Why should a christian NOT commit suicide?

[Widlast]

I've known a number of Christians who suffered serious depression and felt themselves to be in great despair.
If, during one of these times, they had taken an overdose to try to escape their pain, would God have condemned them to hell? If someone is in a deep depression, they may not believe God loves and is with them anyway, and won't be able to feel his presence. That is hell; never mind after death, they are experiencing that already.

I've also known quite a few (too damn many actually) people with emotional problems. The one constant I have noted with all of them is their incessant focus on self. If they could, for just a little while, think about ANYTHING OTHER THAN THEMSELVES, they would be much happier.

 

[teresa]

Thank you everyone for helping

 

[stanria]

do you mean chapter 4 of Job?

yep

 

[Strong in Him]

I've also known quite a few (too damn many actually) people with emotional problems. The one constant I have noted with all of them is their incessant focus on self. If they could, for just a little while, think about ANYTHING OTHER THAN THEMSELVES, they would be much happier.

But that's what depression is; an inability to do that.

Look at Elijah; he'd just won a stunning victory over the "god" Baal, and shown without doubt that the Lord was in control. What happened then? he ran away, said that he wanted to die and told God that he was the only one [prophet] left and that they wanted to kill him.
I don't know why or how, but it seems he had become depressed - or was so paralysed by fear that he couldn't think straight. He wasn't the only prophet in Israel, and must have known that. He had just seen God act and provide and yet he still said that to God - twice.

People with depression - real depression, not just feeling cheesed off/sorry for yourself - cannot "pull themselves together", or believe that they can be happy.

 

[AllIsrael]

Can you please provide scriptural support for the varying rewards in heaven concept. Thanks.

1 Corinthians 3. Some works of Christians will have the value of gold, some the value of silver, some the value of precious stones, and some the value of wood, hay, or stubble. All the works we Christians do will be tried in fire. The people whose works that survive the fire will be rewarded. The people whose works don't survive the fire will suffer loss, BUT THEY WILL BE SAVED. There is a difference between being rewarded with salvation and being rewarded for one's works. All are saved by God's grace. But after that God looks at what we've done as His saved children and will give rewards according to our works.

 

[GodB4S]

Jesus said, "If ye love me, keep my commandment."...this he said before the "New Testament" was written... John wrote before the "New Testament", and made part of it, "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous."... "Old Testament" said,"I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: That thou mayst love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob to give them."...Israel is the olive tree and we are the wild olive branch grafted in. If we have a testament with the LORD then we need to be grafted in with Israel and keep the LORD's commandments...the law was made for man, not man for the law...the law is for our blessings...choose life and more abundant life!

 

[Bill22054]

If a christian kills himself, he still goes to heaven, right? If God truly forgave him and accepted him in his kingdom, he won't change his mind later. Even if a sin like self-murder is commited.

So, other than perhaps not being a usable tool in God's earthly projects (such as bringing others to christ), and perhaps bearing a bad testimony to those left behind, why shouldn't a child of God prematurely die (that is, not by a "natural" cause, but by a willful choice)? I understand the motives may be selfish, but still.

If we will die anyways, and if we'll go to heaven anyways, then what's wrong with hastening it? Selfishly speaking, it only seems advantageous. Are there only altruistic reasons for not doing it?

Thoughts?

 

[savchambo]

 

[savchambo]

God is with Christians. We don't kill ourselves.

Totally not true.
Just because we're Christians doesnt mean we dont get suicidal or cant have depression.
Ive struggled with depression my whole life and have been in and out of hospitals due to suicide attempts for years.
To say that if we kills ourselves we must not be a Christian is just plain not true.

 

[Bill22054]

I am a Christian and bi-polar and on medication. It is a mental illness and has played havoc with my life. While my parents and brothers are millionaires and have great marriages and their kids adore them, I have struggled in my career and my relationship with my wife and kids. Ironically, my entire family considers me as by far the brightest and the most personable, the one seemed most destined for success. I have had a very difficult life, yet, am doing far better them most people I have met with this illness whose lives are hopeless mess. A key symptom of Bi-polar is an inability to read situations properly. It is a form of insanity. We often see our situation as catastrophic and completely hopeless where it may not be. Suicide, which is irrational and incomprehensible to a "sane" person seems logical and even necessary. God has created for us a life that has no purpose or usefulness. Off medication, I saw myself as destroying everything around me, sucking the life out of those I loved, alienated and alone with no future or hope. Like Saul, the failed King on the losing battlefield, suicide was the logical end. I do not know why God made me this way, but He did. I was the pallbearer at the funeral of a bi-polar friend who killed himself at age 35, leaving a wife and young child. When his mother asked me if he was in hell, I told her that he died of a disease and is no more in hell than someone who died of cancer.

