Suicide

Yesterday I talked with two different couples about suicide.  One was the suicide of a direct family member a number of years ago that happened on January 29 and the other was an attempt by a close family member last week.  A number of us were, and are yet, impacted by a local suicide a few weeks back.  Here are some thoughts:

Suicide is a painful fact of life most often leaving those behind grasping for answers and struggling with guilt.  Reasons for suicide might fall into five broad categories (I do this without doing any research, so it is likely incomplete):

1. Depression – one just can’t see a light at the end of a long dark tunnel (a hard marriage, harsh work environment, a birth defect, or a child who leaves and is lost)
2. Anger – as a means to punish others (rage can twist the mind)
3. Drugs – legal or not – some combinations alter one’s perspective of reality and hope
4. Threats – banker, bookie, judge, boss, government, drug dealers, IRS, lawsuits (too many “check advance” entanglements or gambling troubles coming to roost)
5. Fear – death (euthanasia), cancer, divorce, rejection

What compounds suicide is when the one who has decided to end their life opts to take others with them such as when a father kills his family and then himself so they don’t have to face a lifetime of pain.  A son kills his parents in rage then takes his life.

Or a man shoots up a concert killing tens, then ends it for himself.

In reality, the person who commits suicide always takes others with them, especially parents, spouse, children, family, friends and others.  Oh, not by killing them, but by taking away joy, fellowship, companionship, and worth (those left behind were not enough to give the party hope or help).  A great number of people are impacted and some even marred or scarred for a lifetime.  The act certainly has a large selfish element attached to it.

To kill one’s self is sin for God declares that it is His prerogative (Ecclesiastes 3:2, 5:18, 8:8).

The one who commits suicide will answer for their disregard for God and His will and for taking things into their own hands.  They will answer for declaring that God and His ways were not sufficient.  They will answer for rejecting God’s will, which does allow pain in life as a means to move us to Jesus on the cross or move us closer to Jesus in our walk or use His strength in our pain to show others Jesus within us.  To commit suicide declares a rejection of God’s will.  A person who commits suicide will answer.

But, does one lose their salvation over suicide?  No!  The Catholics teach such is true citing Revelation 21:8,  “But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” [If suicide cuts a person out of heaven, what about lying?]  Yet, Jesus declared that “the one who comes to Me I will by in no means cast out” (John 6:37).  If truly saved which is by faith in the work of Jesus with no confidence in personal works, then there is no work done by a saved person that can undo that salvation, not even suicide. [Critical here is what is true salvation?  Suicide does not unsave one truly saved!]

Suicide has been a problem throughout all human history and it is a problem to us today.  Let us all be vigilant to those around us practicing Hebrews 10:24, “Let us consider one another.”  May God use us to help those contemplating suicide. May they find hope and help in Jesus!