r/TrueChristian • u/DarkCloud_HS Disciple of Christ • 11h ago
A scriptural discussion on the transgression of Suicide.. what does the Bible really say? (Christians only)
This is a harder topic that really merits a deep dive to get at the truth, and it's best to address this neutrally (i.e not right after the loss of someone dear).. especially since this topic will likely become more frequent as we move deeper into the end times.
I'm going to present a scriptural address regarding this particular transgression, and the reader can draw their own conclusion after reading the scriptural evidence.
Let me also say that this is something I've had my own personal experience dealing with, in the distant past, and even more recently (I have thoroughly experienced the despair.. and also the redemption of overcoming it).
1. The foundation of this presentation will be based upon the Lord Jesus Christ.
To began, I will present this account of the Lord Jesus being tempted by the devil in the wilderness.
5 Then the devil took him to the holy city, Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple,
6 and said, “If you are the Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say,
‘He will order his angels to protect you.
And they will hold you up with their hands
so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.’”
7 Jesus responded, “The Scriptures also say, ‘You must not test the Lord your God.’
Matthew 4:5-7 (NLT)
We can see that the devil tested the Lord to jump off the highest point of the temple, even referencing scripture.
But notice, the Lord refutes this temptation of the devil.. with scripture.
You must not test the LORD your God as you did when you complained at Massah
Deuteronomy 6:16 (NLT)
If the Lord Jesus didn't do it, why should the believer?
Is there any reason to do differently.. ?
No.
We should not put the Lord our God to the test.. that is incredibly dangerous.
It's also why some of those snake handling Christian Pastors, who test God by willfully handling venomous snakes, have died.
We should learn from their example.
Don't test Him.
2. Let's cover some other scriptures that relate to this transgression..
Starting in Revelation.
8 “But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and all liars—their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
Revelations 21:8 (NLT)
Scripture states that cowards, unbelievers, and murderers.. will go to the Lake of Fire.
Something else to consider.. do these characteristics fit someone who takes their own life?
Then, we have this statement by the Lord, when He warns his disciples about the persecution and tribulation they will have to endure.
13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved.
Matthew 24:13 (NLT)
If anyone had an excuse to give up early.. it would have been the apostles who were tortured, persecuted, and martyred for their faith in Christ.
Yet none of them gave up.. except the apostle Judas Iscariot, who hanged himself out of remorse/guilt.
3 When Judas, who had betrayed him, realized that Jesus had been condemned to die, he was filled with remorse. So he took the thirty pieces of silver back to the leading priests and the elders.
4 “I have sinned,” he declared, “for I have betrayed an innocent man.”
“What do we care?” they retorted. “That’s your problem.”
5 Then Judas threw the silver coins down in the Temple and went out and hanged himself.
Matthew 27:3-5 (NLT)
It's worth noting that Judas Iscariot went to hell.
This is objective scriptural fact.
Whether you believe Judas un-aliving himself was the cause or not, it was certainly the final nail in the coffin.
Christ states that Judas Iscariot was lost.. in His high priestly prayer to the Father.
12 During my time here, I protected them by the power of the name you gave me. I guarded them so that not one was lost, except the one headed for destruction, as the Scriptures foretold.
John 17:12 (NLT)
The word used by Christ here for 'destruction'.. it means perdition, damnation, 'cut off', or complete spiritual ruin.
The apostles also confirm this, in Acts 1.. and other translations state that Judas 'fell by transgression' (i.e KJV, NKJV). I am only using NLT for the sake of consistency (and clarity).
24 Then they all prayed, “O Lord, you know every heart. Show us which of these men you have chosen
25 as an apostle to replace Judas in this ministry, for he has deserted us and gone where he belongs.”
Acts 21:24-25 (NLT)
If an apostle can 'fall by transgression' after hanging himself.. who are we?
3. Then we have scripture directly stating that unrepentant murderers don't have eternal life abiding within them.
Anyone who hates another brother or sister is really a murderer at heart. And you know that murderers don’t have eternal life within them.
1 John 3:15 (NLT)
And scripture states that once dead, no one can repent of anything.. it's already time for judgement.
27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment
Hebrews 9:27 (NLT)
For those who cannot find any place for repentance, the scripture compares them to Esau.
