The Truth About Suicide

From Bobby Wilson on Jan 16th:

Dear Pastor , I'm confused about third paragraph , last sentence . Can you give me scriptures to back this up . I understand once you are dead one cannot ask for forgiveness of a murder.This would bring up several more issues such as abortion . Hope I hear back from you, Bobby Wilson

From Femi on Jan 16th:

I have been blessed with the previous daily devotions but today's topic gives me a bit of concern.

You said suicide is out of the will of God and that anyone who committed suicide and " If your loved one trusted Christ as Lord and Savior, be assured he or she is in heaven right now." - this seem to me a contradicting sentences. According to the test "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own..." we are not our own so I don't understand why anyone should give what they don't own away (take life that don't belong to them).

"...Jesus has great and meaningful plans for me and I'm going to trust Him." For anyone that committed suicide, I believe that person no longer trust in the power of Jesus to heal and to save.

While we are not to judge anyone, I am particularly disturbed by the third paragraph of this devotion. Could you shed more light on why you thing anyone that trusted in God and committed suicide will go to heaven. (I hope I have not misinterpreted you).

Thanks for the good work.

From Nancy McManus on Jan 16th:

Thank you for this encouraging devotion. In light of God's gift of Salvation, the third paragraph makes perfect sense to me. No sin can separate me from His Grace and for that I am grateful. Otherwise, I would have to play some part in my salvation, and I know that's impossible for me to do. I also know that my own sins pile up much higher than most; I don't want to compare them with someone else's, even suicide, because I can't imagine coming out looking "good." No...it is only by His grace and righteousness...

From lizbeth on Jan 16th:

I have experienced 2 suicide's and an attempt suicide. In 1988 my 50 year old brother in-law committed suicide by gassing himself in his car he left a note he found out he has stomach cancer and could not go on living.He left behind his wife [my sister] and 3 lovely sons. It left a terrible scar in my sister and her son's lives. 2006 a friend of 55 committed suicide by hanging himself in his garage he left a note he cant go on battling financially and cant see himself being left out in the street because he was evicted from his rented house.In November 2009 my 13 year old granddaughter took an overdose this child has so many emotional problems with her parents divorcing and her mom is the main cause of her suicide attempt.When my granddaughter was questioned by the clinic Psychiatrist why she took the overdose she said she couldn't go on anymore, to her it was the quickest way out.I prayed very hard to God and asked forgiveness on my granddaughters behalf because I do believe it's a sin to commit suicide. I have also heard on several occasions the suicide victim has no other way out this is their last resort to end their lives. It is so sad and tragic when people choose this route to die. And when young children attempt suicide it is normally a cry for help and to think my granddaughter would have been another statistic at such a young age to end her life is very disturbing I don't think I will ever get over the shock of what she tried. There is help out there people should just learn to apply themselves and speak to someone.

From Janice on Jan 16th:

When I was younger, in my 20's, a friend and peer of mine committed suicide. I felt so sad and was concerned that she would be in hell for that sin. An older and wiser Christian explained to me that God looks at the whole life and not just at that one moment. A chemical imbalance could be involved that caused depression so deep at that moment that the person took their life. So if the person has been a Christian before the incident they surely can be in heaven. It was comforting to me to hear this and I hope it might be a comfort to others also.

From michelle on Jan 16th:

To say that if you commit suicide that you will go to heaven is misleading. No murderer will inherit eternal life and that includes murdering one's self. You cannot repent if you commit suicide. I do not agree with this devotional. I know God is the final judge.

From Janice on Jan 16th:

I agree with what Bryant Wright wrote in the devotional, "If your loved one trusted Christ as Lord and Savior...he or she is in heaven right now." Christ died on the cross for all sins, past, present and future. His blood is the covering for the true Christian. Some sins seem more extreme to us than others from our perspective but to God sin is sin. Through God all things are possible, even the seemingly impossibility of a suicide victim being in heaven.

