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S. Michael Houdmann
Supporter
It is a sad fact that some Christians have committed suicide. Adding to the tragedy is the false teaching that committing suicide automatically consigns one to hell. Many believe that a Christian w...
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Jeanetta Bass
Supporter
In the book Romans Paul was testifying about his struggles. That the law was spiritual holy and good but it was still unbending and unforgiving. The good thingd that he wanted to do he did not do, the bad things he did not want to do he did. And then that great verse of Romans 8:1 Therefore (since) there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus because through Jesus Christ the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. Christians as tormented as some are and commit suicide is still defeated and one spirit is back with the Father awaiting his or her new body
L.S. James
Supporter
The following excerpts are from Jack Kelly at http://gracethrufaith.com/ask-a-bible-teacher/osas-and-suicide/: Jack Kelley is a Christian writer with several books to his credit, including Children’s Stories of the Bible, The Adult Version, Seven Things You Have To Know To Understand End times Prophecy, and The Redeemer. “Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you? God will destroy anyone who destroys this temple. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple. (1 Cor. 3:16-17 NLT) The answer lies in the verse itself. When Paul said “all of you together” he was talking about the whole Church. The Greek word is in the second person plural and literally means “you yourselves”. When he said “temple of God” he was talking about a single structure since the Greek word there is singular. In other words the entire body of believers makes up one temple. We don’t have millions of temples running around, we have millions of components that together make up a single temple. The death of an individual believer, by whatever means, can not destroy the entire Temple. Therefore, these verses do not contradict my view that committing suicide will not cancel a believer’s salvation. Suicide is a form of murder. If God can forgive the murder of another person, how could He not forgive the murder of self? Remember also that when we become believers all the sins of our life are forgiven, past present and future (Col. 2:13-14). That even includes the one we’re no longer alive to seek forgiveness for. ~ Jack Kelly, Another Suicide Question - Gracethrufaith I believe the act of suicide is motivated by a severe demonic oppression that can overpower even a believer. And when it does God knew it would happen before granting the believer’s plea for salvation, and had already extended His forgiveness to cover all the sins of the believer’s life including the last one. ~ Jack Kelly, Once Saved Always Saved and Suicide. If you are truly a born again believer then there’s no sin you can commit that will separate you from God’s love. (Romans 8:38-39). By His one sacrifice He has made all believers perfect forever (Hebr. 10:14). However this should not in any way, shape or form be construed as an endorsement for suicide. When you became a believer you gave control over your life to God. 1 Cor. 6:19-20 says, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.” To me that means that God has the right to end your life but you no longer do. And “God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” (1 Cor 10:13). ~ Jack Kelly, If I Commit Suicide Will I Go To Hell - Gracethrufaith Hebrews 10:12-14 says that Jesus died once for all time. That means all our sins, past present and future were dealt with at the cross. This includes suicide, the last sin of a person’s life. And because God knew all of our sins before we took our first breath it doesn’t take him by surprise if a believer dies at his own hand. He saw it before it happened, took it to the cross with all our other sins, and paid for it there. The only unforgivable sin is to reject the pardon the Lord’s death made available to us, because that’s the only remedy for our sins that God has provided. If we reject that, then we’ve put ourselves outside of God’s forgiveness. ~ Jack Kelly, Is Suicide Forgivable - Gracethrufaith
Linda Davies
Supporter
Dear friends in Christ, I can see that this topic has been under discussion for some time, but there one point of view that I would like to add. My husband and I were Chaplains in the Emergency Services in our city for a number of years. On numerous occasions were called to deal with suicides or suicide attempts. Let me deal first with the "successful" suicides, where death had occurred. Without fail, the devastion of the next of kin was horrifying. In most cases, they never saw it coming and had no idea their loved one was plotting to kill themselves. Most suicides occur in the home and at night. Males are usually violent and either shoot or hang themselves, making it very final, while females tend to overdose or in extreme cases, will jump off a building. In theses cases, our job was to minster to the bereaved families and assist them in every way possible. Sadly, South Africa is a very secular country and in most cases when we enquired if we could contact a family pastor, we would be informed that they had none! This was profoundly sad and added to our task of ministering to these people who did not know Jesus, but in each and every case, they allowed us to pray with them and give them hope for the future. The main point I am making here, is that if anyone reading this is contemplating suicide, stop and think of the devastation you are leaving behind. The people that love you will NEVER have closure over your death, they will always wonder if they could have done something different. Think of the person that will find your body. The horror that they will go through will never leave them, they have to live with that for the remainder of their lives. Please seek help before taking such a drastic step. When we were called to suicide attempts, it was an entirely different ballgame and each case had to managed according to what we found when we arrived at the scene. Some had to be managed in the Emergency Room at the hospital, others at their homes, but we felt strongly that each one needed to be shown God's love no matter what the circumstances were. There were times, I have to confess, that individuals were just being downright selfish and attention-seeking, and a firm hand was needed, followed by appropriate counseling by professionals but generally in our experience, for folks to get to the point of wanting to take such a drastic step, much understanding, care and compassion is needed to help them back on the road to recovery, self-respect and the full and productive life that God has in store for each and every one of His children. Parents of teen children in High School, I say to you, it doesn't matter what side of the ocean we live on, the issues are the same. Pray for your children and watch them carefully for any changes in behavior that might alarm you and follow it up immediately. The Lord bless you. Linda Davies Chaplain (Retired)