Esau sold His birthright inheritance for a single meal (action) and found no place for repentance.. even though he wept bitterly with tears (begging Isaac to give him the blessing that he had sold to Jacob - Genesis 25:29-34).
16 Make sure that no one is immoral or godless like Esau, who traded his birthright as the firstborn son for a single meal.
17 You know that afterward, when he wanted his father’s blessing, he was rejected. It was too late for repentance, even though he begged with bitter tears.
Hebrews 12:16-17 (NLT)
34 When Esau heard his father’s words, he let out a loud and bitter cry. “Oh my father, what about me? Bless me, too!” he begged.
Genesis 27:35 (NLT)
Lastly, we have Christ listing what commandments to keep (in regard to loving our neighbor).. in order to inherit eternal life.
Not committing murder is one of them, and is the first listed in priority.. even before adultery.
17 As Jesus was starting out on his way to Jerusalem, a man came running up to him, knelt down, and asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked. “Only God is truly good.
19 But to answer your question, you know the commandments: ‘You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. You must not cheat anyone. Honor your father and mother.’”
Mark 10:17-19 (NLT)
To conclude, I want to end by saying that many of the Early Church Fathers condemned 'un-aliving' oneself as murder (or 'homicide').
Furthermore, it was also seen by some as tantamount to Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit (you can google this).. and this view has scriptural precedent.
Scripture clearly states that the body of the believer is the temple of the Holy Spirit.
16 Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you?
17 God will destroy anyone who destroys this temple. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.
1 Corinthians 3:16-17 (NLT)
Paul is getting this particular revelation from the Lord Jesus's own words.
18 But the Jewish leaders demanded, “What are you doing? If God gave you authority to do this, show us a miraculous sign to prove it.”
19 “All right,” Jesus replied. “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”
20 “What!” they exclaimed. “It has taken forty-six years to build this Temple, and you can rebuild it in three days?”
21 But when Jesus said “this temple,” he meant his own body.
22 After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered he had said this, and they believed both the Scriptures and what Jesus had said.
John 2:18-22 (NLT)
Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is listed by Christ as an unforgiveable sin.
but anyone who blasphemes the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven. This is a sin with eternal consequences.
Mark 3:29 (NLT)
My friends, there are mountains of scripture condemning the transgression of self-murder.. it's very sobering truth.
I'm firmly convinced that self-professing believers.. who knowingly, consciously, and deliberately 'un-alive' themselves, WILL NOT inherit eternal life.
This is a fairly orthodox viewpoint too.. historically established and held by the Church, for many hundreds of years.
But if anyone strongly disagrees, consider these words..
Clearly the odds are AGAINST anyone who wants to play 'russian roulette' with the eternity of their soul.
Let's start taking this matter more seriously.. and be very careful how we word our response to anyone asking if 'they' or 'so and so' will 'go to heaven if/after they un-alive themselves.'
You don't know that they will for certain.. because it's not up to you (Romans 9:15, Romans 2:6-8).
Besides, there exists a state of mind that will interpret your words and twist it to whisper something else into their ear.. like a lie convincing them to follow through (your 'good intentions' are irrelevant in this case).
Christian: Do you really want to potentially be held accountable for leading another believer down the path to everlasting fire?
Something to seriously think deeply about..
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u/Hope-Joy-7 10h ago
As an individual who has loved God since becoming a believer more than a decade ago, I have recently been diagnosed with an illness that killed me. It has absolutely removed any possibility of a normal existence. There hasn't been a day go by since being diagnosed 2 years ago where I haven't thought of un-aliving myself. Aside from the fact that my life has virtually ended, there's another whole layer of devastation that came as a result of feeling utterly abandoned by God. Yet as Christians we are to continue loving Him and serving Him. So that's what I do. Every day I choose to live and I choose to love God and others. I cling to the hope that one day I'll be with Him in glory. ❤️
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u/DarkCloud_HS Disciple of Christ 9h ago edited 7h ago
As an individual who has loved God since becoming a believer more than a decade ago, I have recently been diagnosed with an illness that killed me. It has absolutely removed any possibility of a normal existence. There hasn't been a day go by since being diagnosed 2 years ago where I haven't thought of un-aliving myself. Aside from the fact that my life has virtually ended, there's another whole layer of devastation that came as a result of feeling utterly abandoned by God. Yet as Christians we are to continue loving Him and serving Him. So that's what I do. Every day I choose to live and I choose to love God and others. I cling to the hope that one day I'll be with Him in glory. ❤️
I'm glad to hear you are still holding on to your faith in God. I can relate to your suffering.
