Would a christian be condemned to hell if he/she commmited suicide?

Question

This question is aimed at fellow christians.
If a christian were to commit suicide would they still be allowed to enter heaven? Are there any scriptures that can back that up?

Also, is it truly possible to fall away from God? And how would one know if they truly did fall away? Likewise, how would one know that they're still saved?
I'd greatly appreciate the answers.

Answer 1

Most people who commit suicide are mentally ill. We can't explain why some people are mentally ill just we can't explain why some people get cancer or diabetes or any other illness. Some illnesses are treatable just as mental illness is but those who go without treatment for their illnesses will die and the same goes for mental illness.

I am a Christian, the daughter of a minister who committed suicide, who was also the son of a minister. My father was a Christian, he knew the Lord and loved God with all of his heart. He went to seminary to follow in his fathers footsteps to preach the gospel but he was also mentally ill. Despite his illness, I was raised in church and knew the Lord from an early age and that was a gift my father gave to me. He ended his life when I was 10 years old and I get angry about that. There is so much that he missed. When I'm at my angriest, I have to remember that he was mentally ill, and how terrible it must have been for him to be so sick and not get the help he needed in the early 80's and the state of mind and how sick someone must be to take their own life.

When we are saved, we are washed clean. It doesn't mean we become perfect, we all have defects. I was a ten year old little girl having "christians" tell me how suicide is an unforgivable sin and its murder. I grew to hate the church and resent everything it stood for. I went to college and majored in religion and philosophy, looking for answers and by grace I found my way back to God and was saved. I do however get angry with self righteous christians who think they know all the "rules" and are certain that people who commit suicide go to hell. I do not believe God would punish people for illnesses and defects when someone is mentally ill and clearly in a great deal of pain. I can't imagine Jesus would tell anyone that either. Jesus taught compassion and to love thy neighbor, even the sinning ones. We witness and help who we can, unfortunately there are the lost, and sick, and downtrodden who can't be reached. If you want to find your answer in the bible, look at the life of Jesus and how he lived it and what he taught and there you will find your answer.

Yes it is possible to fall away from God. In your heart you know if you are saved, if there is doubt, then that right there should tell you that you are on the wrong path and that you need to re-dedicate your life.

I do believe in miracles and know that God is powerful and can do anything. I lost my father in such a terrible way but to me was born a son missing half of his heart on Christmas Day. He's had three miraculous life saving open heart surgeries and is only 4 years old. My son lives, yet my father died by his own hand. I cannot explain why God gives us the cards we are dealt, but its not always for us to know the plan but to seek to do with it the best we can.

Answer 2

I'm not so sure that the Bible addresses your question... directly. There's no Scripture I know of that says people who commit suicide go to heaven or hell.

But here's something that may encourage you.

Read I Kings chapters 18-19. It's the story of Elijah. When he was doing what God wanted him to, he was happy. There came a time, however, that he became so discouraged and felt so abandoned that he withdrew into the desert. He sat down and begged God to take his life, because he could see no light in the dark place he was in.

God didn't reprimand him for his request. In fact, He didn't say anything at all. Instead, He send him food by way of a raven, and water to drink. After a few days of this "nursing-back-to-health" process, God revealed to him the fact that the situation was not at all as hopeless as Elijah felt. He gave him a new task and sent him on his way feeling refreshed.

I've struggled with depression myself. I think the most awful thing about it is that *it feels like you'll never feel better*. It's like falling into a dark well with no bucket to hoist you up. Your perception of reality is distorted--all you can see or feel is pain. The reason why is that when you feel bad, all your brain can really tune into is the memory of other times that you felt bad. It's not a sin. If anything, it's a sickness--the common cold of mental illnesses.

Like the common cold, it goes away much quicker than you can imagine right now.

God is always there to offer you support and encouragement when you need it. Lean on Him, and you WILL get through this.

"No trial has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tested beyond what you can bear. But when you are tested, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." I Corinthians 10:13

"Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Psalms 73: 25, 26

Answer 3

I believe that committing suicide is a sin but I don't believe that a true Christian will go to hell as a result. I don't believe a true Christian can fall away no matter how awful their sin. Many suicides are the result of a mental illness such as schizophrenia or depression, and I have seen Christians who are mentally ill and committed suicide. There is also the demonic element which can also precipitate a suicide. There are no scriptures to back this up. Genesis 18:25 says: "Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly?”

Answer 4

Some say yes, but my personal belief is no. I don't think that there are any scriptures that say that you will go to Hell if you commit suicide. I feel like God understands that someone can be in a poor mental state that leads to actions that may not be the best thing to do. For those who think that murder is a sin, and you can't repent suicide, I say that I'm sure that we all have sinned in our lives and not asked for forgiveness, be it forgetfulness, happenstance, or whatever. I really hope that you are not seeking permission to do this, however, because although I don't know you situation, I do know that things can get better. I would be happy ot converse with you over email if you need someone to talk to. As far as falling away from God, you have to maintain a relationship like any other. There will probably be times when you feel very close to Him and others when you feel so far away. That is why it is so important to keep up with prayer, fellowship, and studying of His word.

