Do you still go to heaven if you commit suicide?

[Believer1997]

I do not believe that there is one soul walking this earth who can say, with absolute certainty what happens when someone takes their own life. That said, how would anyone, no matter how wise or knowledgeable they claim to be - know with complete certainty?

[EricH]

I do not believe that there is one soul walking this earth who can say, with absolute certainty what happens when someone takes their own life. That said, how would anyone, no matter how wise or knowledgeable they claim to be - know with complete certainty?

Since scripture does not identify suicide as a special sin, all we have to go on is what scripture has to say about all sin in the life of a believer and how that impacts their salvation. On the other hand, if we posit that suicide would remove a person from salvation, we would need to generalize that to all sin, since suicide is not singled out as special in scripture.

[OneLight]

We are not always accountable for our actions when under the influence of drugs, alcohol and mental illness, but unless born that way or injured by events beyond our control then we are accountable for the choices we made leading up to our sorry state. Drunkards also will not enter into heaven, sounds harsh but its not according God in his word.

So what if the person in question has been born that way and it's only gotten increasingly worse despite years of various forms of treatment and prayer?

I gotta admit I'm a little shocked by the judgmental attitudes on here.

Do you believe that a "saved" person can murder his/her spouse or children, shoot himself and then still be saved?

our actions don't get us into heaven and our actions don't keep us from heaven.

*sarcasm*

Well then, I may as well go out, get drunk, smoke some strong weed and have an affair, then rob a store at gunpoint so I can have the money to do it again since I can do nothing to loose my salvation! Why not allow my flesh to have as much fun as it would like, and if I get killed in the process, or die of an overdose, who cares? I'll see ya in heaven!

*/sarcasm*

You have to be kidding me. I do not believe that we can not loose our salvation.

Romans 6:1-2

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?

Romans 12:1-2

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God

[Believer1997]

I do not believe that there is one soul walking this earth who can say, with absolute certainty what happens when someone takes their own life. That said, how would anyone, no matter how wise or knowledgeable they claim to be - know with complete certainty?

Since scripture does not identify suicide as a special sin, all we have to go on is what scripture has to say about all sin in the life of a believer and how that impacts their salvation. On the other hand, if we posit that suicide would remove a person from salvation, we would need to generalize that to all sin, since suicide is not singled out as special in scripture.

That seems reasonable. To me and only IMO... life is the greatest gift God gives us - he allows us to make choices on how we may best live our life and whether we choose to serve Him and live with His Salvation. It hurts me to think that one who has been given this ultimate gift would throw it away - but, I do not know what pain another carries and I won't judge them for denying themselves life. Again - I think God will sort it out. He always does.

[OneLight]

I do not believe that there is one soul walking this earth who can say, with absolute certainty what happens when someone takes their own life. That said, how would anyone, no matter how wise or knowledgeable they claim to be - know with complete certainty?

Since scripture does not identify suicide as a special sin, all we have to go on is what scripture has to say about all sin in the life of a believer and how that impacts their salvation. On the other hand, if we posit that suicide would remove a person from salvation, we would need to generalize that to all sin, since suicide is not singled out as special in scripture.

From what I have read, we have to be able to confess our sins to be forgiven and repent afterward. When would one who knowingly murdered themselves have the time to do such? Dying in a sin you had no idea of is another story all together. That is why we work out our salvation with fear and trembling, so God, through the working of the Holy Spirit, will point these hidden sins our to us.

[Smalcald]

The scriptures do not list suicide as a special sin that keeps one out of heaven or that identifies a person as an unbeliever. So, I conclude that if a person truly trusted in Christ for their salvation and came to saving faith, that no sin would remove them from that.

15Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him.

Well the other way of looking at that is that if they truly trusted Christ for their salvation, why would they kill themselves? A sinful life is simply a sign that faith does not exist in a person, regardless of what they think or feel or say that they believe or even what they really think that they believe. It is a test of true faith.

7Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature[a]will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.

But I agree that suicide is not worse than other sins, the problem is that suicide ends your life and that ends your chances for true repentance and conversion.

So is your position that if a person commits a sin, they lose their salvation until they repent of it?

If you die refusing to repent of your sins you were never saved in the first place.

Which is what those versus above I posted were getting at, grace saves us, grace covers all of our sins and people who have faith in Christ are horrified of their sins and will repent of them and will indeed do better with the help of the Holy Spirit. It is what this verse in Galations is about:

16 So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. 17For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. 18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.

19 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Paul addressed this, should we continue in sin so grace can abound, of course not!

So the question is how does someone who commits self murder show that they have faith, I would not want to end my life in that condition counting on salvation which indeed is not sure at all in this case. Why risk it?

I totally agree with onelight.

Now let me say I am not trying to demean those who have the horrible fight with mental illness, or simply depression. God knows about these illnesses and knows our weaknesses totally. But still from scripture, I just would not want to risk it. I have just met a couple of people in my life who are deeply depressed and are Christians who I honestly believe would kill themselves if they were assured that they would go to heaven, and I honestly cannot give them that assurance.

[nebula]

Again, Smalcald -

You have no idea what it is like to be oppressed by the spirit of death.

(Edit: spelling error)

[Smalcald]

Aain, Smalcald -

You have no idea what it is like to be oppressed by the spirit of death.

So should we tell people oppressed by this spirit of death that they will probably go to heaven if they kill themselves because they are "saved"?

I want no part of that, particularly since it is likely not true.

In fact from what I can understand about hell, it IS the spirit of death, it is being in that state forever and ever and ever.

[nebula]

Again, Smalcald -

You have no idea what it is like to be oppressed by the spirit of death.

So should we tell people oppressed by this spirit of death that they will probably go to heaven if they kill themselves because they are "saved"? ...

No, that isn't what I am saying.

When I was suffering what psychologists call "a major depressive episode" back when I was in 6-7th grade, the words you gave just would have added to my suffering.

You don't tell someone who is struggling with the desire to die that they were never saved. You encourage them in the love of the Lord. You tell them those thoughts and feelings are lies of the enemy. You speak life into them, not condemnation.

Remember how the Lord picked up Elijah when he wanted to die?

That's what you do.

And that's what the Lord did for me.

Really, I hate this whole line of questioning. It's not the way to deal with the issue.

[Guest man]

We've got people telling this guy he can go ahead and kill himself and still get to heaven. I would hate to have to rely on this bunch if I was in trouble....real brotherly love.

How many are praying?

No one is telling anyone to kill themselves. That is certainly not God's will for their life. The question of suicide and salvation is a different discussion.

Actually it's not.

If we are all in agreement that our salvation isn't lost if we commit suicide, then what we're doing, is telling all who are saved that it's ok to end ones life, because their salvation is guaranteed.

Threads like this one shouldn't even be allowed on these boards. Conspiracy theories are shut down and deleted in a heartbeat, but these discussions relating to taking ones life are allowed to go on until people get bored with it.

Proverbs 3

5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart,

And lean not on your own understanding;

6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,

And He shall direct your paths.