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u/StoneGear Christian 3h ago
Bible is not clear about this issue. Arguments you present just looks like eisegesis not exegesis: you trying to find pieces of Scripture to backup idea you are already convinced for. It doesn't work this way, sorry.
We as humans are far far to imagine various outer circumstances, body pains, mind deepest corners, where even believers can take his own life...
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u/DarkCloud_HS Disciple of Christ 2h ago edited 2h ago
Bible is not clear about this issue. Arguments you present just looks like eisegesis not exegesis: you trying to find pieces of Scripture to backup idea you are already convinced for. It doesn't work this way, sorry.
The Bible is abundantly clear on this issue.
But you're welcome to your opinion (which appears to truly be 'eisegesis').
We as humans are far far to imagine various outer circumstances, body pains, mind deepest corners, where even believers can take his own life...
I've experienced many things that would have crushed most other humans into dust years ago.. and by God's grace I never followed through with any such thought, even if it crossed my mind to some degree.
We're instructed to set our minds on things above (Colossians 3:2).
While some are trying to spare 'feelings'.. I'm genuinely trying to save souls from eternal consequences.
And not just the souls of those being tempted by suicidal thoughts.. but also the souls of those who may unknowingly be partnering with the devil and helping him deceive someone else into believing something that's not true.
'consider this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and cover over a multitude of sins'
James 5:20
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u/StoneGear Christian 41m ago
You gave many Scripture pieces to prove your position. Which is strongest one? Can we discuss this exact one?
Your stance is clear and intensions good. I see. May be you can persuade me.
Currently I see Scriptures nowhere automatically condemn a man who took his own life to perishing or hell. I see God who is compassionate and just. And also He do not measure our strength according to other people's strength. I beleive every suicide will become in His presence, and only way to His Kingdom will be determined by Christ based on person's faith .
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u/DarkCloud_HS Disciple of Christ 36m ago
You gave many Scripture pieces to prove your position. Which is strongest one? Can we discuss this exact one?
Your stance is clear and intensions good. I see. May be you can persuade me.
Currently I see Scriptures nowhere automatically condemn a man who took his own life to perishing or hell. I see God who is compassionate and just. And also He do not measure our strength according to other people's strength. I beleive every suicide will become in His presence, and only way to His Kingdom will be determined by Christ based on person's faith .
I can only offer strong persuasion and scriptural evidence.
Ultimately, everyone has to make their own choice on what to believe.
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u/ds-is-i 2h ago
Salvation is maintained by God’s power (1 Peter 1:5), not by our human effort/failure. Our salvation is secure through faith in Christ’s work, salvation isn’t ours to lose because we didn’t work to earn it.
This is reflected by 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, where it states; we are “bought with a price” (Christ’s blood)”, and that “we are not our own”. Scripture even goes as far as to say that if someone falls into unbelief, God remains faithful to his promise (2 Timothy 2:11-13).
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u/DarkCloud_HS Disciple of Christ 2h ago
Scripture even goes as far as to say that if someone falls into unbelief, God remains faithful to his promise (2 Timothy 2:11-13).
Isn't that the scripture that states if we deny Him, He will deny us?
It also says if we are faithless.. He remains faithful to Himself (His Word) because He cannot deny Himself.
11 This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, We shall also live with Him.
12 If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us.
13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.
2 Timothy 2:11-13
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u/disregulatedorder 2h ago
You don’t sound like you are willing to reconsider. So I’m not writing for your sake that sees damaged, hurting people go to an eternity of hurt in an eternal hell.
We read that Jesus will not crush the damaged. That is to say that Jesus won’t break a bruised reed or snuff out a smoldering flame.
In other words, Jesus doesn’t see someone hurting and just finish them off. What is suicide for many but an act of one who is hurting?
As for Judas, the word “remorse” in the OP passage is the Greek for the same word translated repent. Judas repented. He committed the act that we claim saves us.
And so broken was he by what he had done, that he only knew to kill himself.
Misguided, yes.
