Do Those Who Commit Suicide Go to Heaven?

Christian Post ^ | 04/09/2013 | James Watkins

[SeekAndFind]

"I'm sitting here with a loaded shotgun. I want my family back or I pull the trigger," Al* threatened over the phone. "And don't call the cops. I'll kill them before I let them put me in some institution."

What could I say to this troubled parishioner? His wife and son had left him, he had been demoted at work, and he felt the church was unsupportive of him.

"Well, God loves you and I love you."

"Yah, yah. But if I commit suicide, I'll go to hell! Right?"

Al's question brought up the age-old question: Do Christians who commit suicide go to heaven or hell? In second grade, my Sunday school teacher had hanged herself. "How could someone who led her class in singing 'Happiness is the Lord' be so sad?" I had questioned.

My questions continued into my adult life and ministry as

I talked with survivors of suicide attempts and read actual notes left by those claiming to be Christians who succeeded. For instance, sixteen-year-old Matt left the following note before ending his life with a .22 rifle:

You that heard me preach saw how God changed my life. He can change yours too!! When he does, you better not turn back. Discipline yourselves now!! Draw near to God through Jesus Christ now!!! If you don't . . . you may some day find yourselves hopeless. It's your choice.

GOD FORGIVE ME FOR NEGLECTING YOU AND FOR BECOMING SO COLD!! TAKE CARE OF MICHAEL AND MOM. HAVE MERCY ON MY SOUL. AMEN."

And then a barrage of questions from Genny, a once bright, intelligent Christian women who since heart failure had become mentally impaired-and was well aware of her disability. Genny repeatedly tried to overdose with her heart medication. "Why didn't God just take me when my heart failed? I want to go home to be with Jesus."

I've come to two conclusions as I've dealt with questions of Al, Matt, Genny, and others:

Christians are not exempt from depression and, at times, despondency.

William Cowper, who wrote the popular gospel song "There Is a Fountain" proclaiming Christ's forgiveness and love, repeatedly attempted suicide. Even saints like Moses, Elijah, and Jonah went through periods of extreme depression and, yes, suicidal thoughts (Numbers 11:10-15, 1 Kings 19:1-5, and Jonah 4:9). I half joke that I would have committed suicide during junior high, but I knew if

I did, my parents would kill me. (The first part of that sentence is no joke.)

I believe the Bible is clear that we go to heaven or hell based on our relationship to Jesus Christ.

Yes, suicide raises many spiritual and psychological questions, but one thing is certain:

God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God.

Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it (Ephesians 2:8-9). We obtain heaven only by our belief in Jesus Christ as our Savior. And we go to hell only by our rejection of Jesus Christ as our Savior (Hebrews 6:4-6).

After nearly an hour, Al finally agreed to unload his weapon and meet his wife and son at the local police station. He has since been reconciled with his wife and found a church where he feels more accepted.

While I still fear the midnight calls from those contemplating suicide, I am assured that God dearly loves those who feel so depressed and desperate, and He will judge their actions with His mercy and justice based on their relationship with His Son.

* All names have been changed.

-- James Watkins is the author of 16 books and a public speaker. His website is: http://www.jameswatkins.com/

[SeekAndFind]

Not really relative.

There are hierarchies of values when sometimes you are pressed into a situation where you have to choose between CONFLICTING absolutes. Such situations are rare, but someone mentioned the case of either jumping fromt he Twin Towers or being consumed by fire.

One ought to do whatever fulfills the highest moral rule in a situation. When this is the case, such action is right, and the person in no way does wrong. Under this view, there are no tragic moral dilemmas. The lesser of two evils is a misnomer, it is argued, because such lesser evil is actually good.

For instance:

James 2:25

demonstrates that Rahab was “justified” when she lied about the spies. Also, see the midwives at the time of Moses, Peter and John disobeying the Sanhedrin in Acts 4 etc.

So in the Ethical Hierarchy :

1) Persons are more valuable than things

2) Infinite persons are more valuable than finite persons

3) Complete persons are more valuable than incomplete persons(!)

4) Actual persons are more valuable than potential persons

5) Potential persons are more valuable than actual things

6) Many persons are more valuable than a few persons

7) Personal acts which promote personhood are better than those which do not

[JustSayNoToNannies]

you can not know the heart and mind of a suicide victim, at that critical moment, and you are NOT in a position to judge.

Amen!

[Revolting cat!]

Women and minorities go in first!

