Suicide: Heaven or Hell

WOW, not even going to touch this one…

The scripture that comes to mind is that if
you destroy the temple of the Holy Spirit , God will destroy you. I
Corinthians
Will have to go look it up for the verse.
That being
said, only God knows when someone is responsible for their actions,
mentally ill, and can of course forgive.

If they are saved, they go to heaven. You
can not lose your salvation. If they are unsaved, unfortunately, they go
to hell.

Good points Anny!

I’ve been a Christian for as far back as I
can remember and I’m 54 years old now. I know personally of two very
strong Christians who have killed themselves. The were in such mental
anguish that their minds snap. I have no doubt that they are in heaven
with Jesus. A Christian is not exempt from going through mental issues.
Sometimes mental issues can kill, just like physical issues. Jesus
looks at our “hearts.”

Being a pastor this question is asked to me
time and time again. The only thing we have is found in the New
Testament about Judas committing this act. Someone also brought up the
once saved always saved issue and would you use this argument with the
one who betrayed the Lord?!? Salvation is pertinent on repentance and
denial of the self to follow … See MoreChrist. If we go back to that old lifestyle
how can we say we know Jesus and live for him if we are living in that
which we denied. This is a conflict of interest for those who are
serving Jesus. Therein is the issue with suicide as it brings the person
to the place of the old lifestyle. To be honest, when preaching these
types of funerals the only thing to do is preach God’s grace to the
family and offer the comfort of the Holy Spirit. God is the only judge
and we have to look to Him.

sorry my grammar and sentence structures
were so bad, above. I have my two youngest granddaughters and I’m
writing in a rush 🙂

No, no, Pastor Chad, it doesn’t always bring
the person back to the old lifestyle. People can be in such grief,
mental illness, etc. that they simply snap.
I don’t believe in
“once saved, always saved.” But I also will never believe that Jesus
does not understand the heart of a true Christian who never meant to
take their own lives, but snapped… See More under extreme pressure.
It doesn’t
matter what people think about this issue – and I don’t see how Judas
has anything to do with it.
Jesus understands better than anyone,
better than our own relatives, and yes, even better than our Pastors.
He LOVES us and weeps when we weep. Thank God He has taught me,
personally, that He understands our “human-ness.” When I learned this,
it freed me to fall at His feet and not be afraid to tell Him how I felt
about anything – He already knows our feelings anyway. When we bring
them to Him, He is compassionate and helps us.
And when great
people of God take their own lives, it’s not due to satan if they
continue to love God with all their hearts. It’s simply their human
brains could not stand anymore pain and they snapped.

That precious Grace and Mercy is what Jesus
gives to the Christian who commits suicide, as long as they have not
totally turned against God “knowingly” – and I believe it rare for
anyone who truly loves God to turn away blatantly and knowingly – when
in their right mind or not.
The stripes Jesus gave for healing also
applies to mental illness – no matter what the cause of the mental
illness or anguish.

great topic,but just think to spend time
seeking to luv jesus …would be always more productive then finding
loopholes for suicide and salvation

@Robert: Hi Robert 🙂 I don’t find any
type of loophole regarding any of the two issues you present.
However,
I do find it productive to let God speak to our hearts regarding these
subjects. I’ve been able to minister to hurting families who were
concerned when they lost strong Christian family members to suicide.
I’m
very humbled and … See Morethankful that God has given me the reassurance
regarding some difficult areas – and I assure you I spent time seeking
answers from Him and Him alone. Gob bless 🙂

I John 1:9 says if we confess our sins He is
faithful to forgive us & cleanse us from all unrighteousness;
Exodus 20:13 (6th of 10 Commandments) says Thou shall not kill (murder);
I believe this applies to ourselves as well. It is presumptious to
ask forgiveness before the sin is committed and since we can’t ask after
we are dead, how can we … See Moreexpect it? Killing one’s self is going
outside of God’s will as He is the only one that can rightfully choose
our day of departure from the natural world. Would you dare come before
God, on your judgement day, with your own blood on your hands?

MATTHEW 12: 31-32 “Therefore I say to you,
any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven men, but blasphemy against the
Spirit shall not be forgiven. And whoever shall speak a word against the
Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever shall speak against
the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age, or in
the age to come”.