From Linda on Jan 16th:

I wish my mother could be here to read this devotional. Her mother committed suicide when I was two and she blamed herself for the rest of her life. Needless to say, it destroyed her, but I believe my grandmother trusted Christ and so did my mother and one day I believe we will all be reunited and the pain of this earth will all be gone. Thank you for sharing this interpretation and Praise be to God for his love and forgiveness.

From Grant on Jan 16th:

When a person takes their own life they are in the depths of dispair and hopelessness. To say that they are acting "selfishly" is pretty judgemental. There is no denying the tragedy of losing a loved this way, but I think that it's a lot more complicated than just saying that the person "gave up" or "took the cowardly way out".

God knows each person's heart and soul. Please trust Him to judge fairly. His Grace and Mercy are beyond all understanding. His Son covered the sins of all who believe and trust in Him.

From Sarah on Jan 17th:

I lost my brother to suicide 25 years ago.(he was 27) Needless to say, a day does not go by that he is not dearly missed! My parents are still living and have amazed me at their strength, but the pain that my siblings and parents STILL endure is often unbearable. BUT, I was with my brother years before his death when he spoke of his accepting Jesus as his Savior!! He was an outstanding young man, a shining star in our family with a great sense of humor. He loved his Lord, his family and his life. He was a best friend that came to me often...to discuss his illness. My brother suffered from severe depression. (bi-polar) If you have not experienced depression or a family member suffering from this, you cannot truly understand. It is a chemical imbalance. A very serious brain disease that is still difficult for doctors to understand to this day. So...to those of you who don't understand. Realize that diabetes, cancer, arthritis, M.S.(etc,etc.) are ALL diseases, but for some reason this disease (because it affects the brain and causes strange behavior)has a stigma! I have an AWESOME God! And, he OFTEN gives me a peace concerning my sweet brother. I know I'll see him in heaven.
What a beautiful reunion that will be! :o)

From Christ Follower on Jan 17th:

Sarah
So sorry for your loss and thank you for painting a clearer picture for those that don't quite understand the difference between being confused in their mind because of illness, but still having a heart for the Lord.

From purple416 on Jan 17th:

There is only one unforgivable sin. Hebrews 10:26 If anyone sins deliberately by rejecting the Savior after knowing the truth of forgiveness, this sin is not covered by Christ's death; there is no way to get rid of it.... For those who think you wouldn't be forgiven because you could'nt ask after death. What about the other sins you did'nt ask forgiveness for, before you did yourself in? The bible says, if you commit one sin, you've commited them all, so you would have to think about every sin & ask forgiveness,...that's Impossiable! When Jesus saw the people condemning the woman who commited adultry, he said; he who is without sin cast the first stone. No one could throw a rock. It also say's in the bible that we are born sinners & we will die sinners. It is impossiable to ask forgiveness for every single sin. God is merciful, and wants us to be. He say's if we don't forgive he won't forgive us. Blessed are the merciful for they shall receive mercy. Yes it is selfish to commit suicide, that's what kept me from doing it. I didn't want to face God with the last act in life being totaly about me & leaving everyone feeling hopeless. The most important command to God is that we love others as we love ourselves! So how can you murder yourself if you love yourself & how can you love others if you leave them feeling guilty?..... Satan's attacks don't end until we are finally home safe with our Father in heaven. There are many story's we hear of people that the DR's say, they should be dead! There are many people who have tried to commit suicide & lived. God say's he gave us life & he will take it. The way I see it is "he will take it" even if we think, they did.

From Matthew on Jan 18th:

Suicide, although a selfish act, is so incredibly sad. For one be so low that one thinks there is no other option is hard to even digest. My heart bleeds for people like that as we can all relate to feeling very low at some point in our life. The good news is that life always changes. It may not be today or tomorrow or next week. But it will change and the direness of your situation can and will change. Have faith in god and the direction he has planned for you.