Sunday, November 21, 2010

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Choice / Hope / Jesus / Life

Is Suicide a Sin?

November 21st, 2010 at 4:58pm by Tedd Harris

This is a delicate question, to put it mildly. If you are asking because you’re wondering about a Christian friend who committed suicide, hopefully this response will give you comfort. If you are asking because you’re considering it and wondering if you’ll get away with it, in a word: don’t. Get help. There are a lot of resources available to you. Call 1-800-273-8255 (National Support Number) for immediate help.

Suicides going straight to hell is, unfortunately, not only a popular notion but a not-uncommon teaching in some churches. However, you won’t find much scriptural basis for it. Here are a couple of things to consider.

1. If your good deeds won’t get you to heaven, neither will bad deeds get you to hell.
The notion that suicides go to hell is, I think, an example of worldly thinking sneaking into Christian thought. That anything else bad you do can be forgiven, but suicide is just over the line. In fairness, one assertion is that suicide does not give one opportunity to ask forgiveness for the sin just committed; but does one lose one’s salvation after the commission of every sin until it’s confessed? That would be exhausting! In reality, everyone starts out condemned (Romans 3:23)… we are saved by grace through faith. Period. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

2. There aren’t degrees of sin, only severity of natural consequences.
Suicide is definitely a bad deed. It is drastic, and ultimately, selfish. And a horrible witness for a Christian. But it is still a deed–a work, if you will–and is neither more nor less capable of condemning a soul than stealing a candy bar. Are the natural consequences worse? Yes. A LOT worse. Families of candy bar-stealers aren’t generally devastated by the theft. But both are sins that are themselves just evidence of the Sin–capital S–of fallen human nature that rebels against God. And unfortunately, Christians battle with their sin nature until the day they die. Paul complained loudly about that in Romans 7:18-25.

I see nothing in Scripture to suggest that God slams the doors of heaven on a Christian who gives up on life; but I would definitely suggest that how you start your Christian life is not nearly as important as how you finish. Paul and Jesus both speak at length of holding on… running the race… not getting weary… making it to the finish line with your eyes fixed on Jesus. And suicide is decidedly NOT a good, God-honoring finish.

Just something to think about.