What if a Christian Commits Suicide?

[TaliOrlando]

Let's say a Christian, has been a member of the Church for over 20 years... feed the poors, widows and lived a very clean life and was even on the worship team. His wife passes away and all of a sudden he decides to end his life.

Would he still go to heaven? raying:

 

[Allan]

Let's say a Christian, has been a member of the Church for over 20 years... feed the poors, widows and lived a very clean life and was even on the worship team. His wife passes away and all of a sudden he decides to end his life.

Would he still go to heaven? raying:

Well lets see..

A christain is one who has placed their belief in the suffientcy of Christs work. That means it is the work of Christ alone which redeems me before a Holy God and not what I do to earn some merit or brownie points with to prove I'm worthy.

No man (or woman for that matter) can ever be or do something worthy to gain admittance into heaven because not one of us is perfect. Only Christ was/is and only His work on the cross brings man into union with God.

Now, I'm not perfect but as a father no matter what my child does I could not disown them because of my love for them, but also I could not technically disown them because of our blood making us family regardless of feelings.

And if I (who am not perfect) can love this much, how much more does my Heavenly Father love me who IS perfect in all His ways.

If Christ's death was not suffient payment for sin then what pray tell can you do (who are not God) to add to it??

.........................

So to answer your question, can a christian kill themselves and still go to heaven? Yes, because our salvation is not dependent upon us but Christ's work on our behalf.
They will have to give an account before God but that does not negate the work of Christ made them members of God's family and children of the Father.

 

[SaggyWoman]

Sure. Why not.

 

[Palatka51]

I have seen many an elderly, Christian soul going into senility, say and do things that were completely out of character from the way their life was lived. I do not believe that God holds them accountable anymore than God holds the child that is under the age of accountability responsible. If this person was in great depression after the death of his wife, who are we to say that he was accountable? Only God knows his heart and he is in better hands than he would be if we were to be his judge.

 

[billwald]

Ya Sure, if he was one of the elect. <G>

 

[chuck2336]

Just a side note, one response that I have heard on this is that suicide is a sin and one may find it difficult to repent for killing themselves (i.e. gun shot) before they die. No sin may enter heaven; therefore, it seems to conclude that one who commits suicide may not be allowed in heaven.

Now with all of this let me say I do not agree with this line of thinking I am merely adding what I have heard on this topic.

 

[ray Marshall]

I have seen many an elderly, Christian soul going into senility, say and do things that were completely out of character from the way their life was lived. I do not believe that God holds them accountable anymore than God holds the child that is under the age of accountability responsible. If this person was in great depression after the death of his wife, who are we to say that he was accountable? Only God knows his heart and he is in better hands than he would be if we were to be his judge.

Someone that takes his/her own life is not in a sound state of mind. That same person may have pleded for his life a day before he/she commits his own murder. Would you say that makes sense?

 

[Allan]

Just a side note, one response that I have heard on this is that suicide is a sin and one may find it difficult to repent for killing themselves (i.e. gun shot) before they die. No sin may enter heaven; therefore, it seems to conclude that one who commits suicide may not be allowed in heaven.

Now with all of this let me say I do not agree with this line of thinking I am merely adding what I have heard on this topic.

So then what allows us into heaven - our sinlessness 'we' maintain. There is no way since we all dwell in these bodies 'of sin' - as Paul calls them.

We can not earn our way into heaven so what makes a person think they have the ability to maintain their own salvation which was purchased by Christ..

Again, only perfection can enter heaven, so either we are God and thus perfect in ALL our ways, thoughts, and intents (else we are in sin) or we must depend on Him who is God (Jesus) that is able to keep all that I have entrusted to Him until that day (when we are judged).

No man is perfect which means sinless. And we MUST remember that our sin or lack there-of is not determined by whether 'we' think we are being such but as compared to God who is the standard of sinlessness.

 

[hawg_427]

No Sin may enter Heaven you stated. But Jesus died for our Sins of Past, Present and Future. Am I correct? We will always be sinners in these fleshly bodies and God knows this. If we were to be " Sinless" at our time of death, which may come without our knowledge, Heaven would have a very low population. LOL

 

[Allan]

No Sin may enter Heaven you stated. But Jesus died for our Sins of Past, Present and Future. Am I correct? We will always be sinners in these fleshly bodies and God knows this. If we were to be " Sinless" at our time of death, which may come without our knowledge, Heaven would have a very low population. LOL

No, we will always be prone to sin in these fleshly bodies but we are sinners no longer once we are in Christ. WHy? Because we are 'justified' deemed righteous by God not through works but by faith in Christ. Two words are key to understanding salvation Justification and Sanctification. Justification is the primary key to understanding this question posed in the OP.

