Suicide - What does the Bible say?

Oldmantook said:

Sorry, but that is not the biblical definition of repentance as ending one's life in desparation is by no means descriptive of repentance.

Click to expand...

Was i really that unclear?
I meant, a Christian, who repented from his sinful nature, who has turned from the flesh, who's faith is in God, being so miserable that he chooses, in desperation obviously, to end his life in the flesh.
Obviously that person can not repent of suicide in the mortal flesh.
But is it an unpardonable sin anyway? Is it a sin at all to succumb to your misery and choose to end the suffering, when God does not intervene ?

Hieronymus said:

Was i really that unclear?
I meant, a Christian, who repented from his sinful nature, who has turned from the flesh, who's faith is in God, being so miserable that he chooses, in desperation obviously, to end his life in the flesh.
Obviously that person can not repent of suicide in the mortal flesh.
But is it an unpardonable sin anyway? Is it a sin at all to succumb to your misery and choose to end the suffering, when God does not intervene ?

Click to expand...

Yes.

Oldmantook said:

Yes.

Click to expand...

Why?

Hieronymus said:

Why?

Click to expand...

Can you point out any scriptures in either the OT or the NT where suicide was an acceptable outcome to God? If you can find any, then your belief may have some merit but there are no such scriptures. Instead what you find are scriptures which call on the saints to persevere, overcome and hold on to the faith no matter what hardships in life they encounter.
"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us." Rom 8:18
"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” Rom 8:35-36
"Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated—of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth." Heb 11:35-38

Reading about these women in Heb 11, if anyone had a reason to commit suicide, these women certainly did. Instead of committing suicide they chose to live and persevere and faithfully leave the results up to God. Their examples were given to us as models to emulate. Suicide is never given as an option for the believer.

Many theologians and religions adamantly have long dismissed any suggestion that the resurrection of the unrighteous may include those who commit suicide. As far as the ones who took their own lives, we humans cannot judge as to whether they will get a resurrection or not. I am only aware of four instances-in the Bible-where suicide is mentioned: 1 Samuel 31:17; 2 Samuel 17:23; 1 Kings 16:8-20; Matthew 27:5. As for Judas, we can discern that there will be no resurrection hope. See Mark 14:21; John 17:12; Hebrews 10:26.

Life is a gift from God, not something to be abused or to end at one’s own hand. (James 1:17) Hence, the Scriptures encourage us to see ourselves, not as immortal souls, but as valuable creations of the God who loves us, who treasures our being alive, and who looks forward with joy to the time of the resurrection. (Job 14:14, 15) Almighty God, having paid “a ransom in exchange for many,” is within his right to extend mercy, even to some self-murderers, by resurrecting them and giving them the precious opportunity to “repent and turn to God by doing works that befit repentance.”-Acts 26:20.

Granted, one who takes his own life deprives themselves of the opportunity to repent of their self-murder. But who can say whether one driven to suicide might have had a change of heart had his fatal attempt failed? Some notorious murderers have, in fact, changed and earned God’s forgiveness during their lifetimes. (2 Kings 21:16; 2 Chronicles 33:12, 13) They, like us, will still need the “ransom” to lift ourselves to perfection; and, judgment will be determined by what we do after the resurrection is complete.-1 John 4:8-10.

While suicide is never righteous and cannot be justified, it is comforting to remember that the future prospects of our loved ones rest with a God who fully understands that weaknesses and frailties such as mental illness, extreme stress, depression, and genetic defects could push one to such desperate action. He “well knows the formation of us, remembering that we are dust.” (Psalm 103:11-14) God alone searches “all hearts and every inclination of the thoughts.” (1 Chronicles 28:9) But we may be confident that “the Judge of all the earth is going to do what is loving, just, and right.”-Genesis 18:25.

The apostle Paul did hold out a beautiful hope for even some unrighteous ones. As he told a Roman court of law: “I have hope toward God…that there is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous.”-Acts 24:15.

Oldmantook said:

Can you point out any scriptures in either the OT or the NT where suicide was an acceptable outcome to God? If you can find any, then your belief may have some merit but there are no such scriptures.

Click to expand...

i think we both can't point out Scripture to make a solid case.

Instead what you find are scriptures which call on the saints to persevere, overcome and hold on to the faith no matter what hardships in life they encounter.

Click to expand...

That's true.

Mark51 said:

Granted, one who takes his own life deprives themselves of the opportunity to repent of their self-murder.

Click to expand...

