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Will Suicide send someone to
hell?
 Today's Question: I'm
not a Catholic; but, my mother was raised Catholic so many of her
beliefs were handed down to us. I am a Christian with strong
beliefs in Jesus and I believe my friend Jesus loves us even when
we make mistakes and suicide is wrong but I think it is a mistake
even one a Christian can do. My mother says that one who commits
suicide goes to Hell.
From my studies, the only thing that would
send us to Hell would be to deny Jesus as our Savior. But that
even in believing Jesus as our Savior does not mean we will be
perfect even in death or even strong in life no matter how hard
we want to we strong in life.
I have wondered about this because I know
of a Christian who loved Jesus with all her heart and suffered
from co-dependency in a dysfunctional home. She suffered for so
long and asked Jesus so carry her into heaven to live with Him as
she sliced her wrists 3 1/2 inches on one wrist, 3 inches on the
other wrist and 4 inches in the upper thigh. She wrote that her
Hell was on earth and that she couldn't stand one more day of it.
She wrote that she prayed to God, as she performed her murder on
herself, that He would forgive her for this sin as He had
forgiven her of the others she had done in the past. She stated
that the Bible says that He will not allow one to stand more than
one can bear and that He is our strength. She stated that she
wasn't strong--knowing the Lord is strong but not her and asked
to be carried to heaven to live with Him from that moment on.
I've asked a couple of other pastors this
question but they will not answer at all. I know even pastors are
human and that we can't look into the future and know the answers
of heaven and hell for each individual. Do you have any opinions
on the matter?
Sincerely,
Mary Bell
Bible Answer: In response
to suicide: The Bible describes two believers who committed
suicide: King Saul and Judas. For sure Judas went to hell. Peter
said about him in Acts 1:16-18:
and said, "Brothers, the Scripture
had to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago
through the mouth of David concerning Judas, who served as
guide for those who arrested Jesus--he was one of our number
and shared in this ministry." (With the reward he got
for his wickedness, Judas bought a field; there he fell
headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled
out.
This Scripture implies that Judas was not
saved.
The other story is about King Saul. He was
fatally wounded in battle, so to avoid torture he killed himself.
From David's words about Saul, it appears that Saul went to
heaven. He says, 2 Sam 1:23 "Saul and Jonathan--in life they
were loved and gracious, and in death they were not
parted..." We know that Jonathan was godly, so if Saul and
Jonathan were not parted in death, this would
mean Saul is with Jonathan in heaven. I should also note that
this passage may simply mean that they died together in battle,
not necessarily that they are still with each other in death. At
any rate, Saul killed himself only because he was trying to avoid
torture, and he was going to die soon anyway.
Mary, the way I explain suicide is this: I tell
believers to fear God enough not to take the risk. You could lose
your soul by committing suicide, so it's better to simply play it
safe and trust God to make you happier. I lean to the idea that
most cases of suicide lead to damnation. I wouldn't
bet on anyone going to heaven who committed suicide. I think the
odds are against the person. Besides, suicide is the ultimate
statement of unbelief. People commit suicide because they don't
have faith that God will help them, and we are saved by faith.
We have received many angry emails over my answer, usually
because someone has lost a close friend or relative to suicide. Here is a sample
email that represents many irate emails along with my response.
Reaction: I may be reacting in the flesh and you probably won’t
even get this, but I cannot sleep until I write this. Maybe I should write
it and then click delete. I have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ
that I am so very grateful to have and grow. I lost a dear childhood friend
today to suicide. He was an awesome athlete in high school. He was an
awesome Christian who did not mind showing it to his peers. He was an
All-American High School Honor Roll student. His entire family are
Christians.
I was disturbed today, that my little sister said he is going to hell. I
do not believe this. I do not believe the sure ticket to HELL is to commit
suicide. My God is more loving and merciful than that to his people.
I am disturbed at your opinion about suicide, also. I do not believe it
has a place on the net for those people searching for answers and comfort at
a time like this. It is an opinion not an answer. No where in the Bible does
it say suicide is a sure ticket to Hell. I cannot find anything in the Bible
that says you go to hell for committing suicide.
I would like to encourage you to take your opinion of something unknown
off the Internet. I think it is very damaging to those who have a personal
relationship with God and those who I hope come to know him.
Ann
Tom’s Response: I sympathize with your grief, but it would be a
mistake for me to tell people that they can make heaven and still commit
suicide. God is merciful and if people make heaven despite suicide,
wonderful! But there is no scripture to prove you can, so I believe it is
best to fear God so much that you would never commit such an act. Peter
says, "If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the
ungodly and sinner" (1 Pet 4:18)
Committing suicide is not a sure ticket to hell, because there is no
ticket to hell. It is the other way around, Jesus is the ticket to heaven,
however, Jesus said many will say that He is Lord, but He will reply,
"Depart from me." Faith is not simply mentally agreeing to the facts of the
gospel, but being changed by the gospel. And then one must continue in faith
and not give in to unbelief. There is no "once saved, always saved" promise
from God. Even if it were true that someone was saved, that does not mean
that his or her salvation is "unconditionally secured." One still must
persevere and trust God to the end, not end their lives through suicide.
You said that my answer is "very damaging to those who have a personal
relationship with God." How could my answer damage someone’s faith?
Maybe what you mean is that someone like yourself who lost a friend
through suicide will not be comforted with this article because I refuse to
license suicide as a gateway to heaven. For sure my answer won't comfort
you.
The article is meant to discourage suicide not to comfort those who lost
love ones through suicide. I’m not thinking of you when I write this
article, but those who are contemplating this act.
I do understand your grief, but imagine if I told people that they could
still make heaven and commit suicide. That message may be what they wanted
to hear so they could be given a false sense of security that they will
leave their unhappiness here and enter glory in the next life.
A similar message is given to suicide bombers in the Islamic faith. They
think that if they kill themselves and others through a Jihad they will
enter a wonderful heaven full of virgin wives. This false doctrine gives
people courage to go through such a diabolical act. It should almost
go without saying, but any Muslim who murders others through suicide will
not make heaven, for the Scriptures say, "No murderer has eternal life" (1
John 3:15).
I think there is a delicate correlation between that and Christian suicide. As
long as people think they will enter heaven by such an act, perhaps we
unwittingly give people courage to go through with it. I refuse to give
anyone such false hope.
Despite what I said, my prayers are with you. Not all
the letters and emails are from angry people. Some have written to express
gratitude for the article, because it saved their lives. Here is one such
email: I want to live: I am
responding to your post on suicide. I want to tell you how you saved my
life. I have been so depressed; I live with a chronic illness and am in an
unhappy marriage. I have two kids who I adore and I try to keep the family
together for them. However, lately I have thought about taking my life so
that I can get out of pain, both physically and mentally. I was raised
Catholic and believed that you can not go to heaven if you commit suicide so
I surfed the internet wanting to find something that says different so that
I could go ahead and do it. I came across your message and the post after
it. It made me look at things differently and for the first time in over a
year, I want to live. I know that I will get through this and anything else
that comes my way. I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart. Had your
message been any different, or not have been on the internet, there is no
telling what could have happened. So keep it on, it may help save someone
else's life someday, it saved mine! Thank you so much.
Michelle
Please keep this going on the internet, You saved my life today, September
26, 2009. I was going to take all my pills today and go to sleep for good. I
came across your web site and changed my mind. I am a believer in Jesus, he is
my Lord and Savior. Jesus is the only way to heaven. You can not get there on
your own. Thank you very much.
Kim
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