 

[jerry kelso]

1 Corinthians 3. Some works of Christians will have the value of gold, some the value of silver, some the value of precious stones, and some the value of wood, hay, or stubble. All the works we Christians do will be tried in fire. The people whose works that survive the fire will be rewarded. The people whose works don't survive the fire will suffer loss, BUT THEY WILL BE SAVED. There is a difference between being rewarded with salvation and being rewarded for one's works. All are saved by God's grace. But after that God looks at what we've done as His saved children and will give rewards according to our works.

all Israel,

1. 1 Corinthians 3 was works building on the foundation of the church.
Committing suicide would not seem to be directly building on the foundation of Christ unless the argument made is being the wrong type of example of a Christian and would not be showing faith which would not be pleasing God.
The defilement of the body is a separate context but could be a continuation of building on the foundation of the church. Either way it would seem to be more direct about suicide being a defilement of the body, though most might believe that defilement would better fit a sexual sin like fornication etc.

2. It appears that suicide is wrong and as a general rule I don't disagree, so the question is, is there an exception?
Would a chemical imbalance be the exception of which I believe I understand somewhat and would it depend on what leads to the chemical imbalance.
In some of those with mental conditions have been caused by sin but this would not fit every single person.
Those with physical disease impairment may be different.
An example would be like an alcoholic sober enough to be repentant and then have a relapse physically that would cause him to be impaired to commit suicide because of the condition being so progressed. I have to go but it is an observation of food for thought. Jerry kelso

 

[itsmrjacobs]

If a christian kills himself, he still goes to heaven, right? If God truly forgave him and accepted him in his kingdom, he won't change his mind later. Even if a sin like self-murder is commited.

So, other than perhaps not being a usable tool in God's earthly projects (such as bringing others to christ), and perhaps bearing a bad testimony to those left behind, why shouldn't a child of God prematurely die (that is, not by a "natural" cause, but by a willful choice)? I understand the motives may be selfish, but still.

If we will die anyways, and if we'll go to heaven anyways, then what's wrong with hastening it? Selfishly speaking, it only seems advantageous. Are there only altruistic reasons for not doing it?

Thoughts?

What about...you know...a reason to not kill yourself is because you'll be dead? Doesn't matter if it's believer or unbeliever. Not quite sure I fully understand your question because if it's about being a "usable tool" I know a lot of self-proclaiming Christians that are very much alive and do nothing.

 

[Rescued One]

Totally not true.
Just because we're Christians doesnt mean we dont get suicidal or cant have depression.
Ive struggled with depression my whole life and have been in and out of hospitals due to suicide attempts for years.
To say that if we kills ourselves we must not be a Christian is just plain not true.

I agree that Christians can have depression. Then we pray for God's guidance. In some cases, God might want you on medication because there is something your body needs just as we need certain minerals and vitamins in our diets to stay physically healthy. If you love God, you want to obey Him. If you trust God to care for you in all circumstances, you tell Satan to leave and stop whispering thoughts of suicide. You tell your doctor that the medication is inadequate.

Have you killed yourself? The answer is, "No."

Mark 9:24
And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.

1 Peter 5
7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

Isaiah 26
3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

Luke 18 KJV
1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;

Luke 18 NIV
1 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.

James 5
16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

17 Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.

18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.

Do you believe God answers prayer? Do you believe God cares?
I believe that. There were times I wanted Him to let me die. But His will for my life is more important than my will.

Isaiah 55
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

God's will is that you live! If it was not His will, you wouldn't be here. God bless you --- He loves you!

 

[Rescued One]

Bill22054,
Christians who have the slightest understanding of bipolar disorder have compassion and concern for those who are afflicted with it. Jesus wants us to love you. If we don't love you, we are guilty of sin and aren't even Christians.

I will pray for you! Because I could forget, I'm going to make a little sign and put it on my wall.

Love in Christ,

Phoebe Ann

 

[Rescued One]

itsmrjacobs,
Welcome to CF!

