Can there be forgiveness?

Question

In most religious and spiritual teachings, the act of suicide is forbidden. Many of these teachings also say that if you ask for forgiveness - God will forgive. So if, in the process of committing suicide you ask for forgiveness - will you go on to the the Hereafter?

No - it is just a question - I am not considering suicide.

(1 Corinthians 3:16-17 NIV) [16] Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you? [17] If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him; for God&'s temple is sacred, and you are that temple.

A verse in the fourth chapter of the Quran, An-Nisaa (The Women) instructs; "And do not kill yourselves, surely Allah is most Merciful to you." (4:29)

Answer 1

A true cristian will answer that onlyone way.

God has the final decision of who is saved.

Because the reversal of that question would be: If a person is a believer their entire life, but the last thing do before they die is sinful, do they go to heaven?

Only God knows.

Answer 2

no b/c you're only asking in fear of not being forgiven b/c you know it's wrong. You can't say sorry while/before you smoke a joint? If you're really sorry you wouldn't do it. Suicide is not a temptation that you have to face everyday. It usually is something that has been thought about a lot and most of the time planned. If suicide crosses your mind that's when God asks you to seek Him and He'll help...

Answer 3

This is a hard topic for me because my favorite Uncle committed suicide when I was 15 and I often wondered if he was in Heaven or Hell. This is just my opinion but when you ask forgiveness you have to put your sin behind you. Asking before you commit the sin does not make what you are about to do right. I hate to say it but belief is that suicide is a sin you can not atone for.

Answer 4

Sure. Say you jump off the 18th floor of a building. Somewhere around the 15th floor, you regret your action and ask God to forgive you. God will be faithful and merciful.

By the by, in my faith tradition (Catholic), sins committed by a person who is too mentally ill to know right from wrong are not held against them. Most people who commit suicide are severely depressed and generally it is thought that one can hope that they are forgiven because of their mental illness.

Answer 5

I think some religions now look at suicide as the irrational act of a person that is not functioning in their right mind. I think due to this fact the church feels they are not held accountable for this action. I'm not sure I agree with that, but I have heard that said.

Answer 6

Suicide is premeditated murder, their will be a penalty to pay for sure,. that penalty depends on the persons heart and God is a seeker of the heart and he will decide,... There have been murders through out history that have been forgiven by our Lord for those true repenters,....this person was in dispair and not in his right mind,......who are we to judge on such matters...something that man is unable to fathom, Remember we have a merciful God!

Answer 7

if you have accepted Christ as your savior, and ask forgiveness for your sins, then yes even in the final act of suicide, your sins will be forgiven by the blood of Christ!

IS SUICIDE FORGIVABLE?
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By Denver Cheddie



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A preacher once related his experience at a Hindu funeral of someone who committed suicide. The pundit conducting the service stated that those who commit suicide have lost all chance of forgiveness. The preacher marveled how even a Hindu pundit could get such a revelation of truth. First of all I question whether that is really a truth, and secondly how much that pundit really knows about Hinduism.



There is one sin that is unforgivable – blasphemy against the Holy Spirit (Matt. 12:31, 32). 1 John 5:16, 17 also speak of a sin unto death. The context of 1 John suggests that John has in mind apostasy as being that sin unto death, for which there is no forgiveness (cf. Heb 6:4-6; 10:26). It is difficult to say exactly what blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is, but I believe it is the same sin as apostasy. In any case, neither passage implies that suicide is the unforgivable sin.



Suicide however is unique in that it is difficult to repent of it after committing it. This raises the question of whether repentance is necessary for forgiveness. It is necessary for forgiveness in the sense of reconciling broken fellowship with God (Isa. 59:1, 2). Confession of sins and repentance are necessary to maintain an open relationship with God, not to maintain salvation. The context of 1 John 1 is fellowship with God (vs. 3). But as long as we are in Christ, the blood of Jesus continually cleanses us of all sin (vs. 7) whether or not we repent. We should confess our sins if we desire an intimate walk with God, but even if we do not, our salvation is not affected. Thus suicide is forgivable.



The real question is not whether suicide will prevent one for going to heaven – it will not. Only unbelief will (John 3:18). It is whether a genuine Christian will commit suicide. I personally do not believe that they would but in the rare event that they do, it will not deny them of heaven. What ultimately determines whether we go to heaven is whether we were in Christ.

Answer 8

If you or anyone you know are contemplating suicide, please seek help. Suicidal thoughts can be brought on by depression or certain types of medication. Also people who commit suicide suffer from some form of mental illness, so since mental illnesses are not caused by the individual I don't think God will seek to punish them. So please talk with someone.

Answer 9

Can someone point out to me the passage in any of the main religions big books that list suicide as a sin.

Answer 10

I can't see how you would. One of the 10 commandments is "Thou shalt not kill..." I'm guessing He's including your own self in that commandment as well, but I could be wrong. Besides, are you REALLY sorry for doing something you know to be wrong if you apologize for doing it, and then go ahead and do it anyway?