How many of us know the Biblical standpoint on suicide?

Question

There are recorded instances of suicide from both the Old Testament and the New Testament. When claiming a position on suicide as a Christian, do we know what position the Bible claims. Please share your view and the Scriptures you use to support that view. If you are a nonbeliever you are welcome to share a view and if you have knowledge of Scripture, that is welcome also.

http://www.religioustolerance.org/sui_bibl.htm

So, is it really murder to end your own life. Read the passages from the link if you will, these are all suicide related verses.

Answer 1

I really don't think we are qualified to make that decision. We do not know the mental condition of the person. When in doubt, I leave those issues up to God.

Answer 2

The two most notable suicides in the bible were Sampson and Judas.

Sampson did it, and became a hero for it, because he was captured by the philistines after being betrayed by Delilah, tortured, and God was helping him get his revenge. He took several thousand philistines along with him. This was, of course, during the old testament, and we're less likely to think that kind of thing heroic today, but the idea here is that the bible supports a 'noble' kind of heroic suicide, in which someone sacrifices themself for a greater cause (even if, in this particular case, we wouldn't view it as a 'greater cause' today).

The other was Judas, out of guilt for selling Jesus to the Romans. Since Judas was viewed as a villian in the same manner that Sampson was viewed as a hero, this suicide isn't noble. However, the book has more sympathy for Judas in the version of his demise where he commits suicide by hanging himself (Mathew 27:5). Just before he killed himself, he "threw the silver coins into the temple", and the bible seems to forgive him a little (although not to the point of completely reversing his villian status). In the alternate version of Judas' death (Acts 1:19, where instead of hanging himself, he purchased a field, tripped, fell, and his midsection burst out), he was definately more of a villian, and there was no sympathy for him whatsoever ("This became known to everybody in Jerusalem, and that field was called Field of Blood.").

So, what this all means, is that the bible tends to support suicide for the purpose of heroism and self-sacrifice, and understands if you feel so guilty about something that you end your own life.

If I were trying to use the bible as a means of teaching people that suicide was wrong, I would show how, in the version where Judas felt guilty, he was forgivable, and then explain that the mere fact that you want to end your own life, means that you shouldn't; it's the people that feel no guilt whatsoever that are the real villians in the story. I would follow up by encouraging the person to try to find a way to atone for whatever it is they're feeling guilty for and make the world around them a better place, instead of taking the easy way out. Sampson's story would have been dissappointing if he had simply given in to despair in prison and ended his own life; because he pressed on, and endured the pain and torment, he was made a hero.

Answer 3

When discussing Suicide An important factor is that of mental and emotional disorders that are involved in many suicides. These can really be called suicide victims. According to some statistics, 90 percent of those who commit suicide have some kind of mental, emotional, or addictive problem. Will God forgive the self-murder committed by people in such a mental state? We are not in a position to judge whether the deceased committed an unforgivable sin in the eyes of God.

Answer 4

The only New Testament suicide that I know of is Judas. And as far as I can recall there is no judgement in that narrative.

As for the Old Testament, those are stories of a tribal God, often told in literary forms. So, it depends upon the citation to have some idea whether or not to take it literally.

Answer 5

Suicide is the permanent answer for a temporary problem. So many people have been devastated by someone else taking their own life. God tells us that He will never give us a problem that is too difficult for us to bare along with His help. However, many people have felt the need to take their own lives and only God knows what their mental situation was. The answer is between Him and that person.

Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is the only unforgivable sin.

Answer 6

Well as a believer, I know of several instances in the bible, the most famous is the story of Saul. However I do not believe that we can answer that question. I believe that only God knows the heart and it's intent. I do believe in death bed salvation because I do not believe that God ever gives up on us. I do not believe we have the right to say that someone who commits suicide goes to heaven or hell. Jesus paid the price for ALL our sins, we can not say one sin is greater than the other as sin is sin no matter what. There is only one way to heaven and that is through the blood of Jesus that was shead for us and our accepting him as Lord and Savior. We are not the Judge and Jury. I would say, Leave it in God's hands if you have a loved one that took their own life, It's not up to us to judge the heart only God can do that.

Answer 7

I know Elijah, known as one of the greatest prophets begged for God to kill him, but God didn't. So I don't think God likes suicide. I think it is murder. And all sins are forgiven by God. So does a person that commits suicide go to hell? I don't know. If they had accepted Jesus' sacrifice and had his hope in their heart and just sinned they probably still go to heaven. But on the other hand, you have to question if a person ever really had a relationship with God at all or were they just being religious? I don't know.

Answer 8

AMEN to the first person.
lol, I dont say that cuz Im in that mood,
believe me, I love my life.
But I hate when some Christians say OMG
you did this and that your going to hell.
Shut up. Didnt Jesus say were all equal and
not one thing is worse that the other because
either way it ruins slowly and slowly our hearts?
God knows only how corrupt a judging person's
heart is.
Back to the topic. As far as I know the whole dont
kill thing takes principal standing. BUT unlike
Catholic teaching, we cant go straight to hell
and there is no mortal sin. Thats like saying all
those scriptures are wrong when God says He
loves us unconditionally.

Answer 9

Scriptures declare that to shed man's blood in taking human life is the sin of murder in the eyes of the Lord.

Exodus 20:13

"Thou shalt not kill."

Personally I think committing suicide is wrong and bad because like the verse says "Thou shalt not kill." If you kill someone you can repent and ask for forgiveness and be ok in the eyesite of the Lord, but killing yourself you can't have the chance to ask for forgiveness so I think you'll be condemned to hell.

Answer 10

God's 10 Commandments (not 10 "suggestions") said "Thou Shalt Not Murder"

Is suicide self murder?

Is abortion babycide?

God gave us brains to figure out His will. Study the Word, and meditate apon His revelations.

No one can convince us if our minds are closed to His patient "still, small voice" in our hearts and minds!

Deuteronomy 30: 19 "Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, that you and your descendants might live!

Answer 11

I have my own religion, but my Christian friends have told me that suicide is an "unforgivable sin in the eyes of God." I've never understood that. If you're going to kill someone, better yourself than some innocent.