Answer 5

There was a time in the Middle Ages when the Black Plague was ravaging Europe. Around the 14th Century something like 1 - 2/3's of Europe died in the North.
Many people saw the horror of the plague and started killing themselves. The Catholic Church forbade suicide because it was taking into one's own hands the power of life and death. Since then the usual answer to your question was undoubtedly "YES."
However, this was never a "de Fide" teaching of the church but a quest to avoid people doing themselves in.
Today it is realized that many psychological factors are involved in killing oneself. Was the person suffering from Medical types of depression? Were they so overwelhmed by horror that they couldn't take it anymore?
Although it is true that God will never allow us to be tempted beyond our strength, yet we, in our own minds can create pure hell. The suicidal person may have been worked up to this for a long time. We also can't forget the "tempter" satan.
The approach today is much more humane. In the end only God is the judge of why a person took their own life. We can't always judge and condemn.
We should not despair of the eternal salvation of persons who have taken their own lives. By ways known to him alone, God can provide the opportunity for salutary repentance. The Church prays for persons who have taken their own lives.

Answer 6

Ok the first person who answered you is wrong and only an idiot would believe that there is no God. Well first a christian ( or anybody else for that matter)shouldnt commit suicide because with God comes peace and if one wanted to commit suicide that means that the person would have no peace. If one was saved and then commited suicide they would not go to hell. Because God forgives and forgets. But that doesnt mean that one should go around doing bad stuff and then saying " Oh I can do that because God has to forgive me". No, God can only forgive one if they repent and truly are sorry. God knows your heart, you cant hide anything from God. Hope this helps and if you dont have peace in your heart. Then pray and ask God to give you the peace. Suicide is murder and murder is sin.

Answer 7

As far as the going to hell part, I don't know, only God judges. But we all know that to get to a point in life where you want to commit suicide, you must have lost all hope. Jesus is all about hope. To lose all hope means? Put two and two together. The person must have taken their eyes off the ball to get to a point of suicide. As Christians, we're to be hope (representing Jesus) for the hopeless.

And when you read the scripture about falling away or continuing in your walk, always look for the word IF. IF you do this, then... And it is a condition of following Christ. If you keep His commandments then... And there are a host of other scriptures. The prodigal son. He had to return before he gained entrance to his father's house. What if he hadn't? Our Christian walk doesn't give us license to sin. Now who are we to say when God's grace and mercy ends for a stray? We are not. But to get forgiveness you have to ask for it, right? If you continue walking in sin and refuse to ask for forgiveness then what? God is big enough to know all the little - What If - questions we have on this topic. You'll know if you "fall away". It's called conviction, which is brought about by the Holy Spirit. We all know what's right and wrong - that's built into us. To me, if you have to ask whether something you do is wrong - it probably is.

Answer 8

if a person commits suicide and they're a follower of christ, then death cannot keep them from heaven. i cannot say whether there is scripture to back that part up...i apologize.

yes, it is possible to fall away from God. The bible says you are either hot or cold. There is no lukewarm...you have to choose your side. If you are doing things that go against the Will of God or are disobeying his laws, you have fallen away from God. Good news is that He'll always take you back. Yes, you'll know that you've fallen away....just turn back around. as the saying goes "Going in the wrong directions?...don't worry God allows U-turns"

blessings.

Answer 9

I am taking your first question to mean if a person willingly killed themselves as an ultimate act of desperation because they didn't want to deal with life anymore (as opposed to say, throwing ones self on a grenade in order to save the lives of others...) then I think there is scriptural support that this would be equivelant to an ultimate lack of faith--in God or anything else for that matter.

As for your second set of questions--salvation and fellowship are two different things.
If a person is truly saved, it is impossible for them to lose their salvation. However, we can fall away from our fellowship with God whenever we progress on a path of habitual self-seeking and sin. A person would know if they had fallen away from their fellowship because they would know the Word and how they are to live and that they are not doing that. They would also not be feeling close to God. The Holy Spirit inside them would be bringing these things to mind for them so that they could realize that they were falling away.
A person who has been saved would know that they're still saved by reading the Word and believing that Christ's death on the cross for them was final.

If a person has truly believed in their heart that Christ is the only way to salvation, confessed to God that they are a sinner and need to be saved, accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior and turned away from (ie: repented of) the previous way of life, then they are saved. Forever. And the Holy Spirit will be living inside them. They should also be baptized.

When they sin in the future, it will affect their fellowship with God but not the fact of their salvation. After the fact of their salvation has been solved (by the above steps I mentioned), a person does not need to keep being "re-saved" so-to-speak.

I hope that helps. There are tons of scriptures that say all of this--Paul's writings are a great place to start.

PS- If a saved person has fallen away from their fellowship with God, all they really need to do is realize that they are sinning, go honestly to God in prayer and confess what's been going on and ask for His help in living the right way. It doesn't have to be any more complicated than that-- like apologizing to your best friend for ignoring them and acting like a jerk. After all, God is our best friend!

Answer 10

no one can answer the question on suicide, because we don't know, we can give our thoughts on it and go by what the Bible says about it, no one knows the last few minutes of ones life either, they may have asked for forgiveness, and God may have forgiven them..When u fall away u will know by how ur life starts to change, how the things that u enjoyed before u became saved just seem to be enjoyable again..How do u know u are still saved, when u finally cry out to Him and ask for forgiveness of all u have done, He will then lift u up.. He lives in ur heart, guides u and u will feel His love..