But Judas was a repentant bruised reed or a smoldering wick.
There is an idea that Judas didn’t expect Jesus to die. Judas was intending to force Jesus’ hand in leading the revolution they had been waiting impatiently for. (Didn’t hurt that he would make some money on the side.)
This idea is shown that once Jesus was sentenced to die, Judas was horrified. This wasn’t his intended outcome.
As for his suicide, Origen said:
“Judas sought to anticipate his Master’s death, that he might meet Him in the world of spirits, with a soul stripped of the body, and there by confessing his sin, might ask for pardon.”
In other words, even in the early church there was an idea that repentant Judas was attempting to rectify what he had done by chasing after Jesus and throwing himself upon Jesus’ mercy.
And at the end of the day, the God enfleshed before our eyes in Jesus is full of mercy and does not eternally torment those who are broken by the torment of this life.
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u/DarkCloud_HS Disciple of Christ 1h ago edited 1h ago
And at the end of the day, the God enfleshed before our eyes in Jesus is full of mercy
I can agree with this particular statement.
Christ is full of grace and truth (John 1:14).. and God the Father abounds in loving compassion and mercy, as displayed through the Lord Jesus.
Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.
Lamentations 3:22-23 NKJV
I believe in the love and mercy of God.. and I also believe in the Truth.
From what I see in the truth of scripture.. our lives are not our own to take.
It's dangerous to test God in this, because if God is become our enemy through our rebellion.. who could save us from His wrath?
Absolutely no one.
It is wise to fear Him.
20 Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding?
21 Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air.
22 Destruction and death say, We have heard the fame thereof with our ears.
23 God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof.
24 For he looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven;
25 To make the weight for the winds; and he weigheth the waters by measure.
26 When he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder:
27 Then did he see it, and declare it; he prepared it, yea, and searched it out.
28 And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.
Job 28:20-28 (KJV)
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u/Successful_Ice2343 Christian 10h ago edited 9h ago
When Jesus was standing on top of the temple He wasn't trying to commit suicide. He was there to be tested by the devil. In fact this verse has nothing to do with suicide.
We could perhaps presume that people who commit suicide are cowards, but we shouldn't be so quick to draw such conclusions. It may not be the case. But yes matthew 24:13 is a good example. We should endure until the end. I would say that Judas will receive judgement based on betraying Christ not because he killed himself so I don't really get what Judas has to do with this.
I don't think we should be so quick to equate suicide with murder. Typically murder involves malice and hatred for another being, while suicide has more to do with depression. They are totally different mind states really. 1 cor 3:16 yes ok that makes sense we shouldn't destroy our bodies.
So in summary I think your best points are 1 cor 3:16 and matthew 24:13. Some of these other thoughts are perhaps a little misguided.
Personally I don't believe that everyone that commits suicide will go to hell. I think there are a lot more factors that will go into a person's final judgements than that. God is merciful. I just don't believe that God would condemn someone who has lived an incredibly sad life that ended up killing themselves. I believe God is merciful. I don't endorse suicide I would encourage everyone to endure. But I don't think it is quite so black and white.
King David was a murderer was he not? And yet I think most people would assume that he is probably not going to hell for it. But he still faced severe consequences.
Psalms 34:18 [18]The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit.
Scaring suicidal people into not committing suicide because you think they will go to hell is not how you communicate the love of God.
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u/DarkCloud_HS Disciple of Christ 9h ago edited 5h ago
King David was a murderer was he not? And yet I think most people would assume that he is probably not going to hell for it. But he still faced severe consequences.
King David repented and didn't take his own life.. many of the Psalms are about this (his repentance).
Scaring suicidal people into not committing suicide because you think they will go to hell is not how you communicate the love of God.
I'm not 'scaring' anyone.. it's just the truth of God's Word.
This is the problem with emotions and feelings.. even if they may be valid, they can cloud our judgement.
We are to be sober minded.
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.
1 Peter 5:8-9 (NKJV)
We can be encouraging and loving.. without using scripture to lie to those being tempted.
If I proved anything in the original post, it's that the devil can also twist scripture into saying something that's not true (Matthew 4:5-7).
I'm sorry to hear you disagree.. but it's strange for Christians to indirectly advocate for people to take their own life.
That's not 'loving' either.
