Suicide

Suicide is one of the hardest subject that we will have to cover. Not because the Bible doesn't speak on this subject but because of its tragic nature. Not only is a life lost, but the person who commit the act more than likely experience extreme hopelessness and despair.

The finality of suicide is gripping and many of us know people who have ended their own lives and it is important that we discuss this this topic with the utmost grace and thoughtfulness.

according to Heathline.com Suicide is the 10 leading cause of death in the USA.

In 2017 the CDC sited, 44,965 die from suicide per year Making up 1.64 percent of the total deaths

The website also states suicide is more common among:

men

people with brain injuries

people who have attempted suicide in the past

people with a history of depression and other mental health conditions

people who misuse alcohol or drugs

Almost 500,000 people are treated in emergency rooms each year for self-inflected injuries.

According to the WHO (World Health Organization)

More than 700 000 people die due to suicide every year.

For every suicide there are many more people who attempt suicide. A prior suicide attempt is the single most important risk factor for suicide in the general population.

Suicide is the fourth leading cause of death among 15-19 year-olds.

77% of global suicides occur in low- and middle-income countries.

Ingestion of pesticide, hanging and firearms are among the most common methods of suicide globally.

Webster defines suicide as, the act or an instance of taking one's own life voluntarily and intentionally.

Killing oneself

Exodus 20:13 NASB95

13 “You shall not murder.

Romans 13:9 NASB95

9 For this, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Wayne Gruden says this, “When God speaks in the Ten Commandments and says,"You shall not murder" (Ex.20:13; repeated in Rom. 13:9 and elsewhere), he uses the Hebrew verb rätsakh, which refers to what we today would call "murder," and also can refer to causing the death of another person through negligence or carelessness (see discussion of ratsakh above, p. 505). But if it applies to murdering another person, then it seems evident that it would also apply to murdering ourselves. Therefore, "You shall not murder" is also a prohibition that means, "You shall not murder yourself."

4 Example of Suicide in the Bible

1. Saul - Saul was about to be killed by the Philistine and he fell on his own sword.

1 Samuel 31:3–5 NASB95

3 The battle went heavily against Saul, and the archers hit him; and he was badly wounded by the archers. 4 Then Saul said to his armor bearer, “Draw your sword and pierce me through with it, otherwise these uncircumcised will come and pierce me through and make sport of me.” But his armor bearer would not, for he was greatly afraid. So Saul took his sword and fell on it. 5 When his armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his sword and died with him.

2. Ahithophel - Ahithophel despaired after choose Absolom side instead of David. Realizing his mistake “set his house in order, and strangled himself.”

2 Samuel 17:23 NASB95

23 Now when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his donkey and arose and went to his home, to his city, and set his house in order, and strangled himself; thus he died and was buried in the grave of his father.

3. Judas - Judas after betraying our Lord. He experienced deep remorse and hanged himself.

Matthew 27:3–5 NASB95

3 Then when Judas, who had betrayed Him, saw that He had been condemned, he felt remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, 4 saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” But they said, “What is that to us? See to that yourself!” 5 And he threw the pieces of silver into the temple sanctuary and departed; and he went away and hanged himself.

It is clear in these example intense hopelessness and despair.

4. Samson - Samson death is often sited as a heroic example of suicide, but i don’t believe that his death can be accurately described as a suicide.

Here we see Samson as a type (foreshadowing) of Jesus Christ. How lays down His life for other.

John 15:13 NASB95

13 “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.

Samson give his life for sake of others.

Samson may that his action would kill him but consider other higher than Himself.

Samson gave his life so that other might live.

Judges 16:28–30 NASB95

28 Then Samson called to the Lord and said, “O Lord God, please remember me and please strengthen me just this time, O God, that I may at once be avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.” 29 Samson grasped the two middle pillars on which the house rested, and braced himself against them, the one with his right hand and the other with his left. 30 And Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines!” And he bent with all his might so that the house fell on the lords and all the people who were in it. So the dead whom he killed at his death were more than those whom he killed in his life.

You were made in the image of God.

Genesis 9:6 NASB95

6 “Whoever sheds man’s blood, By man his blood shall be shed, For in the image of God He made man.

Our lives matter! Our live matter so much that God created us in His own image.

Adam and Eve were God first created being in His image and what the devil try to do? Decieve them into believing lie. I quote out of my book, “The Heart of a Son.”

“One of the major problems here is that Eve did not realize that she was already like God. God formed her and made her in His image.When we cannot see ourselves like God made us, the devil can convince us to do anything. Instead of saying,“I am a daughter, and I don’t have to listen to you.” She looked at the tree, and she was tempted in every area of her life. “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world” (1 John 2:16).She looked at the tree and saw it was good for food (lust of the flesh), and that it was a delight to the eyes (lust of the eyes). And that the tree was to be desired to make one wise (pride of life). Then she became carried away by her own lust and desire, and she ate of the fruit and was in transgression (2 Timothy 2:14). Then Adam ate the fruit and sin entered into mankind.”

Derrick Marshall. The Heart of a son

Norman Geisler says this, “since suicide is also a form of homicide, it too comes under the prohibition against murder. Killing oneself is both a rejection of God's sovereignty over life and an attack upon the sanctity of life. It matters not whether the human life is our own or another's; it is still in God's image, and he is sovereign over it.”

Question: Can a person who has commit suicide be forgiving and go to heaven?

Pastor Derrick’s response: I must say first that i believe that most if not all suicide involve some kind of mental illness of demonic influence. Because suicide goes against man’s natural instinct to self preserve and protect. Naturally if someone throws a ball at you without thinking you nature response is to duck. by nature we want to avoid pain. Unless we have been condition and convince that we deserve, need it, or there is not help for us.

I believe that suicide, jeopardizes ones salvation and should not be gone be the Christian. The message for the believe even in desire is that God can turn the situation around. Paul promise that God has given a way of escape for every situation and even the worst thing God can turn into good and use it for our good. With that being sad I also believe in grace and that God is faithful and even in the act if one call on the name of Jesus they can be and will be saved. I also believe there is hope for even those who knew Jesus and took their own lives.

1 Corinthians 10:13 NASB95

13 No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.

Romans 8:28 NASB95

28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

Romans 10:13 NASB95

13 for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Wayne Grudem response: “Yes, Certainly, If They Were Believers in Christ. While it is true that taking one's own life is a sin against God, we will all remain sinners in need of forgiveness until the time of our deaths.”

1 John 1:8 NASB95

8 If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.

He goes on to say, “Therefore, the question is not whether someone was a sinner at the moment he or she died (for we all will still be sinners when we die), but whether that person had truly trusted in Christ for forgiveness of sins. If the person had believed the gospel and genuinely trusted in Christ, then the familiar passages having to do with Christ's death for our sins and the gift of salvation are very appropriate here, assuring us that even the sin of suicide can be forgiven.”

Romans 6:23 NASB95

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

1 Corinthians 15:3 NASB95

3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,