major depressive disorder. Some forms of depression are slightly different, or they may develop under unique circumstances. However, not everyone agrees on how to characterize and define these forms of depression. They include:

Psychotic depression, which occurs when a person has severe depression plus some form of psychosis, such as having disturbing false beliefs or a break with reality (delusions), or hearing or seeing upsetting things that others cannot hear or see (hallucinations).

Postpartum depression, which is much more serious than the "baby blues" that many women experience after giving birth, when hormonal and physical changes and the new responsibility of caring for a newborn can be overwhelming. It is estimated that 10 to 15 percent of women experience postpartum depression after giving birth.

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD), which is characterized by the onset of depression during the winter months, when there is less natural sunlight. The depression generally lifts during spring and summer. SAD may be effectively treated with light therapy, but nearly half of those with SAD do not get better with light therapy alone. Antidepressant medication and psychotherapy can reduce SAD symptoms, either alone or in combination with light therapy.

I believe in some cases people with mental illness and or depression could help themselves out more by listening to God and obeying Him,reading the Bible and following what it says not taking parts of it which dont suit you and putting them aside,just the same as people without mental illness.
Maybe also some people with mental illness play on it and or feel sorry for themselves etc and compromise their attitude towards God and the Bible so they can live as they want,just as some people without mental illness do.
A lot of all this depends on the illness,how coherent they are etc etc.

Again, the book of Job spells it out very carefully, and so do other accounts in the bible. When are people going to understand that the walk with Christ is what it is, a walk, not a 100 meter sprint?

The bible has given us very good advice for how people should address depression and other issues;

2 Corinthians 1:4-6: who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer.

 

[mandelduke]

Do real Christians who believe in Jesus, who know he is the only way to God and heaven...who commit suicide (for whatever reason) go to hell?

[FONT='Calibri','sans-serif']Absolutely Not! [/FONT]

 

[ViaCrucis]

I'm of that crazy opinion that God is, above all, loving and merciful. So no, suicide doesn't give you an instant train ticket to Hell.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[1-4 All OurGodAll 4-1Sad]

You really haven't spoken to many people on a personal level, have you?

Saying that a Christian cannot be depressed for long periods is not Biblical, so it's purely your opinion, which totally contradicts observation.

Yes by the way it is Bibilical,haven't you read the Bible?so its not just my opinion.Compared to you i have done a lot more talking with people on a personal level.Your 18yo,come on.I know most 18yos think they know it all but you need to do some serious thinking about life,God etc before you just jump on in with a critical attitude about my answer(which says a lot about you and your walk with God.)You also need to do some thinking before you jump on in with your know it all 18yo attitude and tell people a three word answer of "of course not" when dealing with such serious matters.You dont know that persons state of mind or what they might or might not do.At the very least there is no harm in putting in a simple,"in my opinion."

 

[1-4 All OurGodAll 4-1Sad]

Saying that a Christian should be happy is preposterous. If a mentally ill, physically deformed, or person with an abusive past gets saved, that doesn't mean those problems will go away.

Saying that a Christian should not be happy is even more preposterous.
And yes,when a person gets saved more times than not(vastly more times than not)those peoblems will have gone away.God doesnt want us to carry around past problems once we have been saved,as as it says in the Bible when we are saved,"the old self has gone"etc etc.Of course Christians are not always happy but they take comfort etc out of knowing that God is with them and that those trials etc are nothing compared to an eternity.(besides the fact that everone seems to be missing 2nd Corinthians 12:9-10)People will find if they live by that,trials etc really will be eaiser.

 

[americanvet]

When I accepted Christ his blood washed all my sins away. I cannot go to hell. Ergo if I am a victim of suicide I am still saved because of Christ.

Church of the Resurrection : Show : Christianity and Suicide

 

[Ronald]

Do real Christians who believe in Jesus, who know he is the only way to God and heaven...who commit suicide (for whatever reason) go to hell?

Suicide would be a severe lack of faith in God who is in control. No faith = not really a genuine Christian. Satan seeks to destroy and devour those who are weak. God said He wouldn't give us more than we could handle.
Sometimes pain is so severe, they want to end it. I wonder though, if they were just so sick of this world, their lives and wanted to be with the Lord and that was their motive???

 

[seekingsister]

Suicide would be a severe lack of faith in God who is in control. No faith = not really a genuine Christian. Satan seeks to destroy and devour those who are weak. God said He wouldn't give us more than we could handle.
Sometimes pain is so severe, they want to end it. I wonder though, if they were just so sick of this world, their lives and wanted to be with the Lord and that was their motive???

That is not true. I know a committed Christian who is clinically depressed, when she is not on medicine she struggles with suicidal thoughts. There are many Christians around her, including some who are doctors themselves, and she absolutely has a medical condition that needs to be monitored. Her faith has nothing to do with it, other than that she prays for God to give her the resources to fight the depression.

 

[Person of]

Saying that a Christian should not be happy is even more preposterous.
And yes,when a person gets saved more times than not(vastly more times than not)those peoblems will have gone away.God doesnt want us to carry around past problems once we have been saved,as as it says in the Bible when we are saved,"the old self has gone"etc etc.Of course Christians are not always happy but they take comfort etc out of knowing that God is with them and that those trials etc are nothing compared to an eternity.(besides the fact that everone seems to be missing 2nd Corinthians 12:9-10)People will find if they live by that,trials etc really will be eaiser.

Your spirit and soul, yes, but your body hasn't been renewed. So all the sinful pleasures, mental illnesses and trauma from abuse stays.

 

[Ronald]

That is not true. I know a committed Christian who is clinically depressed
[/QUOTE

The modern medical industry would have us all on drugs for every little thing. They have millions of kids on drugs for ADD and millions of people on depression drugs and I can go on with so called medical solutions that are harmful in themselves. I know certain people have chemical deficiencies, like lithium which helps bi polar disorders and dopamine which helps with seizures and such. But doping the nation is not a cure. Sedating kids is not a cure. Hyperactivity needs to be channeled. Kids don't have responsibilties and they need to focus and have discipline to.
Scott Peck, a famous psychoanalyst who wrote many books, one in particular called, "A Road Less Traveled" said this when asked if he was depressed to the point of suicide what would he do? He said, "I would go out and help someone, then when I was finished, I would help someone else and on and on until I got the focus off myself." That is the key, too much self focus, too much concern about self esteem. Wo is me, I don't have this, I can't do that, they don't like me, no one loves me ... me, me, me, I, I, I, ... Someone said sin is remove the "s" and "n" out of the word and you get "i".
That said, is that persons focus and faith really in Jesus or is she just so self focused? If she believes the word, God's promise that all things work for good for those who are called to His purpose and for those who love the Lord, then she would be at peace, not a peace that drugs give or the world but the peace and security that Jesus gives. So it's all about Jesus and not me, mine, I, what's in it for me. I am sure there are exceptions to this.
Also I do think people eat terribly and are vitamin and mineral difficient. A deficiency of niacinamide can make you crazy and committed into a insane asylum. So, nutrition (and that means eating what God gave us to eat), not all these processed foods filled with junk, deep fried and sugared to the hilt, is essential for all around health, including mental health.