wondering about suicide and how God views it?

[SonOfThunder]

hello to those that know me and remember the posts here in the Baptist section.

I think most people contemplate suicide at times in their lives. This made me think about Scripture and if indeed those that go further ruin their chance of eternal life?

We have a God that is full of love, and mercy that none shall perish. If we fail mentally and find the pressures too much and go onto suicide how does God view this?

I realise this is a sensitive topic for those that may have lost someone to suicide, we are NOT GOD, and do not stand in judgement for God but this difficult question remains in my mind.

James

 

[John Spong is wrong]

If we fail mentally and find the pressures too much and go onto suicide how does God view this?

He views it as a tragedy which breaks His heart.

Most assuredly, the believer's salvation is NOT affected. I knew of a beautiful Christian mother once - suicided due to PND.

 

[Sword-In-Hand]

I heard a pastor say this once and I agree. Suicide is a "work" and works can't get someone saved or "unsave" someone so to speak. Salvations is salvation, which is eternal.

But on the other hand, if I was talking to someone who was on the brink of suicide I probably wouldn't tell them that they would still be going to heaven, because I don't believe God wants anyone to kill themselves. God can bring about a new day no matter the circumstances.

 

[newbeliever02072005]

.......I realise this is a sensitive topic for those that may have lost someone to suicide, we are NOT GOD, and do not stand in judgement for God but this difficult question remains in my mind.

James

May I ask why you want to know about this subject? Are you ok?

 

[aReformedPatriot]

I think God views it as an abomination, much like murder because the offender takes it upon himself to destroy the creation of God and the image of God in the person who dies before the appointed time.

I cannot give an answer one way or the other as to the status of those who claim Christ but kill themself.

Good to see you around SoT!
Hope all is well with you

 

[micro]

Does anyone have scripture? I cant form an opinion on my own. I need to see what God says about it! I always back my opinions with fact!

 

[Terri]

James, I personally know how strong the desire to leave this world can be when life is soooooo painful.

I myself at this point have been looking for a loophole--something that will say that it is alright to take my own life. But, I haven't been able to find one.

One of the few times that God has spoken to me was when I was sitting in my car, in a closed garage with the engine running. I said, "Lord here I come and I trust you to take care of me." The Lord simply said, "How can you trust me in death and not in life?" And, I felt His pain when He said it. He felt heart broken. And feeling His pain broke my heart and I couldn't continue with it.

So, I definitely understand the desire to leave this world, but it does break God's heart because we are basically saying that we don't trust Him to see us through whatever we are going through.

I recently had surgery and I have to take one little pill everyday for the rest of my life or I will die. I'm at this point trying to figure out if not taking that pill amounts to suicide. I guess people in pain are always looking for a loophole. But, I think sometimes the pain can keep us from thinking clearly.

I pray James that you will trust that our Dear Heavenly Father will take care of you in life.

 

[Uphill Battle]

It's probably good that scripture is silent on the matter.... can you IMAGINE the trail of christians jumping of of cliffs lemminglike if the bible said "yeah, you go to heaven if you off yourself." On the other hand, it doesn't take away the hope of those who have had a saved love one succumb to the pressures of this life. there is no "commit suicide, straight to hell for you" scripture either. A case where scriptural ambiguity is a good thing.

Paul himself stated that he "longed to depart and be with Christ." this suggests that he believed he could "pull the trigger" and still go to heaven. ( I doubt he would consider it if he believed hell was the destination on the other end of a noose.) but he DID state that is was for him to remain, to work for Christ. That is what is expected of us all.

After rereading that, I fail to see how I've been much help!

 

[JPPT1974]

As someone who has tried mulitple times on committing suicide, I stopped very, very short of it.
Because the Almighty may have had a hand in stopping me.
Because He has a plan and purpose in my life.
Also your body is a temple of God's.
By killing yourself, it ruins not just His temple for you but also the plans and purpose that he wanted or wants to give to you.

 

[McWilliams]

It is a terrible sin, worthy of God's wrath and eternal punishment! However, when that person comes before God's judgment throne, then God, being the merciful God that He is, has the option of viewing that heart and being merciful, if He chooses to! He is our righteous judge and is all powerful! The options are His and He alone knows and reads hearts!

That view has been the most helpful and compassionate to me, the mother of one who took his life. God is merciful and gracious!

 

[McWilliams]

Actually its a sin of despair. Christians are not to give in to the sin of despair as their hope is in Christ! He died for our sin, that we would live in the fullness of life for Him. Living the christian life can be really hard but the blessings and rewards for being and overcomer, and continuing to persevere are eternal life with Christ! Wondrous things to consider and to help us avoid the pitfalls of sinful thinking! Live for Him, He died for you! Our trials and hardships are the training ground for growth. We could never attain the heights if we stayed in the pleasant valleys! We must always be growing, learning of Him!

 

[12volt_man]

hello to those that know me and remember the posts here in the Baptist section.

I think most people contemplate suicide at times in their lives. This made me think about Scripture and if indeed those that go further ruin their chance of eternal life?

We have a God that is full of love, and mercy that none shall perish. If we fail mentally and find the pressures too much and go onto suicide how does God view this?

I realise this is a sensitive topic for those that may have lost someone to suicide, we are NOT GOD, and do not stand in judgement for God but this difficult question remains in my mind.

James

If somebody is saved, then they're saved.

Ruth Bell Graham said it best concerning suicide: "God may not have called that child of His home, but He will welcome that child of His home."

For me, I have to believe that sin requires a volitional choice to violate God's laws and I just can't believe that anyone who commits suicide does so under anything other than severe emotional duress.

