WHAT IS A CHRISTIANS VIEW OF SUICIDE AND WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT IT

Over the years as a pastor  have had the dubious task of counseling would be suicides. It is not an easy task and sometimes takes a different turn than you want it to. But in many cases the outcome is awesome because they go on in life and become successes. Through it all I needed to develop a stance on what is a Christians viewpoint concerning Suicide. I hope this helps and if you are one who is torn in this life and have been or are thinking this way, please seek out a pastor or someone you trust and talk to them before you take any steps in that direction. You can even email me and I will be glad to help you. (rcoutts60@gmail.com). What follows, is where I stand on the issue. Please read with an open heart.

Interestingly enough, there are six incidents in the Bible related to suicide.

The first one is Abimelech and is found in the book of Judges 9:54; It says     Then he called quickly to the young man his armor-bearer and said to him, “Draw your sword and kill me, lest they say of me, ‘A woman killed him.’” And his young man thrust him through, and he died.   

The second one is Saul in 1 Samuel 31:4; Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and mistreat me.” But his armor-bearer would not, for he feared greatly. Therefore Saul took his own sword and fell upon it.

The third one is Saul’s armor-bearer  1 Samuel  31:4–6;  Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and mistreat me.” But his armor-bearer would not, for he feared greatly. Therefore Saul took his own sword and fell upon it. ⁵ And when his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell upon his sword and died with him. ⁶ Thus Saul died, and his three sons, and his armor-bearer, and all his men, on the same day together.

The fourth one is Ahithophel   2 Samuel 17:23; When Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his donkey and went off home to his own city. He set his house in order and hanged himself, and he died and was buried in the tomb of his father.

The fifth one is Zimri 1 Kings 16:18;  And when Zimri saw that the city was taken, he went into the citadel of the king's house and burned the king's house over him with fire and died,

The sixth one is Judas Matthew 27:5;  And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself.

Except for Saul’s armor-bearer (of whom nothing is mentioned about his character), five of these men were noted for their wickedness. Some consider Samson’s death an instance of suicide, because he knew his actions would lead to his death  Judges 16:26–31, (And Samson said to the young man who held him by the hand, “Let me feel the pillars on which the house rests, that I may lean against them.” ²⁷ Now the house was full of men and women. All the lords of the Philistines were there, and on the roof there were about 3,000 men and women, who looked on while Samson entertained.²⁸ Then Samson called to the Lord and said, “O Lord God, please remember me and please strengthen me only this once, O God, that I may be avenged on the Philistines for my two eyes.” ²⁹ And Samson grasped the two middle pillars on which the house rested, and he leaned his weight against them, his right hand on the one and his left hand on the other. ³⁰ And Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines.” Then he bowed with all his strength, and the house fell upon the lords and upon all the people who were in it. So the dead whom he killed at his death were more than those whom he had killed during his life. ³¹ Then his brothers and all his family came down and took him and brought him up and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the tomb of Manoah his father. He had judged Israel twenty years.)
 but Samson’s goal was to kill Philistines, not himself.

The Bible views suicide as equal to murder, which is what it is—self-murder. God is the only one who is to decide when and how a person should die. We should say with the psalmist, “My times are in your hands”    Psalm 31:15;  My times are in your hand; rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors!

God is the giver of life. He gives, and He takes away  Job 1:21  And he said, “Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”   Suicide, the taking of one’s own life, is ungodly because it rejects God’s gift of life. No man or woman should presume to take God’s authority upon themselves to end his or her own life.

Some people in Scripture felt deep despair in life. Solomon, in his pursuit of pleasure, reached the point where he “hated life” Ecclesiastes 2:17; Elijah was fearful and depressed and yearned for death 1 Kings 19:4. Jonah was so angry at God that he wished to die Jonah 4:8; Even the apostle Paul and his missionary companions at one point “were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself” 2 Corinthians 1:8;

However, none of these men committed suicide.

Solomon learned to “fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind” Elijah was comforted by an angel, allowed to rest, and given a new commission.

Jonah received admonition and rebuke from God.

Paul learned that, although the pressure he faced was beyond his ability to endure, the Lord can bear all things:  “This happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead” 2 Corinthians 1:9;

So, according to the Bible, suicide is a sin. It is not the “greatest” sin—it is no worse than other evils, in terms of how God sees it, and it does not determine a person's eternal destiny. However, suicide definitely has a deep and lasting impact on those left behind. The painful scars left by a suicide do not heal easily.

May God grant His grace to each one who is facing trials today  Psalm 67:1;  And may each of us take hope in the promise, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” Romans 10:13;.

Pastor Bob

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