I think God has grace on those who have
gotten to that point. I cannot see God just turning on those who got so
mentally “bad off” that He would send them to hell. No, we are not
supposed to take our lives…and most of us know that…BUT, what
happens when you lose the ability to remember, or when the pain is so
bad that you can no longer think … See Morestraight? THIS (the pain issue) became VERY
REAL to me a week ago monday as I had a sudden health issue arise that
was so painful that i was in and out of consciousness for at LEAST 5
hours til a doctor came into my room at the hospital ER! I got so weak
that I no longer wanted to fight…But God had grace on me…and now I
have a new understanding in this area. Anyway, tks for bringing up the
topic. I guess in the end God is the ultimate Judge…and he will judge
us separately how HE see’s fit. We need to pray for people…reach
out to them befor they get to the point of taking their own lives if we
can! God Bless!

To me it is very simple. Does a born again
person who dies of cancer go to hell because they were sick? God forbid.
So likewise, a person who commits suicide who may be sick in the head
and committed suicide won’t go to hell either. What if they weren’t sick
in the head but were yet born again? It says in 1 John that as a true
born again believer … See Moreof God no one goes out deliberately to commit
sin. No one person wants to commit suicide, but let’s not forget the
extreme pressure of circumstances and our old enemy satan who will
seduce them into believing that is the only way out! Remember this; God
IS love, He doesn’t have love He IS love, and Love is not trying to keep
people out, He’s trying to get them into heaven. Shalom

There’s a fine line between belief and
unbelief..Scripture teaches that without faith it is impossible to
please God, for he (or she) that comes to God must believe that he is
and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. The fear of
the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, but if the full truth is not
spoken behind pulpits or in any … See Moreother area, some may become confused and the
enemy of our souls can “steal” the truth from us…which could lead to
negative outcomes. To me its a frightful situation to be in.

@Michael: Christians who take their own
lives have not planned to do so, it happens in a moment of extreme
anguish and their minds snap. I don’t believe the issue of forgiveness
has anything to do with it, as the person was not in their right mind
when it happened. The person’s heart had not changed toward God.
I
don’t expect to change anyone’… See Mores mind, just present what I believe and feel
in my heart is true. I do not believe taking one’s life when one’s mind
snaps is murder as God would see it, not at all.
Although I have
assurance on this (and not due to any of my own family members ever
having committed this act,) I am not trying to change minds of others,
even though my own heart is secure in what I believe regarding this
issue.
It is certainly OK to agree to disagree 🙂 God bless 🙂
My
son has been an ordained Bishop since he was in his mid-twenties. He
has his PhD in Licensed Counseling, Supervision and Education, from a
Christian university. I had no idea that he would do his dissertation
on the issue of mental illness and how the church feels about it. He
sent out hundreds of surveys to our church members and other church
members. We were both shocked to find that 4 to 1, most church members
believe that “all” mental illness is due to demon possession – God help
us…..that is so untrue…… We serve a God of compassion Who loves
and understands His children! Praise His Name! 🙂

I must run!
Blessings to all! 🙂

@Holly: Amen, Sweetie! I have to run, but
want you to know I am praying for you! God bless your heart!

Murder is murder…

there is no other place than Heaven for
Father Dennis..no matter his manner of death

http://www.frdennisrochefo rd.org/

My take has always been, that if suicide is
greater than what Jesus did on the cross, then his crucifixion was a
failure, and I don’t believe that it was. He knew it all, and He took it
all while He was on the cross. From the “little” sin to the most
gruesome, gory sin was washed clean. End of story.

@Trevor: Amen, I agree with you! But I
don’t believe it’s always satan that causes a Christian to get to a
horrible place mentally – sometimes it is simply chemical imbalance, or
extreme stress that ultimately destroys the sense of reason. I’ve
enjoyed reading everyone’s thoughts! Blessings to all! 🙂

God is merciful! I knew of a street
evangelist who was the boldest christian I ever met,yet a couple years
after I met him,he committed suicide in a hotel room!We cannot know what
kind of demonic attack that these people go through!Especially if they
aren’t submitted to a pastor who can provide a spiritual covering for
them.

@Holly: This conversation just reminded me
of something else. I used to always think that drug addicts,
alcoholics, etc. would all go to hell. BUT, I have come to know some
addicted who have reached out to Jesus and received salvation. Some
were instantly delivered of their addictions, some were not. Some are
still struggling with it, but are … See Moretrusting God and trying with all their heart,
through prayer, etc. to become totally free, but have not yet reached
that destination. In this situation, also, I believe that if they were
to die, or Jesus were to return, they would still go to heaven, as they
were trusting Him for total healing, knowing it was wrong, seeking to
be totally free with all their being. Just as the sin of gluttony, no
difference. Again, the Word which says that Jesus looks on our
“hearts.” I’m so thankful that HE alone is the one Who knows our hearts
and judges, and not any of us……..