 

[JohnKing67]

Suicide is murder and sin. However, not the unforgiveable sin.

Ok, but how would a person go about repenting of this sin when they just ended their life?

 

[AllIsrael]

If a christian kills himself, he still goes to heaven, right? If God truly forgave him and accepted him in his kingdom, he won't change his mind later. Even if a sin like self-murder is commited.

So, other than perhaps not being a usable tool in God's earthly projects (such as bringing others to christ), and perhaps bearing a bad testimony to those left behind, why shouldn't a child of God prematurely die (that is, not by a "natural" cause, but by a willful choice)? I understand the motives may be selfish, but still.

If we will die anyways, and if we'll go to heaven anyways, then what's wrong with hastening it? Selfishly speaking, it only seems advantageous. Are there only altruistic reasons for not doing it?

Thoughts?

Well, it could be that your own words are the ones God might use in making his decision. “Sin” of “self-murder”. Christians are called to stop sinning, and that would include murder. Jesus paid the price for us to be forgiven our sin by suffering a brutal death on the cross – which is good to forgive even the sin of murder. Actual Christians grasp that God’s love for us is deep, so deep that he would give his life for ours, so that we can have life. Without his sacrifice for us on the cross, we could not have life. So, your sin of self-murder, while knowing God’s kindnesses toward you, does not bode well for your future.

Also, God might use your words, “selfishly speaking” as well. He might question you, “After my son was brutally beaten for you so I could save you, why did you so selfishly throw away the life I have given you?” I presume your answer would be what you said in your post. “It seemed advantageous.” Advantageous to you, maybe, but certainly not to God. And he is the one who matters most.

Have you heard about the man to whom God gave a talent and wanted him to go out and use it for God’s purposes? The man feared God’s judgment and hid the talent, not using it. This very much is akin to throwing away a life to suicide. When the man’s day of judgment came, with his awareness that he had refused to use the talent God gave him, he came up short and God cast him into outer darkness. Matt. 25:30.

I’ve spent many nights for many years imagining me blowing my brains out in various fits of depression. What kept me from it was the fear of God. Such a sin I knew might keep me out of the kingdom of God. I knew his anger would be aroused by taking such a foolish act of destroying the life God gave me. One of the Proverbs says that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. My initial fear of God saved me from such a rash decision. By not caving in to my own self-pity, God over time has healed my mind and heart, and I give him the praise and glory for making the best years of my life be the here and now.

The reason for not committing suicide is that God commands it. Deut. 30:16 “Choose life, so that you may live.” Jesus said “If you love me, keep my commandments.” Obedience to God is what Christians are called to do. Blatantly defying him by committing suicide in my opinion, and based on God's word, would not be wise. Jesus also said, “He who would give up his life for my sake shall find it.” In this case, giving up the idea of suicide and trading it in for the question of How can I serve God today? is the more sensible thing to do. It also helps you to learn how to love your neighbor, which we are commanded to do.

 

[Strong in Him]

I agree that Christians can have depression. Then we pray for God's guidance.

The point is that someone with depression may be totally unable to pray for God's guidance. They may, from what I've heard, even feel that God has abandoned them. That's not true, obviously, but may well seem true, and real, to them.

 

[Rescued One]

The point is that someone with depression may be totally unable to pray for God's guidance. They may, from what I've heard, even feel that God has abandoned them. That's not true, obviously, but may well seem true, and real, to them.

Then God isn't helping the person who is one of His sheep or the person isn't His sheep.

 

[Strong in Him]

Then God isn't helping the person who is one of His sheep or the person isn't His sheep.

Sorry, but I think that's rather a glib response and shows little understanding of the nature of depression.

Sometimes a person may use the word "depressed" when what they in fact mean is that they feel low, unhappy or upset. These feelings may be very real, and unpleasant, but will probably be temporary. They may disappear after a good night's sleep, a chat, or time of prayer with a friend, or practicing a hobby or pleasant activity.

Clinical depression is a chemical imbalance in the brain. It requires medical treatment and intervention. It is just as much an illness as migraine, chicken pox or cancer. Would you tell a Christian with cancer that if they weren't cured, they had never really been one of God's sheep and he wasn't helping them? Was John Wimber not really a Christian because he had a brain haemorrhage?
I'm guessing that you wouldn't say this to, or about, such people - so why say it about someone with depression?