Shantkumar S. Kunjam
Supporter
My straightforward answer to this question is, No! The person who commits suicide could have never been a true Christian. His/her whole Christian life was a fake Christianity. By his/her committing suicide this person says his/her final 'No' to God and to all that are Christian. Most probably those who favor the Yes answer would take the case of Samson in Judges 16:28-30 and Hebrews 11:32 in their support. But let us remember that Samson's morality is not a Christian model. Moreover, though his death borders suicide, it is more a military death in a revenge for what the Philistines had done to him and to his people than simply ending his life out of frustration. Other suicides of Saul (1 Sam. 31:4-5) and Judas (Mt. 27:5) are never condoned. In fact Judas is called "the son of perdition" by Jesus our Lord in Jn. 17:12, though he had lived a disciple's life for about 3.5 years. New Testament is straightforward that no murderer will have eternal life. Period! (1 Jn. 3:15). Suicide is extreme murder. Our relatives or friends might have committed suicide, but it does not mean that we must try to justify that suicide. Most probably we will always mourn that death, but let us not, for its sake, dilute the Scriptural teachings.
David Cory Enderby
Supporter
Suicide seems very risky to me. It's obviously a sin, and one that you cannot repent of. I tried to commit suicide twice and through my experience, this is what I believe. If you are dwelling in sin while you commit it, then you are in danger.
Grant Abbott
Supporter
I would like to respond to a recent question that has been merged with the one above: "If suicide is a sin, and I am a born again Christian, my sin of suicide is already forgiven, correct?" This question has 3 clauses and I would like to respond to each one separately. "If suicide is a sin" Yes, suicide is a sin - it is intentionally taking a human life, your own, which is murder. If you are seriously considering suicide then I strongly urge you to seek medical help. You may be suffering from a mental illness for which there is a very treatable solution through counselling and/or a drug therapy. Suffering from an extreme mental health issue that is causing thoughts of suicide is just one example that shows us the plague of sin in our world. This is why Jesus came - to break the power of sin, death and the devil in our lives. I encourage you to ask God to send you to a medical professional who will be able to deliver God's healing mercy into your life. "I am a born again Christian" This phrase commonly refers to someone who has asked Jesus to be their personal saviour and who has been born again by the Holy Spirit coming to live within them. Often a person will recite a "sinner's prayer" or other form of response to a presentation of the gospel and this will be the initial indication they have been saved. However, Jesus said that we will know a tree by its fruit: a good tree will bear good fruit and a bad tree will bear bad fruit. What Jesus means is that we should be able to see lots of examples of good fruit in a person's life if they have been born again (a genuine believer). The most common examples of this fruit include: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. In addition to the above I would add: 1) a deep abiding desire to know God through knowing his word - the bible, 2) an attitude toward life that involves talking to God through prayer about anything and everything that is going on in our own life and in the lives of others we love, 3) a heartfelt desire to connect with the Christian church community for worship - praise & thanksgiving, 4) an abiding hunger to develop close personal friendships with other Christians where you can connect, grow, serve and share your faith, 5) a deep longing to find a place in the church and community where you can serve and love others with the gifts and abilities that God has given you. "my sin of suicide is already forgiven, correct" When Jesus died to pay the penalty for our sins, it includes all our sins - past, present and future. As was mentioned previously, the last sin a person would commit is the sin of suicide. However, this forgiveness only applies to people who have accepted Jesus as their personal Lord and Saviour. If your sin is not covered by the blood of Jesus then you are not saved. If your decision to commit suicide hinges on whether the sin is forgiven or not, please reconsider based on the following. God created you in the first place to bring glory to his name by completing the good works he had already prepared for you before you were conceived. God had already decided the number of days of your life to complete his will for you. The good works you complete in this life have eternal implications. Jesus is going to judge every Christian according to the good works they have done and he will reward each person accordingly for eternity. By choosing to end your life prematurely through suicide you are forgoing the rewards that Jesus has in store for you for the good works that you would have completed in the future until the day that God calls you home. Many people choose to end their life prematurely by neglecting their health (cholesterol, blood pressure, diabetes). This is exactly Satan's plan - to steal, kill and destroy what God has created. But God is making everything new. There are all kinds of medical treatments available for people suffering from various illnesses. Please turn to God and live.