Praise God for His touch
in your life during that time of crises, Holly! 🙂

@Martin: That’s the key, my friend! God is
merciful! He alone knows our heart. Christians are subject to the same
things as others, as we live in this old world and human bodies. Oh
yes, we have Jesus and with Him ALL things are possible, yet there are
still deaths from illnesses (lots of illness are totally due to stress,
which none of us can … See Moreavoid in this life) – these old human bodies
have not yet been glorified. And that does not mean we are not to pray
for healing, etc. Sometimes healing comes while we are yet here on
earth (and I’ve SEEN many healings here on this earth) and some come
when we arrive in heaven 🙂
God bless 🙂

How can you repent when your dead!Only God
the father has the right and numbers your days!I assume you might ask
him to forgive you before you commit suicide!

@Michael: Christians can get to the point
of their mind snapping, just as non-Christians can. When a mind snaps,
one does not know what one is doing – it is not “willful” – Jesus’ blood
covers ALL things we UN-willingly do.

Donna, I agree…we have to remember that we
are all at different spiritual maturity levels…and YES…some are
delivered instantly from drugs…and some…even myself…had to deal
with it for some time…knowing it was wrong and wanting so terribly to
stop SO MANY NIGHTS of crying, waiting and beating ourselves up for the
Lord to help us! It … See MoreDID happen PRAISE GOD! But I lived in a state
of repentance during that time…it was also a time that I just had to
TRUST THAT JESUS LOVED ME NO MATTER WHAT AND THAT HE WOULD DELIVER ME!!!
I learned a LOT during that time! I’m sure this is a very touchy
subject…But I agree. God see’s the heart…he’s a compassionate God.
Not saying this is a pass for people to go out and do drugs…but I
believe it’s a case by case for God…according to what he see’s in us.
Thank You.

@Holly: I have chills! Thank you for the
powerful testimony of the Grace, Mercy and Love of our dear Lord Jesus
Christ! Amen! I like the way you put it “a state of repentance.” Yes,
yes, the Word says we must die daily to sin. It also says we have to
“fight the good fight.” God had you in His hands, Luv, the entire time
you were going through … See Morethat, as He most assuredly did look on your
“heart.”
And exactly, we’re not giving people a license to go and
do drugs or kill themselves, just showing that God alone knows the
heart, and that is what He looks upon, and only He alone can judge it
🙂
Aren’t we blessed?! I’m so glad that God is not finished with me
yet – and I’m so glad that He knows my true heart when I mess up! 🙂
Blessings, Precious! 🙂

PS: I would wake EACH MORNING saying today
is the day that I’ll be free’d!!!! And then…somehow, it would be
stuck in my face and I’d fail. I didn’t have the “do it now, repent
later” mentality. But I can tell you that the enemy had a hayday with
me til I was free! Maybe it was something I needed to go through to
have compassion and understanding? I don’t know…God does! Blessings!

@Holly – just re-read your awesome post, and
wanted again to AMEN a most important point you brought out. You
said:

…it was also a time that I just had to TRUST THAT JESUS
LOVED ME NO MATTER WHAT AND THAT HE WOULD DELIVER ME!!!

Amen!
And that goes for “any” thing that is happening to us or around us in
our lives. We face many difficulties, yet we TRUST His Word, even
though it seems impossible! Nothing is impossible with God! 🙂

@Holly, just saw your last post! Praise God
again !! Yes, yes! I have been there during a very difficult and long
trial, I have been to the point to where I didn’t have the strength
‘mentally or physically’ to try to crawl back out of my failure again,
and GOD SHOWED ME THAT DIDN’T MATTER! I could pick up right where I
left off, because HE had … See Moreme! 🙂 Amen! And yes, a thousand times,
yes, sometimes there are things only to be learned when going through
extreme difficulties – things we could learn no other way. I have
learned to be totally compassionate with people that have experienced
the same difficulties I have already experienced, I can truly feel their
pain, and can understand how to pray with them and for them, as I HAVE
BEEN THERE!
Prayer meeting time! 🙂

I would like to know

@Donna I respect your opinion but I will
disagree that suicide is a snap decision. Yes, this is a decision that
comes from a troubled mind but it is not a sudden one; only the action
taken is sudden. Those who kill themselves know all too well the road
they are headed down. They are all too willing to meet this end as a way
to escape what is … See Moretormenting them.

This decision, comes
from a long period of anguish over our circumstances that may seem too
hopeless for God to even help with. it is in that hopelessness that we
come to this choice. That is where the enemy comes in to deceive us and
keep us from realizing the hope we have in Him. Song of Solomon 2:1
tells us that Jesus is the rose of sharon; rose of sharon is an herbal
medicine that regulates our mood. If we call on that spiritual rose of
sharon we can be helped from our misery and rescued from the bondage
satan would have us live in.

