God Is Love || A Biblical response to suicide

What Does the Bible Say About Suicide?

A short, yet thorough video covering what the Bible does and doesn’t say about suicide.

God Is Love Bible Study

An in-depth study into Biblical truths about suicide.

Following tragic news in our Atonement family, Pastor addresses us on the tough topic of suicide, giving Biblical clarity and answers based on God’s own truth and promises. Most importantly, he reminds us all that GOD IS LOVE… and that makes all the difference.

A Summary of Pastor’s main points

1. “God is love.”
2. Suicide is always sinful. “You shall not murder.” “My times are in your hands.” (Not “…in my own hands.”) 
3. As with every sin, Jesus paid for the sin of suicide when he died/rose. “It is finished.” “He was raised to life for our justification.”
4. Some point out, “They didn’t have time to repent.” Let’s be clear; God doesn’t forgive us because we repent. God forgives us because Jesus died and rose. Now, does God want us to repent? Yes! But Jesus didn’t say, “It is finished if they repent.” He just said, “It is finished.” Repentance leads us to treasure God’s forgiving love; it doesn’t earn it for us. Jesus earned it for us. 
5. Only God knows whether the suicide victim went to heaven or hell, for only God can read the heart. If the sin was committed in weakness, then they went to heaven. If it was a sin committed in unbelief, then the unbelief is damning. (Note – it’s not the suicide that sends an unbeliever to hell; it’s the unbelief.) The challenge is that we don’t know which it was. Our hope/prayer is that it was a sin committed in weakness. So, the best way for us to respond to the question of, “Are they in heaven?” is to lovingly and gently say, “Finally only God knows for sure. We do know that God is love, we do know that Jesus died and rose for us, for everyone, and for them.” 
6. It’s important that we NOT say that they’re for sure in either hell or heaven. 
   • If we say they’re for sure in hell, we are denying the fullness of Jesus’ payment for sins. 
   • If we say for sure they went to heaven, we’re denying the reality that suicide is sinful. Additionally, we might actually give encouragement to others to commit suicide, too. 
7. The guilt issue. Some of us may feel guilty. “I could have done…” “I should have seen…” Finally, the person who bears guilt is the person who did it. “Go in peace.”

The book mentioned by Senior Vicar Phil in the Bible Class is linked here.