[Travis McGee]

I say no. Purgatory at best. Not unless you're being tortured by the Gestapo and the KGB. Or hopeless chemo/radiation/surgery with pain that meds can't reach. Otherwise, no. (And in that hopeless hospice situation, they can allow you to “self medicate” with a drip that you control.) But for depression? No. You can't put your family and kids through that because you're bummed out about your life. I've seen it, and it just destroys the family.

All that said, there ain't no easy answers, and I wish God's mercy and kindness upon those afflicted with depression. Walk into any soup kitchen and volunteer, take a John Doe, but don't put your family through a suicide.

And may God slap me hard for being so presumptuous to type such crap through biter tears.

[IrishBrigade]

If I was on the phone with someone contemplating suicide, I’m not sure I’d want to give them the warm fuzzy’s about what they are thinking of doing.

...and then we have Rodney Dangerfield, who called Suicide Hotline and they tried to talk him into it...

[Travis McGee]

“What about suicide missions in the military, or being a martyr?”

John 15:13. No greater love. Different situation.

[Albion Wilde]

http://www.jknirp.com/miscon.htm

That article you linked, from the National Institute for the Renewal of the Priesthood, explains it excellently. Thanks for posting.

[Bryanw92]

>>Is overweight person who has a heart attack from obesity a suicide, and denied heaven? How about the smoker or drinker who dies from the chronic effects — a suicide, only slowly? What about the chronic worrier, even if he or she is sincerely concerned about his or her grown children, who strokes out from anxiety? What about the person who skipped some work-related duty to leave on time, and is hit by a car and killed on the way home? Did they commit suicide because they consciously shirked their duty, and then were in the wrong place at the wrong time?

Reductio ad absurdum like this is really silly. To compare this to the deliberate act of putting a gun in your mouth, taking an overdose of pills, or hanging yourself displays either a profound ignorance or a feeble attempt to justify suicide.

[Bryanw92]

>>Why tell them anything? It’s not like you really KNOW what happens, do you?

So, you don’t try to comfort them at all? Just say “No comment” and walk away?

[Husker24]

I had a step sister that committed suicide, and the Pastor of our church would not allow her to be buried in the church cemetary.

[Victor]

"... It is God who guards our salvation, there’s no way He’s going to let a child go once He has him...."

Amen to that...but:even if the believer is so stricken that he takes his own life out of despair....??

I think so....

[Scrambler Bob]

Well, maybe if bo committed suicide, that great humanitarian act would get him to heaven??? Due to all the good he just did for so many.

Maybe like a reverse Judas?

[Ann Archy]

THAT is NOT suicide.....that is the GREATEST GIFT a human can give another human.

[jps098]

Amen. It is amazing how many people try to put God in a box.

He is outside of time, or He is not God.

When Jesus died on the cross, all of sins of people living today were in the future, and he paid for all of them.

If I commit suicide tomorrow, I will be in heaven, no doubt about it.

[Hot Tabasco]

But I will say that suicide is the ultimate in cowardice and selfishness. Any right thinking person know this.

Any right person knows that mental illness is indeed a medical problem and in many cases the chemical imbalance in the brain will cause severe depression and ultimate death. That's a proven.......

But you know that yet you continue to drop into these threads spouting your crap..........

[SaxxonWoods]

Anyone can opine on such things, but there is no one commenting here nor anyone on the planet who can answer your question.

(That will not stop some from claiming to know the answer.)

You will have to make your own decision on this one. This is true for many more questions as well.

[stuartcr]

The end result is the same in all cases, just the circumstances differ. To me, that makes taking your own life relative to the situation.

[stuartcr]

Does it matter who’s side you are on when it comes to a suicide mission in the military?

Does it matter if you are going to be put to death because of something you believe in?

[momtothree]

“... mental illness is indeed a medical problem... cause severe depression and ultimate death”.

I’ve known two people who committed suicide and both suffered from a mental disorder. By “suffer”, I truly mean they suffered. The depression was as debilitating as any other type of medical illness. Both tried numerous doctors, psychiatrists, medications and hospitalizations from their teens on. Yet both never found a cure and both committed suicide. They were not “bad” people. Both were loving people and tried their hardest to survive. I don’t think for one moment that they are in hell. Did they hurt their families when they died? Yes, but no differently than a teen driving drunk that is killed by slamming into a tree or any other similar type death. Just my thoughts...

[stuartcr]

I would say, ‘I’m sorry for your loss, I don’t know what else to say’, and walk away.