Will you really go to hell if you commit suicide?

[Arc F1]

Hi Everyone,

I know this question has been asked a million times so thank you for answering if you do.

So if you commit suicide, will you got hell? And can you point me to passages in the Bible where this is talked about, especially about the hell part?

My daughter's father commited suicide years ago and I would like to know how to answer this when it comes up. I am also curious to know myself. It haunts me to think of him being in hell, however, don't sugar coat it for me. Tell me the truth because I really need to know the truth. Thank you.

I've been looking into it myself. I'm coming up on the one year mark of my brother committing suicide.

 

[The Barbarian]

We can never say with confidence who will be saved or who will not. Suicide is a very serious sin, a loss of confidence in God. Usually. Depends on the circumstances.

John 15:13 (ESV) Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.

Maxmillian Kolbe, who volunteered to die in place of another prisoner in a Nazi concentration camp, willfully ended his life to save another. That is as far from sin as one can be.

And one's mental state counts. A severely-depressed person may not have the necessary presence of mind to commit a sin.

The only answer we can give is "it depends."

 

[Celticroots]

Hi OP,

First off my condolences on your loss as well as your daughter's.

I too have lost someone to suicide so this is a personal topic for me.

No, I don't believe suicide is a one way ticket to Hell. It's understood now (by most people) that suicide is the result of mental illness-depression, bipolar, schizophrenia, whatever.

And not all mental illnesses are easily cured and may be recurring through out a person's life. They may have taken action to get help-medication, therapy, yet still be stuck with unrelenting mental health struggles, none of which are their fault.

Some say it's a sin because " do not murder." Well there's the motive. There is a vast difference between callously killing someone and taking one's own life because depression has clouded the ability to reason clearly.

Then there's "well they can't ask for forgiveness before they do it because that's hypocritical."

How. Dare. You.

You don't know what went on during the last moments of someone in what felt like excruciating pain. You don't know what drove them to this act. How do you know they didn't call out to God, accepting Jesus and asking for forgiveness? And God, being all knowing would know that depression is an illness that isn't always easily treated and that no sane person would ever want.

To the OP, only God knows, however, please trust in the Lord's compassion and mercy. Please understand that He knew that your daughter's father was suffering from mental illness (maybe brought on by the physical pain) and that he was not thinking rationally when he made the decision he did.

Also, please do not despair if your daughter's father may not have been a Christian in his life. He may very well have called on Christ in the last moment's of his life.

God knew his heart and will not turn away anyone who comes to Him, regardless of the circumstance. Including that man.

 

[Jamdoc]

I agree to disagree .... important to take the whole of scripture whenever possible ... not just one verse .... I encourage people to study or re-study this out for themselves.

I do take scripture as a whole, that is why I make a distinction, that the body sleeps but the soul is with the Lord, because there is a lot of scripture referring to dead people as being asleep, but there is also scripture about souls being absent from the body and present with the Lord.
I can't just do a mathematical calculation and say that scripture is a democracy and over 51% of the scripture referring to death says sleep so it is therefore soul sleep while throwing out the rest.

 

[Victor in Christ]

Will you really go to hell if you commit suicide?

I believe you will. You'll have murdered yourself and your testimony will be of none effect on this Earth and will then not glorify the saints and angels in heaven. What is bound in Earth will be bound in Heaven.

 

[Redwingfan9]

Hi Everyone,

I know this question has been asked a million times so thank you for answering if you do.

So if you commit suicide, will you got hell? And can you point me to passages in the Bible where this is talked about, especially about the hell part?

My daughter's father commited suicide years ago and I would like to know how to answer this when it comes up. I am also curious to know myself. It haunts me to think of him being in hell, however, don't sugar coat it for me. Tell me the truth because I really need to know the truth. Thank you.

You go to Hell if you aren't a Christian, saved by God's grace alone. The notion that Christians don't commit suicide is absurd. In this fallen world, unfortunately, Christians engage in every sin imaginable. David committed adultery. He never ceased being a believer. Peter denied Christ and did not trust him repeatedly. He never ceased being saved by grace. We must apply these principles to suicide.

 

[Celticroots]

This is a tough one. If you are truly a Christian, you cannot go to hell. However, would a true Christian commit suicide? Perhaps that is the question. So going to hell because of suicide would not be a punishment for a Christian, but would rather be a possible sign that someone may not be a Christian.

When loneliness, depression, or tough times hit, it’s natural to feel despair. We must remember that these bodies are only tents. Our true home is above and we are here to serve and glorify Christ. We go through despairing times so that we are sanctified and so that we, as God’s agents on Earth, can help others through similar times. We are on a mission here on Earth; it is not about us. The world can make life a real pain and can make it feel like a dreadful nuisance, but please always remember that you are a child of God with an inheritance in heaven. This life is simply a test and a mission so that we can glorify Christ and gain crowns in heaven. Committing suicide for a Christian should never be an option when we have Christ as our Lord and are Have a “children of God” mindset.

