Suicide & Christianity

Suicide & Chrisitanity
Suicide & Christianity

With recent suicide of Robin Williams, a friend asked me what I knew about it Biblically thinking. They said the always heard that you go to hell for doing it, I have heard this too. But will you really go to hell for suicide?

In my thinking you will cause murder is breaking Gods law this includes murder of yourself. You know you can’t ask for forgiveness after you already killed yourself. If you try to ask before you do it that shows you know it’s wrong. But I also do know that God gives us ways out of every situation. I know it can be hard this is when we truly need to listen to God and go to Him for guidance.

The Bible doesn’t say exactly about suicide it’s self, but it does say about killing someone, I believe that would be killing yourself. This was one of God’s Laws, one of the Ten Commandments. As Exodus 20:13 & Deuteronomy 7:17 tells us “You shall not murder.” So based on God’s Law that would also include murder of your self, or known as suicide. My derivative of this is that you possibly will go to hell if you commit suicide and that is based solely on God’s Law on murder. But on the other hand, Christ does say we can ask forgiveness. But can we ask forgiveness after we killed ourself and already dead? I do not think it will fly asking for forgiveness before hand either and then killing ourselves because we already know that it was wrong to begin with if we did that. 

Another point to look at is that our bodies are the Temple of God, we are not to destroy that temple either. Suicide would be a means of destroying the temple of God. The Bible says that God will destroy those that destroy the temple, our bodies. Besides our bodies do not belong to us, but they belong to God. See 1 Corinthians 3:17; 6:19) 

Suicide is not a modern day idea, it’s an express wish or desire to die has been around even in the Bible times. There were several people in the Bible who wished their life would end or have killed them self. Such people were Samson, Saul & his armour-bearer (1 Samuel 31:1-6), Rebekah (Genesis 27:46) and Judas (Matthew 27:3-5), who killed themselves. Remember Paul even talked a jailer out of killing himself (Acts 16:25-28). Here is a list of some of  the people who thought about the idea of suicide Job Job 6:8-13), Elijah (1 King 19:4) and Jonah (Johan 1:12). 

Ecclesiastes 7:17 makes a good point, why should you die before your time? Killing yourself will kill you before your time.

Revelation does tell us that people will long for death, but not able to find it. Revelation 9:6. This is another point to prove that the end of time is on our hands. Suicide or suicidal attempts seem to be on the rise today. According to Keith Harmon on an average day, on person ends their life every seventeen minutes, taking about thirty thousand people’s lives each year. 

Just remember that Jesus is there for you. He is waiting for you. We all go through trails and hard times. People think they are alone, but they aren’t. This is when we just need to go to Jesus directly, this is where that personal relationship with Jesus comes to help. Talk to Him, tell Him all about it. He is ready to listen. We cannot do things on our own, but we can do ALL things through CHRIST who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13).

If you feel these thoughts, not only go to Jesus, but ask your friends, family, church, pastor etc to pray for you. There is power in prayer. I also believe these thoughts are coming from the devil. He is trying to through you off guard. He is trying to make it where you won’t go to Jesus for help. Remember the devil knows that God is for real and that Jesus died for our sins. Also when you feel these thoughts and you are saved, tell the devil to flee, he has to flee in the name of Jesus. Remind the devil that you belong to Christ and remind him of his future. A future where Jesus won the victory. 

There are many avenues you can seek out help. But Trust in God! He is waiting for you. We are the ones that leave Him, He is always with us. I pray that if you have a suicidal spirit or know someone with a suicidal spirit that you will pray that that evil spirit will flee in the name of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the answer to ALL of our problems. He is the one that makes us a new creation. 

Just another note God says if you Love me you will keep my commandments. (John 14:15 & John 14:23). Plus Romans 2:13-14 says if you don’t know you are sinning, God will take that in account, but if you do, it’s a different story. Doing not hearing there is a big difference. Plus also note suicide will affect those who are left behind. It is an act of selfishness. We do it because we fear the future, we don’t put total trust in God.

I encourage you all to reach out to everyone you know, friend, family, church member etc. and offer them some encouragement or tell them you love them just randomly. That just might help someone else. That one word or two could help make their day be better. We just need to trust in Him, Matthew 6:34 says to not worry for tomorrow for tomorrow has enough problems. That means we just need to give it all to God.

I want you to check out and listen to this song by SkilletLast Night”. 

You can always call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 800-273-TALK (8255) and reach out for help as well.

Sources:

  • Holy Bible
  • #issues #answers Solutions for Students, ISBN 978-1-4003-7512-7 (pages 102-104)
  • Common English Bible Dictionary, ISBN 978-1-60926-024-8 (page 379)
  • Compact Where To Find It in the Bible The Ultimate A to Z Resource Fully Illustrated, Ken Anderson, ISBN 0-7852-5173-1 (page 272)

About the Author

Author: Steve Patterson

A Christian Blogger that enjoys blogging about the Bible, Theology, God, Jesus Christ, Christian Music, Family, Cats, Odd Holidays, sewing and much more. I have been blogging since 2004, however, I have been blogging on Courageous Christian Father since 2012. I enjoy listening to Christian Music. I am married with 1 daughter, 2 step-sons and a step daughter.

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