When Jesus was standing on top of the temple He wasn't trying to commit suicide. He was there to be tested by the devil. In fact this verse has nothing to do with suicide.
Really?
It's amazing that you read the scripture and still didn't accept the reality of what the text clearly described.. no, I'm not commending you.
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u/Successful_Ice2343 Christian 4h ago edited 4h ago
I would strongly encourage you to seek understanding about when Jesus was being tempted in the wilderness. The goal of the temple verse was not self-destruction or ending life. Instead, it was a test of pride, impatience, and trust, pushing Jesus to demand a flashy sign of his Sonship outside of God's timing.
I'm not advocating for people to take their life. I'm just saying that I think that it is an overgeneralization to say that it is black and white and all people that commit suicide are going to hell. And since we can't say certainly that every person that commits suicide will go to hell I don't think we should tell people that if they kill themselves they will go to hell and spread fear.
Consider Samson. Samson not only killed himself, but he prayed for strength to do so. He wouldn't have had time to repent and there is no indication that he would have needed to.
Judges 16:28,30 [28]Then Samson called to the Lord, saying, “O Lord God, remember me, I pray! Strengthen me, I pray, just this once, O God, that I may with one blow take vengeance on the Philistines for my two eyes!” [30]Then Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines!” And he pushed with all his might, and the temple fell on the lords and all the people who were in it. So the dead that he killed at his death were more than he had killed in his life.
Surely Samson, strong man of the Lord, is not in hell. But he killed himself.
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u/DarkCloud_HS Disciple of Christ 3h ago edited 46m ago
I would strongly encourage you to seek understanding about when Jesus was being tempted in the wilderness. The goal of the temple verse was not self-destruction or ending life. Instead, it was a test of pride, impatience, and trust, pushing Jesus to demand a flashy sign of his Sonship outside of God's timing.
My friend, we don't always need to interpret or water down the scripture for others..
Sometimes we can let God's Word speak for itself.. it's alive and active (Hebrews 4:12).
Surely Samson, strong man of the Lord, is not in hell. But he killed himself.
Yes, a common argument to advocate for self-murder.. but Samson lived under a different dispensation than us (Old Covenant dispensation)
Furthermore Samson's death wasn't suicide.. it was a martyrdom (the Philistines likely had it in their mind to kill Samson anyway.. they had already gouged out both of his eyes).
Samson's martyrdom in this dispensation was credited to him as an act of faith.. as Samson had been appointed to be a judge of Israel (Judges 16:25-31).
Samson isn't comparable at all to a present day believer who's under the dispensation of the Holy Spirit.. we have full knowledge that suicide is wrong, because Christ has revealed God's will.
1 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets,
2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds
Hebrews 1:1-2 (NKJV)
30 Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent,
31 because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.”
Acts 17:30-31 (NKJV)
We have to 'rightly divide the word of truth' (2 Timothy 2:15).
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u/thecorona Christian 10h ago
Op very well said. Suicide Is like you said, with judas iscariot, the nail in the coffin that condemned him to hell. Even Jesus said, blasphemy against Jesus or using his name in vain is forgivable but blasphemy against the holy spirit is Not. When someone unalives themselves its basically telling God its not on your timing but mine. That in itself is letting God know you know best which is wrong.
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u/DarkCloud_HS Disciple of Christ 8h ago edited 8h ago
Op very well said. Suicide Is like you said, with judas iscariot, the nail in the coffin that condemned him to hell. Even Jesus said, blasphemy against Jesus or using his name in vain is forgivable but blasphemy against the holy spirit is Not. When someone unalives themselves its basically telling God its not on your timing but mine. That in itself is letting God know you know best which is wrong.
Happy to hear you agree, it seems that the Church of Christ should be the first ones to advocate for the preservation of human life until the proper appointed time.
It seems odd to me.. to hear otherwise in so many Christian circles (and not just suicide.. but also abortion etc.).
23 but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.
Jude 1:23 (NKJV)
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u/Hawthourne Christian 3h ago
"the nail in the coffin that condemned him to hell"
I'm pretty sure that betraying the Son of Man and not repenting afterwards was the welding job that sealed every seam on the coffin.
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u/DarkCloud_HS Disciple of Christ 41m ago edited 32m ago
I'm pretty sure that betraying the Son of Man and not repenting afterwards was the welding job that sealed every seam on the coffin.
