Suicide - Let's Not Go There!

Suicide - Let’s Not Go There

Exodus 20:13-13

When I was asked to speak on this topic I found very little in the way of resources in the Christian realm. It is a topic that not many talk about. We don’t want to go there. It is a dark subject and few wish to talk about such things. There are numerous places in the Scripture where folks took their own life. Saul and Judas are only two examples. The Philippian jailer was almost a suicide before Paul stopped him. Some committed suicide by committing sins unto death like Ananias and Sapphira or by tempting God to the point where He struck them dead like Aaron’s two sons who offered up strange fire unto the Lord. Some died because they would not seek God for healing like Asa. He should have known better and since he refused to seek the cure he died like those who refused to look at the brazen serpent Moses lifted up. Those who refuse Christ or fail to seek Him and die in their sins commit spiritual suicide.

I John 5:16 If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it. (KJV)

While instances of suicide are given in the Scripture the exact term is not used and no specific injunction is given. Therefore we must apply various principles to determine God’s view of suicide.

Exodus 20:13 Thou shalt not kill. (KJV)

7523 ratsach (raw-tsakh’); a primitive root; properly, to dash in pieces, i.e. kill (a human being),especially to murder:

KJV-- put to death, kill, (man-) slay (-er), murder (-er).

One who commits suicide commits self-murder and thus is in direct violation of the sixth commandment.

Deut 32:39 See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand. (KJV)

It is God that gives life and it is He that is to take it away except in the case where He delegates the right into the hands of the government to perform capital punishment for various crimes. Interestingly, there are some countries that make attempted suicide a capital offense. I guess they figure it is better to grant you your wish than to spend time reviving you several times should you blotch the job or change your mind. I would like to see the suicide rate figures there. It might actually be a fairly good deterrent. You would have to be really sure you want to die to even try it there.

Rom 13:9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. (KJV)

Suicide is a violation of the second commandment. Self-murder is not an act of self-love. It is an act of selfishness since it does not take into consideration the effect on those around you especially those who love you. That is not an example of loving your neighbor.

Acts 10:42 And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he, which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead. KJV)

It is not an end to everything nor is it an escape from God because He will be there to greet you. Depending on your spiritual condition He might be your Judge and your troubles have only begun. He might be your Savior and you will have deep regrets when He reveals all He would have done for you and through you had you turned to Him to provide the way of escape from the temptation. Does suicide guarantee you a ticket straight to Hell with no layovers? The Roman Catholics see it as a mortal sin and a basically an unpardonable sin. Those of who were with me when we did the study on the unpardonable sin know that the only sin that cannot be pardoned is to die blaspheming the Spirit by rejecting His ministry of reconciliation thus dying without Christ’s righteousness being applied to your account through the blood of the Cross.

Those who hold to an Arminian viewpoint that says you can lose your salvation would see it as a sin unconfessed and thus causing you to lose your salvation therefore placing you out of grace and into Hell fire. It is conceivable that you could repent of the act, as you are dying, but not able to obtain help to prevent you from dying and thus maintain your salvation. We may one day do a study on the security of the believer and we will see that this position is untenable in that we either attain salvation or probation from Christ. We cannot receive both.