Gal 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

...
Gal 3:1 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth,* before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified?
Gal 3:2 This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?
Gal 3:3 Have you lost your senses? After starting your Christian lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort?

...
Gal 3:11 But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for "the just shall live by faith.
Gal 3:12 The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, “The man who does these things will live by them.
Gal 3:13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us--for it is written, "CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE:

...
Gal 3:25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
Gal 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

So there is no work that can be done with adds to the righteousness I have been given because it is the very righteousness of CHrist Jesus - God.

I have been justified before God. Meaning that judicially there is no record of sin against me before God that needs to be atoned for or payment made in behalf of.
Romans 8:1 - There is therefore NOW no condemnation (condemning accusation) for those who are in Christ. This chapter speaks about how one lives as evidence of who one is. To continue to live in sin proves you there has never been a change in your life. You do what is natural for you to do.
To seek are righteousness (or better God and that relationship with Him) proves that you are no longer what you once were but have been made into something new. We can all do good things but we can not continue as something we are not, regarding spiritual things. We will eventually show our true nature. This is why the Apostles states of those who left the Church body - If they were part of us they would never have left us. But no that they have left we know they were never really one of us. Not that they left or lost anything but that they were never one of us. Jesus speaks after that same manner in Matt 7 when toward the end speaking of the judgement He states "I never knew you" to those who were (in their eyes) preaching the word, casting out demons, and doing miraclous things. It wasn't that He no longer remembered them but that He NEVER no not Ever knew them.

Praise be to the Only True God who has taken the burden of my sin away through His Atonement for Sin on my behalf. - Amen!


SECONDLY; We will not be taking these bodies to heaven.

 

[Melanie]

I have always been taught that as God gave us life only He may take it, therefore to suicide is wrong and sinful, as is despair regarded a sin.

Having said that having also suffered from mental health problems for a lot of my life and attempted suicide on many occasions, praise the Lord I failed.I believe that the Lord sees into the heart so only He knows what the state of mind is in these cases. Even with Judas Iscariot who suicided, was obviously in great distress of mind.....he was despairing of Jesus forgiveness...but how can we possibly know his (Judas) last thoughts..

 

[Allan]

I have always been taught that as God gave us life only He may take it, therefore to suicide is wrong and sinful, as is despair regarded a sin.

Having said that having also suffered from mental health problems for a lot of my life and attempted suicide on many occasions, praise the Lord I failed.I believe that the Lord sees into the heart so only He knows what the state of mind is in these cases. Even with Judas Iscariot who suicided, was obviously in great distress of mind.....he was despairing of Jesus forgiveness...but how can we possibly know his (Judas) last thoughts..

I agree that only God 'should' take our life and that we should not seek to take our own. It is a shame when it happens but that does not bar one from heaven.

At least for him (Judas) we know that he was not saved to begin with. He is called the son of perdition or damnation various times in scripture. Though it was not because he commited suicide (as I have heard some on occassion say) but because even Jesus declares him to not be one of His own (John 17), and scriputre declares that we are his by or through faith in Him.

So here it is not even that he lacked faith or gave up on it but that he never believed who Jesus truely was. He had his own ideas just as the pharisees did and did not believe full the truths Jesus declared of Himself. Even though He was one of Christ's disciples or one of the 12 that Jesus was specifically teaching, Judas did not truly believe.

 

[FriendofSpurgeon]

Let's say a Christian, has been a member of the Church for over 20 years... feed the poors, widows and lived a very clean life and was even on the worship team. His wife passes away and all of a sudden he decides to end his life.

Would he still go to heaven? raying:

Let's say a Christian..... no matter what .... would he still go to heaven?

The answer is yes.

Does it really matter that he fed the poor, lived a clean life, and was on the worship team? Well sure, those things are great, but does his eternal destiny really depend on those things (eg, works)?? If Christ really redeemed him -- paid for his sins past, present & future, does his eternal destiny depend on the depth of his sins? In other words, are his sins too big for God??