God, being a loving and just God, has to take that into account.

 

[SonOfThunder]

If somebody is saved, then they're saved.

Knowing you are saved forever would be very nice and I know a lot believe that you can not undo salvation or earn it. That has been debated on and off for ages. security of salvation or osas (once saved always saved). For me that security remains a mystery and I'm not sure I will ever have peace on that isssue of security in salvation.

For me, I have to believe that sin requires a volitional choice to violate God's laws and I just can't believe that anyone who commits suicide does so under anything other than severe emotional duress.

God, being a loving and just God, has to take that into account.

This comment is very good, the will to live is in us all, it is inbuilt, muchlike how we duck down with a loud bang, look startled and the heart races. All us us desire to live, at times people also desire to die and thats when the severe emotional distress starts to control the reasonable functions of the mind.

Can a person at this stage pray effectively? someone mentioned it is a sin to allow thoughts like this to take control. For me, I got so flat that my mind was numb to rationalize, or even to think. You become tunnel visioned and can't function in the pit of depression.

Now I am through that, and No, I didn't attempt suicide) it scares me and I am now thinking properly and wonder about suicide and GOD.

He knows us insideout, can He interceed when we are numb? or does God always wait for our will to allow that?

James

 

[carmi]

He knows us insideout, can He interceed when we are numb? or does God always wait for our will to allow that?

James

This verse came to my mind

[BIBLE]Romans 8:26[/BIBLE]

I know He knows our hearts and minds better than we do. I do believe that prayers that I never asked (or asked anybody else to pray for me) were answered.

 

[MrJim]

 

[Bill777]

Suicide is a serious sin. I believe it amounts to a rejection of God's grace. God gave us life on earth, if we reject the precious life that God gave us we are truly rejecting him.

I can't recall the bible talking about suicide, other than Judas Iscariot. One would have to think that God has widrawn his grace from those that commit suicide if we go by Judas example.

Can you be saved and commit suicide? If I had to guess I would say no. Suicide can never be the fruit of the spirit. However, God only judges, and because the bible is so silent about suicide it is not advisable to inquire into it that much. I think Paul mentions that fornication is the only sin against our own body, why didn't he mention suicide? If our bodies are the temple of the holy spirit, suicide certainly kills the body and would be a serious sin. Yet the apostle Paul never mentions it as a sin.

 

[Bill777]

Suicide is a serious sin. I believe it amounts to a rejection of God's grace. God gave us life on earth, if we reject the precious life that God gave us we are truly rejecting him.

I can't recall the bible talking about suicide, other than Judas Iscariot. One would have to think that God has widrawn his grace from those that commit suicide if we go by Judas example.

Can you be saved and commit suicide? If I had to guess I would say no. Suicide can never be the fruit of the spirit. However, God only judges, and because the bible is so silent about suicide it is not advisable to inquire into it that much. I think Paul mentions that fornication is the only sin against our own body, why didn't he mention suicide? If our bodies are the temple of the holy spirit, suicide certainly kills the body and would be a serious sin. Yet the apostle Paul never mentions it as a sin.

Actually, God just spoke to me. Suicide is a violation of God's command "Thou shall not kill". Based on this I can't think of somebody that would commit suicide that would go to heaven. Then again God judges, not me, but it clearly appears that suicide is a violation of the 10 commandments, specifically the commandment that says "You shall not kill".

 

[agkitty]

There is only one unforgivable sin. We need to keep in our mind that we humans weigh and measure sin, God doesn't, sin is sin in His eyes. Do you think a lie you told is less of a sin to God, than a person who molests a child? That is a slippery slope that has gotten our society to where it is now, but that is another thread. Now as for suicide, I can totally understand why someone would be close to wanting to jump the bridge, ya know? But, only the Lord knows that persons heart, and if that person were sincere when they chose Christ, then salvation is mercy and grace, and like someone wrote before, eternal, and not a human "work". Regardless of what you do, or the work. Was it Peter or Paul who wrote that because we have forgiveness does that give us a license to sin? No. However, we are living offerings, which means we can crawl off the alter, and some of us stray so far, we forget how to get back, and feel desperate for an "out". For some the "out' can be porn, drugs, sexual immoraltiy, or suicide. God can forgive any of these if we know Christ as savior, even if we did stray. The only unforgivable sin you ask? Never embracing Jesus as savior, if someone never accepts, and commits suicide they are just as doomed to hell as the person who spent their whole life doing "good", works doesn't save, Jesus does, no matter what we do here on this earth in the meantime.

 

[blessedmomof5]

HHMMMMM????? I always thought that a christian was washed by the blood of jesus who died on the cross for all our sins, so they are forgotten forever? so to me that would mean that when we meet the almighty maker those and all sin is not to be remembered no more.Just a thought. a sin is a sin is a sin none is worse then another.

 

[SonOfThunder]

When depression hits a person for whatever reasons be it chemical imbalance or causitive there is one lable that gets put on by doctors and that is it is an illness and control has gone from the humnan body/mind. Anyone suffering depression will tell you that they spiralled out of control and were no longer able to function logically or reasonsably.

Having said that I wonder about God and His grace for those type of people who fall under this tag of depression. Sure we can look at it as a sin, thats why Jesus came to free us of the burden of sin. Sure we can also view the commandment 'thou shalt not kill' as God's will for us as individuals, yet how many of us break those commandments and still obtain his mercy and favour with salvation?

He wants perfect peace for us as individuals, sometimes to a mind that is depressed that can seem like peace is obtained in death alone.

For those that have lost someone to suicide I am so sorry for your loss, deep down I know we have a loving forgiving God full of mercy for us.

James