There are a few things I want to blog about in the coming week but this one just came to mind this morning. I'd really like people's input on what they think since this is fairly controversial among Christians.
I remember in high school kids talking about suicide and that people go to hell if they take their life. When I would ask where it says that in the Bible because I had never seen that, they would always reply something along the lines of 'Thou shalt not murder' and that your body is God's temple. While I completely agree with those things, I wanted to know where there was a specific verse or passage that directly said if you take your life, you go to hell.
Only 2 weeks after Scott died, I was talking with a friend of mine at school about Scott being in Heaven. When he realized that Scott had taken his life, he said "Oh! That's different! When you commit suicide, you go to hell." (First of all....who does that? Show a little sensitivity..) Anyway, we talked about it and he couldn't come up with a specific verse or passage either. All he said was 'Thou shalt not murder' and that your body is God's temple. He also said that as Christians, you're supposed to just have faith enough to get through depression-that you aren't being faithful if you deal with those issues.
Well here's what I think: First of all, depression is something I have struggled with for a few years now. And it's not because I don't have enough faith in God. Many many Christians deal with it and rely on God to pull them out. But I don't think its fair of someone who has never dealt with depression to say that you should just faith your way out of that deep pit like it's no big deal. I understand what he was saying, but it's not that easy.
Secondly, can anyone anywhere justify the statement that when you commit suicide, you go to hell?? I think when people say that God can't save you when you take your life, you are putting God in a very small box. I don't think that when someone takes their life, God throws His hands up and says "Oh! I can't help you now! You've gone too far." When Jesus was on the cross, He didn't say "I'm doing this for everyone except for those of you who commit suicide." Does anyone hear how ridiculous that sounds?? The Bible says that nothing can seperate us from the love of God-that includes suicide. The Great I Am is so much bigger than that one final mistake. If you read in Job chapters 38-41, you will see the majesty of God.
"Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you know so much. Who determined its dimensions and stretched the surveying line? What supports its foundations, and who laid its cornerstone as the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy? Who kept the sea inside its boundaries as it burst from the womb, and as I clothed it with clouds and wrapped it in thick darkness? For I locked it behind barred gates, limiting its shores. I said, 'This far and no farther will you come. Here your proud waves must stop!' Have you ever commanded the morning to appear and caused the dawn to rise in the east?"
Don't you see? He is God Almighty-Creator of Heaven and Earth! He is all powerful-He commands the sun to rise, gave the oceans their boundaries, and set the earth on its foundations! He is not stumped by your questions and He doesn't need you to survive-And He certainly is not limited in power by your decision to take your own life. My God is not small enough to fit in a little box so that I can better understand Him or try to tame Him. He is the Great I Am!
I am not God, so I cannot tell you if those that take their lives go to Heaven-that is up to God to decide. But everything that I know of the God I serve tells me that He is so much more powerful than that decision to take your own life-so much more powerful than the powers of hell that lead people to suicide. That is why I look forward to one day seeing Scott again--I believe with my whole heart that because He accepted Jesus as his Savior, God accepted him into Heaven.
To anyone suffering in darkness, there is hope when you are in a pit of despair! Jesus says "Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Casting Crowns sings "Set Me Free": 'It hasn’t always been this way-I remember brighter days-Before the dark ones came-Stole my mind-Wrapped my soul in chains-Now I live among the dead-Fighting voices in my head-Hoping someone hears me crying in the night-And carries me away--Set me free of the chains holding me-Is anybody out there hearing me?-Set me free--Morning breaks another day-Finds me crying in the rain-All alone with my demons I am-Who is this man that comes my way?-The dark ones shriek-They scream His name-Is this the One they say will set the captives free?-Jesus, rescue me!--Set me free of the chains holding me-Is anybody out there hearing me?-Set me free--As the God man passes by-He looks straight through my eyes-And darkness cannot hide--Do you want to be free?-Lift your chains-I hold the key-All power on Heav’n and Earth belong to me-You are free-You are free-You are free!'
"So Christ has truly set us free!" Galatians 5:1 Glory to God! He is so merciful and loving! Come to Him if you are weary and burdened-For the Great I Am will set you free!
Bujee's opinion:
ReplyDeleteI did some research and to answer your question of “where in the bible does it say people who commit suicide go to heaven”, the answer is NOWHERE! So my quick answer is this...since the Bible is not clear on the subject, God obviously did not feel the need that we know. I think it’s all dependent on the relationship between the person and God. Because only God knows our heart, we cannot judge, and therefore really don’t have the ability to say either way.
I found some interesting verses though:
In Acts 1 it talks about Judas and how there is now a Field of Blood where his body was burst open and all his intestines spilled out. Which would lead me to believe Judas is not in heaven. HOWEVER, Judas disowned and denied Christ before his suicide and I think because of his disowning of Christ, NOT his act of suicide, led him to Hell (make sense)?
This reiterates my point that it’s all between God and the person.
Mark 3 says this:
I tell you the truth, all the sins and blasphemies of men will be forgiven them. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin."
Is suicide blasphemy? I don’t know.
Is suicide equal to all other sin? I don't know.
All that I know is where MY relationship with Christ truly is, I cannot speak for others. But this is such a hard subject because then we have things like mental illnesses, which we really can't control. So, if a mental illness/depression/condition leads to suicide, do we go to heaven? Again, I don't know. It's all about Jesus and him/her.
Like you said, Christ is always in control, we can't forget that. I think that if we feel a certain way about an individual that committed suicide that it's okay to think they are in heaven/hell...meaning if you know first hand the life of that individual, you probably have a good idea of their passion for Christ.
But to give a blanket answer of...All people that commit suicide go to Heaven/Hell is not right.
I hope that made some sense.
I completely agree with you Bujee. I think that only God knows your heart and it is completely up to Him whether someone is in Heaven or not. I would assume Judas is in hell since he denied Christ, but its up to God and not for us to judge. I just feel that for Scott, because he was a christian and accepted Jesus as his savior, that one moment of making a mistake didn't seperate him from God. I believe Scott was under intense spiritual attack that day. I just don't serve a God who is so small that He can't save someone who commits suicide. It just sounds ridiculous to me...
ReplyDeletep.s. why is your name spelled two different ways at the top?...
AGREED!
ReplyDeleteYeah I noticed the spelling, I think cuz how it's pronounced i put 'G' instead of 'J' haha.
dont' worry about it! ;)