Suicide

[davehenry]

I was at a prayer meeting a little while back and the topic of suicide came up as it is sadly happening regular in the city I live in.It is self murder and I firmly believe the Holy Spirit would allow someone who is born again to take their own life and play God.The Lord Jesus defines the 7th commandment in exodus 20:13 as Thou shalt not murder,which of course is pre meditated killing.The man there who is a pastor said that we aren't under the law anymore and it doesn't say anywhere in the Bible that you can't kill yourself and we are saved from past,present and future sins,bit strange as 1 John:19 says
If we confess our sins,he is faithful to forgive us our sins,and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
How can we be forgiven from all future sins that we haven't commited yet,if we have to confess our sins to be forgiven?
Anyhow the pastor said that some of those who commit suicide may have been born again and that the whole suicide=hell comes only from the catholic church.Does anybody have any thoughts or scripture about this please?

[creationliberty]

You meant to say "would *NOT* allow someone" - correct?

I've never told anyone that a man committing suicide means that he is not of Christ, but rather, it gives us strong evidence that he is not of Christ. The reason for that is because the selfish act of killing oneself is most often linked to personal desires, not a focus on the things of the Spirit of God.

The Bible says we are bought with a price, and should therefore glorify the Lord Jesus Christ with our bodies:
For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
-1Co 6:20
There is no glorification of God in our bodies or spirits if we kill ourselves, but rather, living for the Lord, and allowing Him to take our lives when He is ready for us, demonstrates a faithful servant.

[davehenry]

I was at a prayer meeting a little while back and the topic of suicide came up as it is sadly happening regular in the city I live in.It is self murder and I firmly believe the Holy Spirit would not allow someone who is born again to take their own life and play God.The Lord Jesus defines the 7th commandment in exodus 20:13 as Thou shalt not murder,which of course is pre meditated killing.The man there who is a pastor said that we aren't under the law anymore and it doesn't say anywhere in the Bible that you can't kill yourself and we are saved from past,present and future sins,bit strange as 1 John:19 says
If we confess our sins,he is faithful to forgive us our sins,and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
How can we be forgiven from all future sins that we haven't commited yet,if we have to confess our sins to be forgiven?
Anyhow the pastor said that some of those who commit suicide may have been born again and that the whole suicide=hell comes only from the catholic church.Does anybody have any thoughts or scripture about this please?

[davehenry]

Yes I meant to say WOULD NOT Chris sorry.I was trying to correct that there.

[davehenry]

I was at a prayer meeting a little while back and the topic of suicide came up as it is sadly happening regular in the city I live in.It is self murder and I firmly believe the Holy Spirit would not allow someone who is born again to take their own life and play God.The Lord Jesus defines the 7th commandment in exodus 20:13 as Thou shalt not murder to the rich man,which of course is pre meditated killing.The man there who is a pastor said that we aren't under the law anymore and it doesn't say anywhere in the Bible that you can't kill yourself and we are saved from past,present and future sins,bit strange as 1 John 9 says
If we confess our sins,he is faithful to forgive us our sins,and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
How can we be forgiven from all future sins that we haven't commited yet,if we have to confess our sins to be forgiven?
Anyhow the pastor said that some of those who commit suicide may have been born again and that the whole suicide=hell comes only from the catholic church.Does anybody have any thoughts or scripture about this please?

[davehenry]

I was at a prayer meeting a little while back and the topic of suicide came up as it is sadly happening regular in the city I live in.It is self murder and I firmly believe the Holy Spirit would not allow someone who is born again to take their own life and play God.The Lord Jesus defines the sixth commandment in exodus 20:13 as Thou shalt not murder to the rich man,which of course is pre meditated killing.The man there who is a pastor said that we aren't under the law anymore and it doesn't say anywhere in the Bible that you can't kill yourself and we are saved from past,present and future sins,bit strange as 1 John 9 says
If we confess our sins,he is faithful to forgive us our sins,and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
How can we be forgiven from all future sins that we haven't commited yet,if we have to confess our sins to be forgiven?
Anyhow the pastor said that some of those who commit suicide may have been born again and that the whole suicide=hell comes only from the catholic church.Does anybody have any thoughts or scripture about this please?

[davehenry]

Thanks Chris,it is definately a topic worth studying out.
How do i do a simple correction on a post without it appearing again?
The 3rd version is what I meant to say properly and I pressed the quote button as I couldn't see a modify icon beside original post.

[Jeanne]

You can only modify a post within 30 minutes of posting it so you need to make sure you proofread it BEFORE hitting the button...

[davehenry]

Thanks Jeanne!
I make mistakes while typing at times as the anti epileptic pharmakia i'm on causes me to type quicker than i think,if that makes sense?
May the Lord Jesus Christ richly bless you!