A lot of things can be said about suicide. It is indeed taking of a life. On the other hand, there are a lot of mental health issues involved -- is that person in his right mind at the time? Also, is it a sin to shoot oneself when you are being burned at the stake??

 

[ray Marshall]

Well lets see..

A christain is one who has placed their belief in the suffientcy of Christs work. That means it is the work of Christ alone which redeems me before a Holy God and not what I do to earn some merit or brownie points with to prove I'm worthy.

No man (or woman for that matter) can ever be or do something worthy to gain admittance into heaven because not one of us is perfect. Only Christ was/is and only His work on the cross brings man into union with God.

Now, I'm not perfect but as a father no matter what my child does I could not disown them because of my love for them, but also I could not technically disown them because of our blood making us family regardless of feelings.

And if I (who am not perfect) can love this much, how much more does my Heavenly Father love me who IS perfect in all His ways.

If Christ's death was not suffient payment for sin then what pray tell can you do (who are not God) to add to it??

.........................

So to answer your question, can a christian kill themselves and still go to heaven? Yes, because our salvation is not dependent upon us but Christ's work on our behalf.
They will have to give an account before God but that does not negate the work of Christ made them members of God's family and children of the Father.

I agree with you on your comment. I may not completely agree on the day of judgment. I think GOD has described that point when he divides the Sheep from the Goats, Oh I know that Revelations states the judgement account. That's just everybodys different beliefs, but I agree with your comments and they are good.
Love from Brother to Brother,and Sisters.
Appalachian-american

 

[ray Marshall]

I agree that only God 'should' take our life and that we should not seek to take our own. It is a shame when it happens but that does not bar one from heaven.

At least for him (Judas) we know that he was not saved to begin with. He is called the son of perdition or damnation various times in scripture. Though it was not because he commited suicide (as I have heard some on occassion say) but because even Jesus declares him to not be one of His own (John 17), and scriputre declares that we are his by or through faith in Him.

So here it is not even that he lacked faith or gave up on it but that he never believed who Jesus truely was. He had his own ideas just as the pharisees did and did not believe full the truths Jesus declared of Himself. Even though He was one of Christ's disciples or one of the 12 that Jesus was specifically teaching, Judas did not truly believe.

when he chose his deciples, when he chose JUDAS, he said, "and he was of the DEVIL. I wouldn't desire to be JUDAS.

 

[Alive in Christ]

"What if a Christian Commits Suicide?"

They are immedietly translated into heaven, just like every other born again person who dies.

How could anyone possibly think otherwise?


:godisgood:

 

[Alive in Christ]

Briony-Gloriana,

"I have always been taught that as God gave us life only He may take it, therefore to suicide is wrong and sinful, as is despair regarded a sin."

The question wasnt wether it was wrong or not, or whether it was sinful or not.

It was whether they would go to heaven.

And the answer...OF COURSE...is yes, they will immedietly go to heaven to recieve their heavenly and eternal inheritance.

The person in the question is a "Christian", so they go to heaven.


Christians go to heaven.

The lost do not

Thats the way it is and always will be.


:godisgood:

 

[Melanie]

Also, is it a sin to shoot oneself when you are being burned at the stake??[/quote] Allan

Why would you.....you are suffering for the Lord's sake? therefore you are saved through this sacrifice for the love of the Lord. After all the Passion of our Redeemer was difficult beyond my comprehension.... He could have zapped everone in the Garden where He was betrayed, but He chose to suffer and die for us. One drop of His blood would have been sufficent if He so chose but He chose to die a hideous death.

 

[Allan]

Also, is it a sin to shoot oneself when you are being burned at the stake?? Allan

Why would you.....you are suffering for the Lord's sake? therefore you are saved through this sacrifice for the love of the Lord. After all the Passion of our Redeemer was difficult beyond my comprehension.... He could have zapped everone in the Garden where He was betrayed, but He chose to suffer and die for us. One drop of His blood would have been sufficent if He so chose but He chose to die a hideous death.

Hmmm... I didn't say what you are quoting or at least couldn't find where I said that.

Ok, I went back and looked.. It was 'friendofspurgeon' who made that statement not me

 

[Melanie]

Hmmm... I didn't say what you are quoting or at least couldn't find where I said that.

Ok, I went back and looked.. It was 'friendofspurgeon' who made that statement not me

My apologies Allan . It is annoying to be misquoted so apologies to Friend of Spurgeon as well.:tonofbricks: