Why is suicide the "unforgiveable sin"?

Then how did Adam and Eve spoil His perfect world? (or do you not think He perfectly created it?) </font>[/QUOTE]Dear Alcott:

Adam and Eve where created by God perfectly, however God very well knew that Adam and Eve would sin. God knows all things. Yet in God's love he also had a plan to work that problem out.

 

I am new to the doctrine of eternal security. Is this
what is truly being taught?

 

Where in the Bible does it say the sins of the saved were forgiven "past, present, and future"? I know that it's commonly taught in Baptist churches, as I used to go around saying that also. Now I'm not so sure. What about confessing our present sins so that God will forgive us and cleanse us presently(1 John 1:9)? What about Peter's statement in 2 Peter 1:9 that one's OLD (past) sins were cleansed (past tense)?

 

1. Yes, I know there is another thread dealing specifically with eternal security, but that topic is certainly relevent to the question at hand here as well.

2. I picked my handle because I have learned to question what I've learned as a Baptist--whether or not a doctrine is actually Biblical or if it is more of a man-made Baptist tradition. (Plus my last name is "Thomas")

 

Which may not be a bad thing, if what "someone" is convincing of us is the truth. That's why we are to test ALL things, even the things that we as good Baptists have been taught as dogma. We are to take those beliefs and compare it to Scripture. We are to be Bereans.

Yep. I couldn't agree more.

 

I'm so glad this was brought up because I know many christians who believe it is unforgiveable. I was taught to believe in eternal security and I never understood why suicide would be unforgiven when other sins are.

Karen

 

Very nice job, Diane! I'll slay the dragon from a different angle!

Matthew 12:31-32 (NIV)
31 And so I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 32 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.

Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is denying the reality of the work of the Holy Spirit, and especially attributing the “work” to Satan or someone else. This is a sin that a born again Christian cannot commit! If they could, then salvation would be conditional.

Hebrews 6:4-6 (NIV)
4 It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, 6 if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because b to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.

Some argue that this passage teaches that a Christian can indeed loose their salvation. But “those who have once been” had received instruction in biblical truth which was accompanied by intellectual perception. Understanding the gospel is not the equivalent of regeneration. In John 1:9 it is clear that enlightening is not the equivalent of salvation. tasted the heavenly gift. Tasting in the figurative sense in the NT refers to consciously experiencing something. All men experience the goodness of God, but that does not mean they are all saved. Many received blessings in the form of healings from Jesus, but not all were saved. shared in Holy Spirit. The convicting ministry of the Holy Spirit ( John 16:8 ) obviously can be witnessed first hand, but be resisted without experiencing salvation:

Acts 7:51 (NIV)
“You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers: You always resist the Holy Spirit!

tasted. These Hebrews had not yet been regenerated in spite of all they had heard and seen. They were repeating the sins of those who died in the wilderness after seeing the miracles performed through Moses and Aaron and hearing the voice of God at Sinai. fall away. With full revelation they rejected the truth, concluding the opposite of the truth about Christ, and thus had no hope of being saved. They can never have more knowledge than they had when they rejected it. By their rejection of the work of the Holy Spirit, and their falling away, they give credit for the power they have witnessed to something else, i.e. they blaspheme the Holy Spirit.

If this then is the one and only unpardonable sin (and it is!), then suicide by a born again believer is, as is all of their past, present, and future sins at the moment of justification – eternally forgiven! But as bad as this world is becoming, don't anyone go getting any ideas!

 

Romans 3:24,25 KJV

To declair His righteousness for the remission of sins past. That verse is a blessing to me, doubting Thomas. I believe that when we get saved, God puts our sins under His blood, or as Psalms says something about as far as the east from the west. When Jesus died on the cross, He died for all our sins. WHen we got saved, we accepted Christ as our Saviour, and that satisfied a Holy God, so HE is able to decliare us righteous in HIs sight. Now I don't believe we are fully righteous untill we get that new body in HEaven, cause we still sin. {I think I must more than others! }
See THomas, I have sins in my past I'm very ashamed of. Yes, even the contemplation of what this whole thread is about. ANd I'm so thankful that GOd took my sins and blotted them out. HE dosn't see them anymore, and if that's good enough for God, that's good enough for me, and I don't care who tries bringing up my past, because since my salvation, it's irrelevent.
YEs, when we make mistakes we ought to get right with God. When we sin now, it puts us out of fellowship with GOd. Now that dosn't mean you lose your salvation, it just means you need to get right with the Lord. When we ask forgiveness, He gives us fellowship with Him again. God already knew that I'd lose my temper, or think things I shouldn't, or have a slip of tounge and be rude. He already knew that when He saved me. ANd what's so wonderful, is that even knowing I'd still fail Him, He saved me anyway!
Christine, what do you mean people before the cross had no eternal security? It was the same for them as it is us. We had to look back to the cross and believe it happened. THey had to look to it, and believe it would. Why else would the Bible described Lot, and Abraham as being "Righteous" in the NT? All through out the Old Testement you see types of Christ, and Isiah even eludes to the crusifixion. They had knowledge that it would happen. The theif on the cross still went by the way the old testement people did, because Christ hadn't rose from the grave yet, but He still told the theif that he would be with Him in paradise. ANd when Jesus told the parable about the rich man an Lazerus, He talked of the rich man crying out to Abraham, and the rich man being in hell, and how Lazerus now had "good things," and I have a feeling there isn't much good in hell, considering Jesus spoke of a literal flame.
And yes, Christine, it's wonderful to be able to ask questions about things and still be considered loyal to Christ. I know I have so much to learn! ANd not enough time to do it, that's for sure! My grandma askes me questions that really make me get out the Bible, and talk with my preacher. Esh, it's amazing the things they'll ask!
~Abby

 

As A Christian my life does not belong to me, it belongs to Christ.I pray that He will use my life to glorify His name.He paid a price for my life,His blood.Our lives are sacred in His sight,it is only God who decides when your tour of duty is complete,not man.
John

 

Suicide, I categorically affirm, is NOT the "unforgiveable sin!"

Samson killed himself and yet he is listed in the Hebrews 11 faith chapter.

The unforgiveable sin is rejection of Jesus as Saviour and Lord!!!

rufus

 

Many of you have noted that there is only one unforgivable sin and that is the Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. Some of you have gone on to qualify this as rejection of salvation. However, the context of Matthew 12:31-32 does not lend itself to this interpretation. As Baptists we have typically made this text mean that the rejection of the Holy Spirit's regenerative action through faith is the Blaspheming of the Holy Spirit spoken of in these passages. Can someone explain through the text how they have arrived at this conclusion? What I am looking for is exegesis not an insertion of doctrine into a text for clarification of its meaning to the reader. What did Jesus mean in context and can we take this as the rejection of salvation? Honestly, I don't believe that is what the text suggests and most scholars would agree. I really just want to see if anyone can explain how they arrived at this through this text.
dr