Suicide
Nancy and I have a relative who committed suicide 4 years ago and Nancy's cousin is still grappling with the the "official stance" of a Greek Orthodox priest: people who commit suicide go to hell. This sparked some discussion in our house and I thought we should talk. Is suicide a sin that has no redemption? How do we view suicide? Have we any stories that can bring some resolution?
Below are some thoughts I pulled from the net. As always: thank you bible.org.
Suicide is always a tragic death; it must not be our example, but in life and through faith, we can learn much from people who have tragedy in life. This type of death should be seen as a piece of the larger whole that we cannot ever really fathom.
Life must be viewed biblically, and understood in the light of a personal faith in Jesus Christ. We understand that we live in a fallen world, a world of sin, of suffering, and death and we know the only solution was for Jesus Christ to come to the earth and to reign as it's King. Because of faith in Christ, and because of the promise of the Bible, death ushers the saint into the eternal presence of Christ: suicide is a temptation to those who cannot bear this world. This does not justify, but it makes it easier to understand.
If we are honest with ourselves, we must admit that suicide poses some unpleasant problems for us.
Dangers We Face
#1 Allowing suicide to cause doubts about eternal destiny.
God's Word declares that we are all sinners, deserving of eternal punishment and destined for hell. The good news is that Jesus Christ came to the earth to bear our punishment and to give us eternal life. His death was a death for our sins. His resurrection is the basis for our resurrection into eternal life, and a guarantee of the power which we need to live according to His Word.
Some, perhaps with sincere motives, have suggested that those who have taken their own life will forfeit eternal life. This is simply not true. All who are born again, all who have trusted in Jesus Christ for salvation, will enter into His heaven, into His eternal rest. Many Bible passages affirm this, but allow me to mention two.
"I give eternal life to them, and they shall never perish; and no one shall 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 the Father's hand" (John 10:28-29).
For if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him; If we endure, we shall also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He also will deny us; If we are faithless, He remains faithful; for He cannot deny Himself
(2 Timothy 2:11-12).
#2 Wrongly responding to Suicide.
Guilt
Guilt can be felt due to something that was said or done, or perhaps to something that was not said or done. There is also a false guilt that can often plague us. We may wonder if something we might have said or done could have prevented death. Perhaps we sinned or even thought we sinned, however we can find comfort in the assurance of God’s forgiveness of sin. All we must do is to acknowledge our need for forgiveness of our sin and to receive it.
#3 Dwelling too much on the tragic and sorrowful circumstances rather than on heavenly realities.
I would believe that the last days of a suicidal person are not glorious ones. I believe they are tragic, painful and unpleasant.
It is possible, even likely, that our minds will dwell on these unpleasant circumstances, rather than on the glory and joy which the Bible describes.
Remember the story of Lazarus and the rich man in Luke 16:19-31 There was a certain unnamed rich man whose life was one of luxury and ease. Even at his death, it would seem that he was given all of the help and comfort his money could buy. His funeral, we can assume, would have been elaborate and expensive. And yet, we are told, this man went to hell. Lazarus, on the other hand, was a very poor man. He was sick and unhealthy. He had to compete with the dogs for his meals. His death may have been one that could have been prevented by good medical care. He probably was not even attended or comforted at his death. We don't even know that he was given a funeral or a proper burial. The circumstances of his passing were far from glorious, and yet, at the point of death all of this changed. He was given an angelic escort into heaven, where he lived in eternal comfort. Thus, the eternal realities, the eternal glories of heaven are often the opposite of what earthly appearances would suggest.
I believe that this applies to suicide as well.. There are days of depression, sorrow, unsuccessful medical and psychological treatments and suicidal thoughts. But that, my friend, is the earthly appearance. The heavenly reality is vastly different. The Christian, I believe, has an angelic escort to heaven, and a joyous reception. The Christian is, at death, absent from the body, but present with the Lord Jesus Christ.
There are seven suicides in the bible
1. [Abimelech] called hastily unto the young man his armour-bearer, and said unto him, Draw thy sword, and slay me, that men say not of me, A woman slew him. And his young man thrust him through, and he died (Judges 9:54).
2. And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed with all his might; and the house fell...upon all the people that were therein (Judges 16:30).
3. Saul took a sword and fell on it (1 Sam. 31:4).
4. When [Saul?s] armour-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise upon his sword, and died (1 Sam 31:5).
5. When Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he...got him home to his house, to his city, and put his house in order, and hanged himself, and died (2 Sam. 17:23).
6. It came to pass, when Zimri saw that the city was taken, that he went into the palace of the king?s house, and burnt the king?s house over him with fire, and died (1 Kings 16:18).
7. [Judas] cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself (Matt. 27:5).
J. L. Meredith, Meredith?s Big Book of Bible Lists, (Inspirational Press, NY; 1980), pp. 143-144
Suicide is not an example we must imitate: for us life and death is faith in Jesus Christ; the assurance of forgiveness of our sins; the certainty of eternal life. It is in this that we can rejoice.