I think you're forgetting maybe how sorry a person is to commit suicide.
It's not exactly something you're careless about, obviously.
It's deeply sad and it's total desperation.

Mark51 said:

While suicide is never righteous and cannot be justified, it is comforting to remember that the future prospects of our loved ones rest with a God who fully understands that weaknesses and frailties such as mental illness, extreme stress, depression, and genetic defects could push one to such desperate action. He “well knows the formation of us, remembering that we are dust.” (Psalm 103:11-14) God alone searches “all hearts and every inclination of the thoughts.” (1 Chronicles 28:9) But we may be confident that “the Judge of all the earth is going to do what is loving, just, and right.”-Genesis 18:25.

The apostle Paul did hold out a beautiful hope for even some unrighteous ones. As he told a Roman court of law: “I have hope toward God…that there is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous.”-Acts 24:15.

Click to expand...

I don't know if the context of the Acts passage you cited is a hopeful one as the righteous are resurrected unto life but the unrighteous are resurrected unto spiritual death. Nonetheless, what you say regarding suicide is true regarding the extent of suffering that these go through leading them to commit suicide which makes the topic of suicide a thorny issue. A person who lives a hellish life on earth ends his/her suffering by suicide only to end up in the lake of fire. That irony doesn't sit well with most. What is even more distressing is that "they, too, will drink the wine of God's fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. They will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb" (Rev 14:10). Here we find a description of Jesus being present in the lake of fire with those who are being tormented. What purpose would it serve for Jesus and the angels to be present? Would that not only increase the suffering and the anguish of those being tormented? That would be like throwing salt into a wound which to me at least, doesn't fit with God's character. For example, a high-school student has been bullied for several years in school; commits suicide and ends up in the lake of fire. Is Jesus with him in the lake of fire to add to his suffering or is Jesus there to give him comfort/hope in the midst of his suffering. The former option is high-school all over again except exponentially worse. I hope it is that latter based on the character of God and the fact that he desires that no one will perish but all would come to him. That brings up the question of whether the lake of fire exists to torment all who go there for eternity or it exists as a temporal place for chastisement until such people repent and are saved. That is another subject (Universalism) altogether and better left to discuss on another thread but also pertinent to the subject of suicide as it gives hope both to those one who commit suicide and those loved ones left behind who wonder about their fate.

Lilly54 said:

I believe the soul of one who takes their own life is in eternal torment. That person will not go to heaven. Am I right? Or wrong? It's just my understanding.

I want to know what the scriptures say. I have an atheist friend who says how can God, if he exists, and who is a loving God, possibly condemn a person to eternal damnation because they were in such pain they chose suicide? I replied that the person condemned themselves. God does not punish, people punish themselves. Am I right?

So, to settle the argument, what is the teaching of the Bible on suicide and the fate of said souls please?

Click to expand...

When I was a member of the Moravian Church, on a Sunday afternoon I was in a Fellowship Hall with three Moravian ministers. They were looking for a verse in the Bible that addresses the question of suicide. They could not find one. They had concordances, Bible commentaries and all the study aids that modern ministers have. They still could not find any verse in the Bible that says anything about suicide.

Since the Scripture is silent, we should refrain from judging.

Suicide should not be encouraged but once it happens we don't have any ground to condemn the individual.

Dave G. said:

Well Lilly the fact of the matter is the bible doesn't mention suicide but of course does mention that we shall not kill. Did you read the article I posted back on the first page ?

Click to expand...

"Thou shalt not kill" means "Thou shalt not commit murder."
This commandment isn't intended to deal with suicide and it tells us nothing about suicide.

Consider how Samson died (Judges 16:19-31).

Should we accuse Samson of sin because he took his own life, along with the lives of his enemies? Should we accuse Yahweh because He answered his prayer and assisted him?

"Sin is the transgression of the law" (1 John 3:4).

Yahushua Christ was angry with scribes and Pharisees for adding to the Law of Yahweh. Even such a seemingly innocent one as washing your hands before eating (Matthew 15).

I believe it's good to discourage selfish suicide, but you can see how teaching it's a sin will lead to unrighteousness.


Praise יהוה!

I think your right they do go to hell. If someone takes his life hes dying in sin. The bible does say we should not commit murder. When someone commits suicide his murdering himself. They go to hell. If someone wants to die its better if he prays for God to take his life so he doesn't end up in hell if somebody commits suicide and cuts his wrist and asked God to forgive them before they die I think they will go to heaven.