[SuperJon]

I had this question come up from a kid this morning. I've mentioned it to other people here at camp and knew I would get different answers, so I wanted to pose it on here.


If a Christian commits suicide, does he go to Heaven or Hell? Why?

[jcmanson]

If someone who was a true Christian committed suicide and did not go to Heaven because of that then we are saying that Christ's death and resurrection covered all sins except for suicide.

[Cider Jim]

Christ's sacrifice covers all sins--past, present, and future--including suicide. That is to say, if a Christian commits suicide, or murder, he can still go to heaven. Moses and Paul were both murderers, and I expect to see them both in heaven.

[Hold My Own]

I've only heard JC's argument...I have not heard Cider's


I'm under the belief you cannot go to heaven if you commit suicide however if you are mentally ill I think there is grace.....where is the line drawn, who knows.

[Rooster Cogburn]

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand.”
—John 10:27-29

[Rooster Cogburn]

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.”
—John 5:24

[Hold My Own]

no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand.”
—John 10:27-29

Then they were never "truly" saved to begin with if they commit suicide

[ToTheLeft]

no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand.”
—John 10:27-29

Then they were never "truly" saved to begin with if they commit suicide

Suicide is just a sin. The only sin you can't be forgiven of is dying in unbelief/blasphemy. What you just said is just like saying "They were never truly saved to begin with if they lied, cheated on their wife, or stole something."

[Kolzilla41]

no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand.”
—John 10:27-29

Then they were never "truly" saved to begin with if they commit suicide

Then are Preachers and Evangelists who get caught in infidelity not saved? Of how about murderers who get saved n prison?

[Hold My Own]

I was playing Devil's Advocate...to be honest...I dont know where I stand on this issue.

As a child I remember someone telling me that it was the unforgivable sin, but I dont have any verses to back that up. I do find it hard to understand how a Christian could not harm but destroy God's Temple....but like I said, I really am on the fence and havent thought about it enough to be firm on either side.

[Liberty4Life]

I disagree with the notion that 'if someone commits suicide, they weren't saved to begin with'.

Here's my question: what about the guy who commits suicide through unhealthy lifestyle -- like, say, Dr. Falwell? He was tremendously overweight. His actions cut years off his life (and he was a hero of mine, so don't haze the new guy here. I'm just throwing a question out there_.

[SuperJon]

That's a completely different topic and nowhere near what I was talking about in this thread. I was talking about a Christian who decides one night to kill their self.

[4everfsu]

Last I can remember is there is an unpardonable sin, not sins. And that is not accepting Christ.
Yes a believer who commits suicide will go to heaven. If you was capture by Al Qaeda and knew you were going to be beheaded. And you were placed in a cell, would you commit suicide?

[SuperJon]

Last I can remember is there is an unpardonable sin, not sins. And that is not accepting Christ.

No, the Bible says that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is the one sin that is unforgivable.

[olldflame]

The idea of suicide resulting in damnation has it's origins in catholic theology which teaches that sins must be confessed to a priest to be forgiven, and thus someone who commits suicide dies with unforgiven sin and at best will be destined for purgatory.

To me, someone who knowingly and wilfully takes a life, whether it is their own or anothers, is comitting a form of blasphemy, in that they are usurping God's authority over life and death. I'm not suggesting they won't be forgiven, but it seems to me to be a particularly arrogant sin against both God and man.

[phoenix]

I had this question come up from a kid this morning. I've mentioned it to other people here at camp and knew I would get different answers, so I wanted to pose it on here.


If a Christian commits suicide, does he go to Heaven or Hell? Why?

Christians who die go to Heaven. Period. God doesn't kick us out of the family for anything that we do, no matter how bad or how stupid. There are those who would say a true Christian wouldn't take their own life; that's not for us to decide. If someone who claims Christ kills themselves and does not end up in Heaven, it's not because of the suicide - it's because they never really trusted Christ to begin with.

[4everfsu]

An unforgivable sin is described in Mark 3 and Matthew 12. These passages involve Jesus Christ's repeated and widespread public defeat of Satan and his demons. Many readers and theologians have been confused about the true nature of this sin. As you read these verses for yourself (below), bear in mind part of the purpose of Jesus Christ's ministry was to directly confront darkness with the light of truth in a public battle of pure good versus pure evil. The only being in the universe that is more powerful than the Evil One, is God. He is the only one with enough power to bind Satan himself and forcibly dispossess him.

The Pharisees had long observed the sinless Jesus Christ. They observed him doing undeniable and powerful miracles that were, at the very least, clear evidence of power supplied by God. These impressive miracles were freely given in pure kindness and love to release people from obvious suffering and the oppression of horrible evil.

However, the Pharisees had so firmly set their hearts against accepting Jesus as the Messiah that they rejected the obvious truth before them and perversely twisted it to influence the crowds. They publicly credited the most ultimately evil being in the universe with these precious, godly miracles. In other words, they called the precious and holy Spirit of God, the unclean spirit of Satan. In effect, they charged Jesus Christ with sorcery; one who is in league with Satan. These charges are not only appalling and extremely serious, but clearly absurd. As Jesus immediately responded,

"How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself, and is divided, he cannot stand, but has an end. No one can enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. And then he will plunder his house" (Mark 3:23-27; also see Luke 11:14-23).

Note that…

"Jesus does not deny the existence of other exorcists here. [See: Matthew 7:22-23] …Exorcists often invoked a higher spirit to get rid of a lower one. …But a demon's retreat that meanwhile drew attention to another of Satan's servants would only be a strategic retreat; such possible activity contrasts with the wholesale exorcizing of the masses that Jesus undertakes, which clearly signifies a defeat of Satan [Matthew 12:29; 4:24; 8:16; Mark 1:34, 39; 5:12, 15; Luke 9:1] …the parable about tying up a protective householder means that Jesus had defeated Satan and could therefore plunder his possessions--free the demon-possessed" [Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary, New Testament (Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 1993), pp. 143, 80.].



Author Dr. Henry Morris insightfully clarifies the true nature of Pharisees' sin:


"The unforgivable sin of speaking against the Holy Spirit has been interpreted in various ways, but the true meaning cannot contradict other Scripture. It is unequivocally clear that the one unforgivable sin is permanently rejecting Christ (John 3:18; 3:36). Thus, speaking against the Holy Spirit is equivalent to rejecting Christ with such finality that no future repentance is possible. 'My spirit shall not always strive with man,' God said long ago (Genesis 6:3).

[Sly Fox]

When a believing family member on my wife's side of the family committed suicide a few years ago, many of the Catholics in her family didn't want to even discuss the topic because apparently they believe it is a mortal sin.

My father interjected that no one in their right mind chooses to end their own life. Most suicides are a manifestation of mental illness. By the point they choose to end their own life they are so removed from reality that they are not functioning properly anymore.

[Rocketfan]

The idea of suicide resulting in damnation has it's origins in catholic theology which teaches that sins must be confessed to a priest to be forgiven, and thus someone who commits suicide dies with unforgiven sin and at best will be destined for purgatory.

Growing up Catholic i would say thats pretty accurate.

[ATrain]

Growing up I had a friend who believed (and still does) that suicide is unforgiveable b/c "You can't ask for forgiveness."

However, I am of the opinion that Jesus' blood paid it all and covers every sin. He was the ultimate, final sacrifice that needed to be made to redeem humans from any sin.