Yes, this life drives me nuts and to despair sometimes. But I go to the Psalms and start to read the New Testament through. Try the NIV audible bible. Close your eyes and listen. And pray and absorb His word. This usually gets me to slap myself awake and remind me that Satan has been whispering in my ear again.

Can Christians get physically ill and die? Yes. Can Christians become mentally ill and die?
Again yes.

Suicide is the result of mental illness. Being a Christian does not make someone immune from mental illness.

 

[Strong in Him]

Will you really go to hell if you commit suicide?

I believe you will.

Even a Christian who has been born again, confessed Christ, been serving him but who becomes depressed or mentally ill? And please don't say that's impossible, because it happens.
Nothing can separate us from the love of God.

 

[Victor in Christ]

You go to Hell if you aren't a Christian, saved by God's grace alone. The notion that Christians don't commit suicide is absurd. In this fallen world, unfortunately, Christians engage in every sin imaginable. David committed adultery. He never ceased being a believer. Peter denied Christ and did not trust him repeatedly. He never ceased being saved by grace. We must apply these principles to suicide.

I tried to do it 3 times and if wasn't for the Lord's mercy interceding for me i wouldn't on this forum now and my eyes firmly fixed on Christ/eternity.

 

[Strong in Him]

I've been looking into it myself. I'm coming up on the one year mark of my brother committing suicide.

I'm very sorry to hear that.
Are you ok?

 

[Victor in Christ]

Even a Christian who has been born again, confessed Christ, been serving him but who becomes depressed or mentally ill? And please don't say that's impossible, because it happens.
Nothing can separate us from the love of God.

i had my 3rd temptation of suicide even penned out after accepting Christ. My Lord intervined and i texted a minister who told me to pull back. My father was right beside me and i asked him to shred that letter, so it wasn't to be seen of remember again. I can't thank the Lord enough and the minister who gave me his mobile phone number. Since that, i received blessing upon blessing from the Lord and will never look back.

Let that be a reminder to every member on here and any Christian reading this, please comfort and offer support to someone who has just came to Christ, because Satan will tempt them when their the weakest, he'll even use family members. Please never thing, someone will be ok, make an effort to help them and encourage them in their Faith.

God Bless

 

[Shane R]

No one has mentioned this Scripture yet:

When she heard these things, she was very sorrowful, so that she thought to have strangled herself; and she said, I am the only daughter of my father, and if I do this, it shall be a reproach unto him, and I shall bring his old age with sorrow unto the grave. (Tobit 3:10)
​

There is an interesting element that pops up throughout the Bible from time to time of self pity. This usually takes the form of a lament that it would be better for the speaker to never have been born. Examples would be: Job, Elijah, Tobit, some of the Psalms, etc. At times this developed into despair and that is when we see suicides happening in the Bible.

I do not believe the Scriptures make any clear value judgment on the practice. Those characters who are portrayed in a negative light had other issues (Saul, Judas). What the Scriptures do provide, such as in the passage I quoted above, are cultural judgments of the practice.

​

 

[Victor in Christ]

No one has mentioned this Scripture yet:

When she heard these things, she was very sorrowful, so that she thought to have strangled herself; and she said, I am the only daughter of my father, and if I do this, it shall be a reproach unto him, and I shall bring his old age with sorrow unto the grave. (Tobit 3:10)
​

There is an interesting element that pops up throughout the Bible from time to time of self pity. This usually takes the form of a lament that it would be better for the speaker to never have been born. Examples would be: Job, Elijah, Tobit, some of the Psalms, etc. At times this developed into despair and that is when we see suicides happening in the Bible.

I do not believe the Scriptures make any clear value judgment on the practice. Those characters who are portrayed in a negative light had other issues (Saul, Judas). What the Scriptures do provide, such as in the passage I quoted above, are cultural judgments of the practice.

​

I try to avoid the Apocrypha writings. I know John was given messages in revelation where he was told not to write down. There are things we'll never know in this life, i do believe that committing murder, even committing self-murder is a sin. Now, i will never know until i get to heaven who Christ will Judge as having committed that murder. Christ is the only judge of the heart.

 

[nolidad]

Hi Everyone,

I know this question has been asked a million times so thank you for answering if you do.

So if you commit suicide, will you got hell? And can you point me to passages in the Bible where this is talked about, especially about the hell part?

My daughter's father commited suicide years ago and I would like to know how to answer this when it comes up. I am also curious to know myself. It haunts me to think of him being in hell, however, don't sugar coat it for me. Tell me the truth because I really need to know the truth. Thank you.

