But in that same context, you're saying that if we live in the flesh, even momentarily, and happen to die in a car accident at that very time, we are not saved. That's simply not true. People that commit suicide aren't "bad" people that have completely fallen from God's grace. They are people who are in a deep depression that simply do not see ANY other way out.
There is only one unforgivable sin - suicide isn't it.
angel in mn your words: "Are there any biblical references about suicide? I mainly mean it's judgment by God."
My words:
If you view suicide as I do (self murder) then the judgement would be the same as those who commit the sin of murder. We understand that GOD is a forgiving and a compassionate GOD, but we can't forget about nor throw away the Scripture that no murderer has eternal Life dwelling in him. (I John 3:15)
I believe that a person was lost before her or she commited suicide. That's not saying that he or she have always been lost, but at the point of committing self murder, the person could not have had eternal life dwelling in them.
In this situation, my advice would be to go with what is safe.
If a person is reading this post with thoughts of suicide, wondering if he/she would spend eternity in Hell or not, I would say to you, "Don' Risk It"....Eternity is too Long and Hell is too Painful to take this dangerous chance.
There is Hope in JESUS CHRIST, just Keep Believing and HE will come to your rescue.
One put it this way "Suicide is a permenant solution to a temporary problem."
Many are the afflictions of the Righteous, but the LORD saves us out of them All. Psalm 34:19
Suicide shows that one is Fearful and Unbelieving. Revelation 21:8 says that such shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
Just not a good chance for us to take. GOD Speed. Amen.
dear folks, first off i am with thaddeus, dont do it.. as there are folks out there who do love you and dont want you to leave them... dont risk it..GOD doesnt want you to murder your own self..
and yes only GOD will judge you..
and then as i think also no one in their right mind would ever committ suicide. therefore out of their minds.. who knows but GOD if theyre even realizing what theyre doing.
even if the folks are somehow in their right mind sometime during the suicide.. say after theyve taken the pills or slashed their wrists.. they say GOD please forgive me for what i just done to my body..
they are forgiven as we know as scripture tells us if we ask forgiveness we are forgiven...
and as linnie says you dont just loose your salvation just cause you sinned sometime.
it is my belief that you dont loose your salvation less you tell GOD you dont want it anymore and turn your back on GOD.
I'm going to put this out there as personal experience.
First off, are we damned if we commit suicide, I can't say for certain. Everything I have ever read or heard says yes, but as I grow in faith and see more and more how merciful our God is I'm not sure.
Now for personal experience. When I was in the worst of my drug and alcohol addiction I spent years waking up every morning wishing for death. I hated who I was and what I had become so much that I couldn't stand to even look at my face in the mirror. I attempted 3 times to commit suicide in a span of probably four years. Every time I failed. At that time I thought I can't even do this right so I put myself in situations where I hoped someone else would do it for me. I ran guns and drugs across country for three years from Ky. to Az. and back. I dealt with biker gangs on one end and the Mexican mafia on the other. There were many times when I should have died and didn't, again, at the time, thinking why can't I just die!!!
Getting busted and spending a year in prison didn't help matters any. Not having anyone on the outside at this time (my choice and doing) I felt abandoned and alone in the world and wanted to die even more.
Getting out and being in a state that I had never been in before Ks., I went right back to the drugs and alcohol. While going to the parole office 5 days a week for drug and alcohol treatment. To try and stay clean on UA's I was drinking Clorox bleach and lemon juice every day. In essence I was putting poison into my body so that I could keep putting poison into my body ( bright huh!). It didn't work, I came up hot on a couple of UA's and they were going to send me back to prison. I couldn't take anymore, on June 12th 1996 I dropped to my knees and said God if you are out there I can't do this, I'm tired of living this life. Either let me die or help me. God took my drug and alcohol addictions from tha that very instant never to return.
I went through all that to make this point, had God not intervened and let die of my own choosing I would never have known the life I have now in Christ. Is this life perfect, by no means. Is this life worth it, by all means. I can look back now and see all the times God stepped in and saved my life. He did so, so that he could send me back into the prisons to share my testamony with others who are going through and feeling the same things.
I love life so much now because of Christ and look forward to serving him every day. But I would not have this joy had I gone the other route.
If you know of anyone contemplating suicide, tell them to hold on, turn to Christ, and see what joy, love and excitement He has in store for you. Mike.
Praise the LORD and to GOD be All the Glory, Honor, Praise, and Thanksgiving for ever and ever. Beautiful and GOD-Glorifying testimony Mike. I Applaude GOD for HIS gracious intervention.
Loveandgrace - I don't have any personal judgment about it, because I am a newer Christian and I don't have the knowledge about the Bible yet to feel like I can even offer an opinion about it. I have heard people (not Christian) say it is an unforgivable sin - but as Linnie mentioned, we as Christians know that the only unforgivable sin is blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. You're right, God will be the judge of all the rest and that will be with each individual person.
Thanks Cattle & Linnie - interesting ways to look at it. And there are always so many 'what ifs' that make it hard to come to a definite answer - like Linnie's example of the car accident and Cattle's examples of wrist slitting or taking pills. Those kinds of things definitely make you think. Yes, we must trust in the word of the Lord in knowing he has the final judgment over everything. I think it's fair to say that we have all agreed to leave this in God's hands.
Gracefreedme - thanks for sharing your story. I had someone very close to me try to commit suicide a few years ago (unsuccessfully, thank God), but that is probably where this question is coming from. God has used you in a good way and your testimony will help others.
dear angel, i must say that even though we are all equipped with the HOLY SPIRIT to help guide us and show us everything we need to know about the WORD..
for some reasons we dont always get all of the answers ,whether were not walking exactly right with the LORD, whether were not asking for the knowlege like we oughta.. or maybe GOD dont think we need to know that at this time or whatever... and sometimes we get the answer and well as you can see on the forums here folks from different denominations and even in the same denominations come up with different answers sometimes.. yet each one believes what they believe.. and sometimes ya just have to say im not for sure 100% because i believe that there are some things we as each different person will never know till we get with JESUS in heaven.. and hey we might not even know then.. theres lots of differences on some of the biblical questions that have been goin on for years and years.... what i always tell people is to go out and preach what you do know beyond a shadow of a doubt.. in your heart .. and you definitely know how to tell folks how they too can become saved.. so spread that good news.. and live your life to follow the word to the best of your ability and ask forgiveness when you domess up ,if you do. and i believe youll do fine.. and dont get hung up on the things you dont know about so much.. as sometimes that is a way of satan to get you to get your focus off of spreadin the good news as much.. ya know.. though its good to learn and ask questions.. just dont get too caught up on what ya cant figure out yet...
I completely agree Cattle - good post. That's why I said to just leave things like this in God's hands. Because we trust Him even though we will not have all the answers.