I speak from experience in that I
have seen many friends take their own lives and it is something I do not
look uopn lightly. You can call me heartless and insensitive if you
wish but I would dare say that in the long run suicide is a very selfish
act in that those who do make this choice do so without regard for the
doubt & confusion they leave behind them in the minds of those who
love them and could’ve helped them.

I will conclude by saying
that for what ever reason it is committed, suicide is horrible &
wrong; there is no way around that. I believe what I believe because it
is what keeps me alive. Yes, I have contemplated suicide myself many
times but my hope in Jesus, no matter how bad things may be, will
prevent me from doing anything that would cause irreversible harm to
myself & others.

May He bless you & keep you safe from
all harm.
God bless you

His grace is enough. The church has done
damage
to people saying if you commit
suicide you will go to hell. Mental
illness
is what causes people to take their own
life. If someone
were in their right mind… See More
they would not take their own life.
I
serve a God of grace & mercy according
to the Word.

I knew two persons that commited suicide.
One had a mental illness the other had not been saved for a long time. I
got the same Scripture from the Lord about them: “The righteous
perishes, and no man lays it to heart; and merciful men are taken away,
none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil [to
come]. He enters into peace; they rest in their beds, each one who walks
in his uprightness.” (Isaiah 57:1-2).

The other guy also were saved. In the
Swedish translation the last sentences says that through the power of
evil the righteous is taken away and enters into the peace. Those who
have walked their way straight forward will have peace in their resting
rooms. Encouraging words.

Amen, Annika…… 🙂

@Michael: I am so thankful to God for
keeping you in the palm of His mighty hand, my friend.

I, too,
along with you and many, have wanted to die at times, in the heat of the
moment when I was so over-burdened that I could find no rest, even
though I knew Jesus. Thankfully, I never put actions to those thoughts
and God kept me sane enough to … See Moreremember the many blessings in my life that I
“do” have, to be sane enough to remember that He will NEVER leave us or
forsake us…..He’s an awesome God! 🙂

I believe when the
Christian actually gets to the point of “committing” the act of taking
their lives, they have lost all sense of reasoning and hope (which,
unfortunately, ‘is’ possible with the Christian also) – and crossed over
into the literal definition of insanity, for which God would not hold
them responsible.

Thank you for the blessings. May God continue
to keep you in the palms of His mighty hands – and continue to show
Himself mighty in you! May He bless and protect you by the power of His
Spirit and His precious blood shed for all – at Calvary.

@Contina – your words reminded me of that
precious song:
“Your Grace is enough,
Your Grace is enough,
Your
Grace is enough for me……”
… See More
Blessings!

Let God be true and every man a liar!

I believe once saved always saved. The issue
of suicide for a saved person is dealt with at the Judgement Seat, when
the Lord hands out rewards. Your place and level of responsibility is
affected in Heaven.

Me and my daughters wondered about it to. I
looked on www.gotguestions.org and it really helped. Love that website
it has come in handy alot.

Judge not that ye be not judged!

Thou shalt not kill!

No one knows the state of the heart of a
person who is suicidal except Christ. I once was suicidal and I had
fallen so deeply in depression that I wanted to kill myself. Nothing
anyone said to me was helpful. All the time I was in this mental
anguish, and that is what it is, Jesus kept telling me how much He loved
me and reminded of the many … See Morethings He had done in my life. There were
things that happened that were so bad for such along period of time, I
couldn’t take it any more. You have to realize we are still human beings
even though we have Jesus inside and move in great spiritual anointing.
Some people think that they are exempt from all of this stuff.That is
the time when the Church needs to gather together and do their job and
not condemn. If a person kills themselves, it is because they have
become so deeply depressed they see no other way out and if the pain is
deep enough, they are trying to get rid of the pain, not themselves. The
problem is we condemn what we don’t understand. If they are unsaved and
you may not know that anyway..yes, they won’t most likely be in heaven.
No one kills themselves on purpose.

@Dawn: agreed and I am so thankful that
Jesus brought you through. 🙂

You’re right, we’re not exempt,
even mightily anointed people of God. We do have Jesus to help us when
we get into this state, Praise His Name…..but you are spot on with
your testimony.

May the Lord Jesus Christ continue to bless and
keep you! 🙂

this is a difficult area to minister to.
Believers must be truthful but sensitive to the future of those who are
living and are in need of hope–which must be in Christ. Those left
behind need words of comfort and the peace of the Holy Spirit. I have
used the verse- Romans 8:38 “Neither height nor depth…….nor anything
can separate us from the love of God.”