 

[nolidad]

Hi Everyone,

I know this question has been asked a million times so thank you for answering if you do.

So if you commit suicide, will you got hell? And can you point me to passages in the Bible where this is talked about, especially about the hell part?

My daughter's father commited suicide years ago and I would like to know how to answer this when it comes up. I am also curious to know myself. It haunts me to think of him being in hell, however, don't sugar coat it for me. Tell me the truth because I really need to know the truth. Thank you.

Haven't read all peoples answers but the biblical answer is no!!!

A person only goes to hell because they have no trusted in the death and physical resurrection of Jesus for their sins. When one becomes a believer, ALL their sins are wiped clean including suicide! Not to encourage or promote it, but no sin can keep a bleiever out of the lake of fire.

 

[Victor in Christ]

Haven't read all peoples answers but the biblical answer is no!!!

A person only goes to hell because they have no trusted in the death and physical resurrection of Jesus for their sins. When one becomes a believer, ALL their sins are wiped clean including suicide! Not to encourage or promote it, but no sin can keep a bleiever out of the lake of fire.

I'm not so sure. We could be guilty of preaching to the masses here by saying its ok and therefore inadvertantly encouraging it. I truly believe its self-murder, but Christ will be the ultimate judge on who caused it.

 

[nolidad]

I'm not so sure. We could be guilty of preaching to the masses here by saying its ok and therefore inadvertantly encouraging it. I truly believe its self-murder, but Christ will be the ultimate judge on who caused it.

We should never preach it is ok to sin! But sin doesn't cause one to be lost if they are saved. A person is lost not because of sin- but because Jesus is no t their Savior!

The end of Romans 5 Paul declared where sin abounds grace does much more abound! Then in romans 6 He tells us that we shouldn't sin so grace can overflow! Grace teaches us to deny ungodliness and live for Him!

 

[Strong in Him]

I'm not so sure. We could be guilty of preaching to the masses here by saying its ok and therefore inadvertantly encouraging it.

I don't believe that anyone who is happy, secure in Christ, knows they are loved and has a good life would be tempted/encouraged to take their own life, even if someone else says it's ok and not a sin - they would simply be too happy, secure etc to do so.
Those who think of taking their own lives are those who are depressed, severely mentally ill, have a terminal illness and/or dreadful circumstances and are in such pain/turmoil that they can see no other way of ending that pain. Even if the reality were that they have friends/family who would be horrified and miss them terribly, they, themselves, really believes that they are a burden on others and that no one would miss them.

If someone were in hell in this life, through no fault of their own, and ended their life, would God condemn them to hell in the next? I don't believe so, personally.

 

[nolidad]

I don't believe that anyone who is happy, secure in Christ, knows they are loved and has a good life would be tempted/encouraged to take their own life, even if someone else says it's ok and not a sin - they would simply be too happy, secure etc to do so.
Those who think of taking their own lives are those who are depressed, severely mentally ill, have a terminal illness and/or dreadful circumstances and are in such pain/turmoil that they can see no other way of ending that pain. Even if the reality were that they have friends/family who would be horrified and miss them terribly, they, themselves, really believes that they are a burden on others and that no one would miss them.

If someone were in hell in this life, through no fault of their own, and ended their life, would God condemn them to hell in the next? I don't believe so, personally.

Strong: People do not get a free pass into heaven because they had an absolutely miserable life here on earth! There is only one way to salvation- to place your trust in the death and physical resurrection of Jesus as the full payment for you r sin! How ones life plays out has nothing to do with salvation.

 

[Strong in Him]

Strong: People do not get a free pass into heaven because they had an absolutely miserable life here on earth!

Never said they did.

There is only one way to salvation- to place your trust in the death and physical resurrection of Jesus as the full payment for you r sin!

I know.

How ones life plays out has nothing to do with salvation.

It does if a person's life has been so awful that they can't "see" God - if they regard "love" as sex or abuse, if they had a dad who was an alcoholic and beat them, and they have no idea what a loving father is like. If someone with that kind of background were to hear the Gospel, they MIGHT not be able to accept; blame God for not stopping the abuse etc - I've heard enough people saying, "if God really loved me, he would/wouldn't have ....."

I haven't had anything like that kind of background, but it took me years to understand, and accept, that God loved me - not because I did anything right with my endless church going, but simply because he created me and he IS love. If I had taken my own life when I was a teenager, or a few years later when I had M.E and lost my job; would I have been saved, even though I didn't fully grasp the Gospel or how much God loved me? I, at least, went to church, read the Bible and prayed - sometimes I was scared of God's disapproval if I didn't.
Some people are so hurt or damaged by their background, or life, that they wouldn't go near a church and might be unable to respond to the Gospel if they heard it.
What would happen then? I don't know; I'm not God. But I trust and know his mercy and love.