Kelly Adams
Supporter
First of all, I personally struggled with mental illness and being attacked with strong urges to commit suicide. From those experiences God didn’t want me to be in that state. He was still there even in my darkest moments. Suicide isn’t the “most serious sin”, blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is the most serious sin cause there isn’t any forgiveness for that. Two, who really knows where a believer goes after they have committed suicide? I know that the truth is hard to bear if he’ll is the destination. I’m pretty sure if I was going to heaven despite killing my self I would of killed myself a long time ago.From experiences I can say that suicide is against what God stands for, he wants us to live and to deal with what we have to deal with no matter what because he says he himself is with us helping us through it. If it hadn’t been for God I wouldn’t be here. Yes I was born again, mentally ill and been traumatized from my childhood, it really had a long lasting affect on me and God is not too far removed to sit beside us and help us through it all. Is there a heaven, yes, is there a hell, yes, how I know, cause scripture say so. Who really knows where suicide leads, but I wouldn’t do it as a Christian cause you can be wrong and forfeit your eternal life. It’s not worth it. Yeah God loves us, yes nothing can separate His love from us, but, God gives you free will to decide your own fate. He loves the whole world that’s why he died for it but the whole world isn’t going to heaven. So we have to be brutally honest, God still requires holiness and he gives us mercy and grace to help us at our darkest hours, we really have no excuse. Love y’all peace
Shelton Seward
Supporter
It's important to establish from scripture, anyone who sins, scripture says their "soul dies". The state of their "dead soul" is stated to be "Sheol" “Behold, all souls are Mine; The soul of the father, As well as the soul of the son is Mine; The soul who sins SHALL DIE. (Ezekiel 18:4). What man lives and never sees death? Shall he deliver his soul from the hand of Sheol? Selah. (Psalm 89:48). Since All have sin being from Adam, all WILL sin and eventually die. That is mans Lot. Romans 5:12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned— Oh but praise be to our God and Savior who holds the KEYS to DEATH and HADES. Death nor the "grave" (Hades/ Sheol, also translated as "Hell) shall have the final victory or hold anyone, sinners included. For Christ died for them too Revelation 1:18 -- I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell (Greek: Hades) and of death. 1 Corinthians 15:55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave (Greek: Hades), where is thy victory? Romans 14:9 For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be LORD of both the dead and the living. There is a coming Resurrection of the Dead IN CHRIST. "For as in Adam ALL die, so also in Christ shall ALL be made alive." (1 Corinthians 15:22). All sinners, including those who committed suicide, will have "their part" (judged) in the Lake of Fire Judgment. Death and Hell (Greek: Hades/ Hebrew: Sheol) are thrown Into the Lake of Fire as well, which is the second death. For death and "hell" will have no more purpose. Another reason why "Hell" is NOT the Lake of Fire Revelation 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. Yet this is all a Great WHITE throne of Judgment (Rev 20:11). And every mans works, deeds, sins, even good will be judged by fire. Yet, "He Himself SHALL BE SAVED, yet so as by Fire." 1 Corinthians 3:13-15 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and THE FIRE shall try every man's WORK of what sort it is.... If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. Yes, "God so loves the world"...and he does. Those committed suicide, murderers, thieves, blasphemers shall all have their part in the Lake of Fire; but it's a judgment unto Salvation - For Christ is the Savior of the World. He won't fail. This is the Good News that Paul and Peter proclaimed. (1 Timothy 1:15, 2:4, 4:10) & (2 Peter 3:9)(Acts 3:12, 21). Oh and regarding the second death, "The LAST enemy that shall be abolished is death." (1 Corinthians 15:26). That is the Lake of Fire. God will then be ALL in ALL, and there will be Salvation. That is when ALL shall see the Salvation of our God (Luke 3:6).
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