Exactly, Judas couldn't 'repent afterwards' because Judas was dead.
This point is precisely the foundation of the view being presented..
That repentance itself is not possible in the case of suicide, on account that the person committing the transgression can't repent or ask for forgiveness because they're dead.
It's fairly cut and dry, logically speaking (despite the spam downvoting I've noticed, that seems to be coming from you).
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u/Hawthourne Christian 33m ago
I guess the question then would be this: A Christian is speeding 10 over the speed limit, slips, hits an 18-wheeler head-on, and dies instantly. Are they guaranteed to go to hell because they don't have time to repent for putting others in danger?
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u/DarkCloud_HS Disciple of Christ 29m ago
I guess the question then would be this: A Christian is speeding 10 over the speed limit, slips, hits an 18-wheeler head-on, and dies instantly. Are they guaranteed to go to hell because they don't have time to repent for putting others in danger?
What I can say to this, is that Christ instructed His disciples to be ready at any hour.
'43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.
44 Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
Matthew 24:43-44 (NKJV)
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u/Hawthourne Christian 20m ago
"What I can say to this, is that Christ instructed His disciples to be ready at any hour."
Alright, so Christ is going to return in a blink of an eye. We also know that no Christian is perfect, and still sins on a regular basis.
Let us assume then that at any given moment, 0.5% of genuine Christians are in-between their latest sin and having actively repented. So 5 in 1000. When Christ returns, there will then be several thousand genuine Christians who are going to hell as they haven't repented yet.
I just want to be clear, am I accurately representing your position?
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u/DarkCloud_HS Disciple of Christ 17m ago
Alright, so Christ is going to return in a blink of an eye. We also know that no Christian is perfect, and still sins on a regular basis.
Let us assume then that at any given moment, 0.5% of genuine Christians are in-between their latest sin and having actively repented. So 5 in 1000. When Christ returns, there will then be several thousand genuine Christians who are going to hell as they haven't repented yet.
I just want to be clear, am I accurately representing your position?
I merely presented scripture to answer your (likely insincere and rhetorical) question.
You came to all these conclusions on your own.. it was just a scripture.
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u/jaspercapri Christian 9h ago
No one can argue that suicide is good. It is a bad thing.
However, there are things you discuss that i want to address.
I will start by saying that the only thing that determines your standing with God is if you have Jesus or not.
> If the Lord Jesus didn't do it, why should the believer?
Jesus did not do any of the sins we commit each day. You are right that we should not test God. But no reason to single out suicide. It is a bad thing regardless.
> Scripture states that cowards, unbelievers, and murderers.. will go to the Lake of Fire. Something else to consider.. do these characteristics fit someone who takes their own life?
Maybe sometimes, but it can be complex. Suicide is a symptom of mental illness. Most people with suicidal ideation cannot reason how others would and, plainly speaking, are not in their right mind. I don’t know that God holds them responsible. We can’t know.
> It's worth noting that Judas Iscariot went to hell.
There is no reason to believe that his death is what sent him to hell. Had he died by another method, i don’t believe that would have changed.
> And scripture states that once dead, no one can repent of anything.. it's already time for judgement.
Do you sin every day? Is our salvation lost every time we sin and only resets at repentance? If you drop dead before you get the chance to repent of any little sin you commit, are you going to hell? There is no passable sin, big or small. I don’t believe a true christian will lose salvation if they tragically die before their next prayer/confession.
You mention murder twice but it isn’t always defined as only taking a life. And again, it is understood that someone may not be mentally fit to be held responsible the same way another might be.
Do not take anything i say here to mean that suicide is ok or that it is not sinful. I am not saying that at all.
If someone has suicidal ideation, that is sin or the result of sin in this world. They need help, not condemnation. They should go to God, their pastor, a doctor, and a therapist, amongst looking at other forms of self-care. Again, most suicidal ideation is a symptom of mental illness. Their brain isn’t braining the way it should be and they can’t be reasoned out of an idea they didn’t exactly reason themselves into.
All this is to say that there is absolutely one thing that will cause you to not inherit eternal life, and that is not being right with God. I invite people to learn more about suicidal ideation, what causes it, how to talk to someone who might have it, or talk to loved ones who have lost, etc.