Suicide: Never a good idea, even for depressed Christians!
No matter who you are, no matter what you are experiencing right now, nothing is worth throwing your life away in suicide.
Sometimes life can feel overwhelming and – while it was not God’s intent, and He does have the solution – even troubled Christians can think about ending their life for one reason or another.
There are a host of reasons why a person would want to die by their own hand and we’ll look at some of the root motives of the heart that can play a part, but let it be said from the outset suicide is a sin. Suicide, bluntly put, is inspired by demons, not God, and it could very likely lead to damnation, even if you are a Christian.
This is a controversial statement, and there are teachings out there that say once you are saved, you are always saved. Misinterpreting scriptures such as Romans 8:38-39, some have cited “nothing can separate us from the love of God” as a keystone verse supporting the theory that God guarantees all future sins are dealt with if you’ve been born again.
God actually loves ALL people, even people He has to condemn to hell, so it is a stretch to unequivocally state that God’s love for those in Christ – who He also tells He will judge and warns to keep the faith and pursue holiness – means they can’t forfeit their salvation. We’re aware of other scriptures that have been used to construct the “once saved always saved” teaching, but believe the whole scriptures must be accepted, not cherry picked to create a doctrine the apostles never taught.
The false notion of permanent redemption for all future sins by Jesus Christ – regardless of a Christian’s intentions or actions up to and including “mass murder” (yes, it’s been taught from the pulpit) – came into full prominence after the Reformation.
Eternal security as it is being taught today was not the belief of the early church leaders, including those who discipled not long after the original apostles. The scriptures have numerous verses suggesting or stating outright conditions in a Christian’s life that could lead to being cast out at the judgment seat of Christ. These go beyond the one biggie many Christians are taught: “blasphemy of the Holy Spirit.”
We’ll have a little more on this further in, but to get into a full discussion attempting to disprove the admittedly debatable idea of the permanency of salvation would take too much space and go beyond this article’s scope.
You are free to believe these assertions or not. There are millions of Christians who do not believe “once saved always saved.” But if you choose not to agree and kill yourself thinking you’ll be welcomed into Jesus’ arms, understand you are betting your eternal life on a highly controversial teaching point. If nothing else, that is a huge chance to take!
Compassion For You
If you find this page and are indeed thinking of ending your life, please understand this is not good thinking on your part. From a spiritual perspective, evil spirits would enjoy nothing more than to push you over the edge.
It is never God’s will for a person who Jesus died to save to then end their own life!
But it’s understood life can be complicated. The human mind, will, and emotions – the soul – are a complexity and we humans can be prone to error even at the best of times.
However Jesus Christ did come to this world to provide a way to peace and joy, not misery, and hopelessness and despair. If you’ve found yourself far from happiness right now, this is being written because someone does care for you!
Truth is, even on the best of days, a lot of people do not find deep spiritual joy, and when circumstances go against you, if you were already in a place of weakness or not strong in an abiding relationship with the Lord, it can be easy to go down a dark mental hole.
Reality
Some people diagnosed with a terminal illness or the like may contemplate suicide and their reasons are not necessarily the dark and gloomy thoughts of those who have a broken heart, or depression, or sense of futility and failure, or something else so debilitating.
Speaking to those thinking of euthanasia, it would be better to die of natural causes than to end it just to mitigate pain, suffering, or costs. You have our deep sympathy if you are in this place, but please, please, please, choose life until the end. Trust God, and call out to Him; He hears your every word.
To the sad, the depressed, the disgusted, the angry, the miserable, the failing – whoever you are – on a spiritual level, these feelings prompting you to pitch away your life are what the Bible calls iniquities. They are sin patterns grooved into your soul.
They may seem right, but Proverbs 14:12 says “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.”
The Christian solution is the Lord Himself, but if we do not really know Him, then we can find ourself in a mess, but this was not what Jesus promised.
Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. -John 14:27
Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you. – Philippians 4:7,8,9
What you focus on does shape how your perceive reality – to the point of joy and sense of God’s presence on one hand – to a sense of hopelessness, despair, apathy, and anguish on the other.
God’s word speaks of a peace that transcends this life and anything in it. It is possible, but just like every other promise, it is CONDITIONAL. The “path of the just” may be promised to “grow brighter and brighter,” (Prov. 4:18) but the Word says many things about us exercising our own will, seeking the Lord, using all His means of grace. It is a fight and we have an enemy who wants us dead!
The scriptures say Jesus came to turn anyone who turns to Him away from their iniquities, but we must choose to cry out Him, and if that does not work the first time, do it again, and again, if needed. Really, Jesus Christ is ever ready to heal your pain and hurt the moment you surrender to Him, but you must from your depths turn to Him.
Ugliness
To Christians, the Word of God says you are not your own, you were bought at a price. You therefore have no right to terminate your life early. It is clearly against God’s will and clearly a sin.
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’s. -1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Frankly, suicide is the ultimate dark intention. Once you act on it, assuming you succeed – or fail, actually – you are gone.
Underlying it can be a witches brew of deep emotions, including but not limited to self-pity, anger, frustration, depression, hopelessness, desire for revenge.
Some people think of who will be hurt by their wanton act of self murder. Some may experience thoughts, wicked thoughts, of where they will do it, how they will do it, who they might hurt. At the worst, they may mediate on the idea and cook on it, maybe even visualizing something drastic.
Every now and then we may hear of someone on the news who did something shocking and that looks extremely crazy – a last desperate act. These cases are certainly aided and abetted by evil spirits.
Psychologists will at this point object and say it may just be brain chemistry, or negative enculturation, or some other cognitive irrational reason why a person feels so morose or what have you.
To be sure, psychological reasons play into suicide, but assuming you are not on drugs or truly beside yourself, underlying it all is you do have a will. Many people who take themselves out do so despite having an ability to reason.
Suicidal people may indeed be victims, but if they think of making others victims with them they cannot be called true innocent victims.
Undeniable is they may hurt badly inside, and maybe they are angry too. If they want to show others how much they hurt them, this is when they take off their victim hat and become a perpetrator of vengeance as well.
In these cases, suicidal people may hope to make those who will go on living feel guilty for having caused so much pain to them.
Such thoughts are not the thoughts of a pure victim who suffers and turns the other cheek; no, it is willfully mean and unforgiving.
In any case, even if this is not you, do you know people will be affected by your act if you go though with it? Do you know people would suffer and have to cope after you end your life?
Ultimately, suicide is often desperate, pitiful, pitiable, and pathetic. It is also self-centered, and can be viewed as selfish when suicide is seen as an easier way out than facing life and its challenges. This is the perversity of it. Yes, you may be ultimately hurting yourself, but you stand to hurt others too. In that way it is putting your desire (to leave this life) ahead of the desire of others – including God.
As mixed up as a suicidal person’s thoughts are, so are the emotions and motives. There can be many individual personal scenarios, but inasmuch as these motives are bouncing around inside one’s head, it is never good to choose death.
Choose Life!
Apologies if some of this is upsetting. If it does not apply to you, it is being written for those for whom it does. You may decide if you think it does fit your situation or not.
But for those whom this does ring true, it is understood at the same time you are feeling like a victim, you may deeply feel like what you are going through is the whole truth.
Nothing here is to condemn you, but facing the actual truth is always God’s solution. Jesus said “you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.”
Part of the actual truth is – in as much as you can see and agree – some motivations leading to suicide are clearly sin, and must be repented of. Sin separates us from God and limits His ability to intervene and fully help you. It also opens the door to evil spirits, and the Word says do “not give place to the devil.” (Ephesians 4:27)
At this very moment, you may or may not feel like repenting, or that you are in the wrong, but by faith, you can speak to God, and tell Him what you are feeling.