[smolemong]

The commandment says not to kill which is a more encompassing term than murder. Even accidentally killing someone carried a penalty. He is being dishonest by relegating the commandment about killing to the OT because it is not a ceremonial law, it relates to morality which has no regard for the old or new covenant, it is about how we treat each other.  In the Bible death is an enemy (1 Corinthians 15:26 KJV "The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.") yet, this pastor, would have people believe that suicide is acceptable in GOD's sight. He is symptomatic of the new age where GOD is simply permissive.
The Bible teaches self sacrifice John 15:13 "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends" in the interests of others and/or in the service of the Kingdom of GOD (something I believe Jesus' life and Paul's writings point out quite well). It does not condone or glorify suicide.

In verse 19 of 1 Corinthians chapter 6, which Christopher quoted verse 20 of, it says "What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?". In my mind that verse says much about the way in which we ought to treat our bodies and therefore by extension, our lives.

On a personal note, I dislike Romeo and Juliet (Shakespeare has been compulsory reading for most high schools for decades in South Africa) and literature like it because I feel it has played a large role in romanticising suicide. It, alongside other movies and books has made something detestable into something that many people consider romantic, inspiring even.

When I was a teenager I went through a period where I came close to suicide, more than once, and I believe GOD preserved my life even though I was not born again. When I was in that phase of my life I just knew what I wanted to do was not right in GOD's sight. I believe that was the law written upon my heart (Romans 2:15); I have to wonder how seared this pastors heart is to not recognise what even many unbelievers recognise as wrong (not to say that is a measure of right or wrong).

[davehenry]

Yes absolutely right we aren't under the ceremonial law and as Galatians 3:24 says-Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ,that we might be justified by faith.
Even tho v 25 says we are no longer under a schoolmaste,but, through godley sorrow which leadeth to repentance to salvation(actually being born again) and worldly sorrow leads to death and we know what happened with Judas Iscariot who repented unto himself and not towards God.
Please correct me if i'm wrong,but everybody who committed suicide in the Bible
Abimelech,in Judges,Saul,in 1 Samuel,Saul's armour bearer,in 1 Samuel also,Ahitophel,in 2 Samuel,Zimri,in 1 Kings and of course Judas Iscariot were definately not godly men and were wicked?
1 Corinthians 3:17 also says-If any man defile the temple of God,him shall God destroy;for the temple of God is holy,which temple ye are.
It's obvious that anybody who does commit suicide think that they have no hope and no way out,but the Lord Jesus Christ is a believers blessed hope and he always gives us a way out.I too went throgh a number of yuears of bad depression a number of years ago when my sister committed suicide and praise the Lord Jesus Christ i didn't do the same when coming close to it.As you said even a non believer knows it's wrong,so how much more someone who is saved and indwelt with the Holy Spirit?

[creationliberty]

When I was a teenager I went through a period where I came close to suicide, more than once, and I believe GOD preserved my life even though I was not born again. When I was in that phase of my life I just knew what I wanted to do was not right in GOD's sight. I believe that was the law written upon my heart (Romans 2:15); I have to wonder how seared this pastors heart is to not recognise what even many unbelievers recognise as wrong (not to say that is a measure of right or wrong).

I'm the same as Sil; I too did not go through with my suicide when I was a teenager because I knew in my heart that it was wrong in God's sight. His Word kept me in check, even before I was born again.

[Masha]

Just wanted to put in my 5 cents. I also went through a period as a teenager in wich I wanted to commit suicide, yet I did not go through with it. I think it is true that suicide goes against Gods will, as we can understand from the scriptures above. yet there is this idea out there that all people who commit suicide go to hell as a result of their suicide. Here I would like to object. Suicide is an sin just like all the other sins. And God hates sin. I would be careful to call out this sin more than any other sin.
And we do all sin. 1Jo 1:8

[Jeanne]

But in order to be forgiven of sin, you have to repent and ASK for forgiveness and you can't do that if you're dead. On the other hand, I do wonder sometimes about certain circumstances, such as a terminally ill person in severe pain (and unaware of natural cures) just wanting to get the inevitable over with as soon as possible (especially if they are very elderly) or someone also ignorant of natural medicines who is on anti-depressants which, ironically, sometimes have the side effect of causing one to want to commit suicide.

[davehenry]

That is a tricky one for sure Jeanne,but would the Holy Spirit allow anyone to to to those lengths?actually carry it out,not have thoughts about it in those circumstances.Would the Lord allow one to be in such pain enough to do it?
Peace I leave with you,my peace I give unto you:not as the world giveth,give I unto you.Let not your heart be troubed,neither let it be afraid.John 14:27
As far as I know when being burned at the stake for instance,during the inquisitions the saints were praising the Lord or praying while burning,which, apart from drowning would be possibly the most painful death.

[Masha]

My post was cut off. I did not notice. What I wrote: There are a lot of ways in which people kill themselves. (drug)addictions, eating disorder, unhealthy lifestyles, pharmaceutical drugs, etc. I f.e. know quite a few professing Christians that are overweight yet nobody seems to rebuke them for that. Technically that would also be like suicide...