Below are some thoughts I pulled from the net. As always: thank you bible.org.
Suicide is always a tragic death; it must not be our example, but in life and through faith, we can learn much from people who have tragedy in life. This type of death should be seen as a piece of the larger whole that we cannot ever really fathom.
Life must be viewed biblically, and understood in the light of a personal faith in Jesus Christ. We understand that we live in a fallen world, a world of sin, of suffering, and death and we know the only solution was for Jesus Christ to come to the earth and to reign as it's King. Because of faith in Christ, and because of the promise of the Bible, death ushers the saint into the eternal presence of Christ: suicide is a temptation to those who cannot bear this world. This does not justify, but it makes it easier to understand.
If we are honest with ourselves, we must admit that suicide poses some unpleasant problems for us.
Dangers We Face
#1 Allowing suicide to cause doubts about eternal destiny.
God's Word declares that we are all sinners, deserving of eternal punishment and destined for hell. The good news is that Jesus Christ came to the earth to bear our punishment and to give us eternal life. His death was a death for our sins. His resurrection is the basis for our resurrection into eternal life, and a guarantee of the power which we need to live according to His Word.
Some, perhaps with sincere motives, have suggested that those who have taken their own life will forfeit eternal life. This is simply not true. All who are born again, all who have trusted in Jesus Christ for salvation, will enter into His heaven, into His eternal rest. Many Bible passages affirm this, but allow me to mention two.
"I give eternal life to them, and they shall never perish; and no one shall 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 the Father's hand" (John 10:28-29).
For if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him; If we endure, we shall also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He also will deny us; If we are faithless, He remains faithful; for He cannot deny Himself
(2 Timothy 2:11-12).
#2 Wrongly responding to Suicide.
Guilt
Guilt can be felt due to something that was said or done, or perhaps to something that was not said or done. There is also a false guilt that can often plague us. We may wonder if something we might have said or done could have prevented death. Perhaps we sinned or even thought we sinned, however we can find comfort in the assurance of God’s forgiveness of sin. All we must do is to acknowledge our need for forgiveness of our sin and to receive it.
#3 Dwelling too much on the tragic and sorrowful circumstances rather than on heavenly realities.
I would believe that the last days of a suicidal person are not glorious ones. I believe they are tragic, painful and unpleasant.
It is possible, even likely, that our minds will dwell on these unpleasant circumstances, rather than on the glory and joy which the Bible describes.
Remember the story of Lazarus and the rich man in Luke 16:19-31 There was a certain unnamed rich man whose life was one of luxury and ease. Even at his death, it would seem that he was given all of the help and comfort his money could buy. His funeral, we can assume, would have been elaborate and expensive. And yet, we are told, this man went to hell. Lazarus, on the other hand, was a very poor man. He was sick and unhealthy. He had to compete with the dogs for his meals. His death may have been one that could have been prevented by good medical care. He probably was not even attended or comforted at his death. We don't even know that he was given a funeral or a proper burial. The circumstances of his passing were far from glorious, and yet, at the point of death all of this changed. He was given an angelic escort into heaven, where he lived in eternal comfort. Thus, the eternal realities, the eternal glories of heaven are often the opposite of what earthly appearances would suggest.
I believe that this applies to suicide as well.. There are days of depression, sorrow, unsuccessful medical and psychological treatments and suicidal thoughts. But that, my friend, is the earthly appearance. The heavenly reality is vastly different. The Christian, I believe, has an angelic escort to heaven, and a joyous reception. The Christian is, at death, absent from the body, but present with the Lord Jesus Christ.
There are seven suicides in the bible
1. [Abimelech] called hastily unto the young man his armour-bearer, and said unto him, Draw thy sword, and slay me, that men say not of me, A woman slew him. And his young man thrust him through, and he died (Judges 9:54).
2. And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed with all his might; and the house fell...upon all the people that were therein (Judges 16:30).
3. Saul took a sword and fell on it (1 Sam. 31:4).
4. When [Saul?s] armour-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise upon his sword, and died (1 Sam 31:5).
5. When Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he...got him home to his house, to his city, and put his house in order, and hanged himself, and died (2 Sam. 17:23).
6. It came to pass, when Zimri saw that the city was taken, that he went into the palace of the king?s house, and burnt the king?s house over him with fire, and died (1 Kings 16:18).
7. [Judas] cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself (Matt. 27:5).
J. L. Meredith, Meredith?s Big Book of Bible Lists, (Inspirational Press, NY; 1980), pp. 143-144
Suicide is not an example we must imitate: for us life and death is faith in Jesus Christ; the assurance of forgiveness of our sins; the certainty of eternal life. It is in this that we can rejoice.
posted by qtip at 10:26 p.m.
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