If you think you can go on no longer, tell Him. Ask Him for help no matter what you feel; He already knows, but needs you to be honest from your depths and use your own will and reach out to Him.
Please be clear: Assuming you are not out of your mind, or truly mentally impaired, or on drugs and beside yourself, the choice to commit suicide is an option you may consider, but at the risk of belaboring the point, it is never a good one.
It’s been said of suicide before that it’s a permanent “solution” to a temporary problem, and this also is true.
There is life after death however, and there is death after death as well. The Bible speaks of the “second death” which is a judgment of the dead person’s spirit to hell.
But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him. –Luke 12:5
This passage quoting Jesus speaking refers to what was also known in scripture as “the second death.”
Right now on the Internet there are counseling websites saying if you are a Christian and kill yourself you will still go to heaven. This is based on certain theology and reading of the scriptures. But since no one has died of suicide and returned to verify this theory – notwithstanding claimed near-death experiences which have actually said those who’ve professed Christ can go to hell – we find this to be reckless counsel.
But OK, let’s assume for sake of argument that you have a 50/50 chance of going to heaven if you are a Christian who commits suicide. Again, banking on salvation while willfully committing self murder is too great a chance to take!
Nor do the scriptures say it is advisable. We could cite at least a couple dozen scriptures, but just one, Revelation 2:11 records Jesus Christ speaking through John the Apostle on the isle of Patmos telling Christians they could taste of the “second death.”
And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write,
‘These things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life: “I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.
Here is just one passage (there are others) suggesting salvation is not permanently guaranteed even if you are born again and otherwise a Christian in relatively good standing!
Jesus says to the persecuted church that they will be severely tested and made to suffer. He was NOT speaking to lost people. Jesus does not talk to non-Christians this way. He was speaking to the born again believers, and said some would be put to death, and He said to “be faithful until death.” If they overcome, Jesus said, then they “shall not be hurt by the second death.”
Some disagreeing theologian may try and wiggle around this one, but do you want to bet your eternal life on it? It’s all well and good to discuss theory, but testing the theory by committing suicide – obviously not an act of faith or trusting Jesus at that moment – is quite another.
The Solution
God is near to the broken hearted; regardless what you may be feeling it is a fact: God does care, and He does love you.
He can lift the darkness from you. He is willing. Are you?
Truly, demons know when people are tempted – they are the ones who likely tempted them to that point in the first place. Evil spirits have nothing better to do than to take you with them, and they utterly hate God and His creation and His people. They want you to feel like they do. They have no hope, no joy, no love. They are murderers and they want to murder you; if you do it by your own hand, so much the better in their evil eyes.
God is a strong deliverer however; if you bare your heart to Him, and get to the bottom of yourself with full honesty, holding nothing back, He will meet you. “God is not a man that He should lie.”
The Lord keeps His Word, and He who said “I will never leave you nor forsake you” is here now if you will reach for Him.
Why do you think the Father sent His innocent Son to live as a man and die for the sins of those who would believe in Him? God loves you! He has shown it; will you believe it?
The desire of God is that people find in Him a purpose and a hope; all the love they need, their needs met, and as much happiness as they would want in this life. Most of all, His plan for the lives of every one of His children is that they would come to know Him and discover who He made them to be.
When we focus on our life, and how bad things are, that is when we take our eyes off of Jesus and you are then acting with your will to not seek Him, or believe Him. It’s a trap.
Our actions – what we do, or fail to do, and what we declare from the heart, not shallow words – are what matter here.
Dear troubled person, whoever you are: this was written with no other intent than to offer you God’s love while you yet live.
You have a choice. God will not override your will and force you. He may move to save you in certain ways, but if we scream an emphatic “NO!” at His entreaty, then that is our answer.
Please believe there is hope and there are answers; there are also people who can help you if you will let them.
You are loved by God, and there is reason why you are alive regardless what you may feel. Your life DOES matter even if you do not know it. Please choose life. Please choose God.
