Last week, I received another setback, and I was quite distressed about it. Fortunately, my Bible reading plan took me to 1 John 5:4-5, and I learned that anyone who believes in Christ could overcome the world. Jesus even said to be of good cheer even though we have tribulations because He overcame the world (John 16:33). And if we have faith in Him, so shall we.
This truth comforted me and renewed my hope. I knew that my trials would not be the end of me. And nothing in the world, including sin, death, tribulations will have the last word as long as I am in Christ.
But then I heard of a pastor who committed suicide, and it deeply bothered me. How can a Christian commit suicide? What is the point of believing in God if we can still despair to the point of death like non-believers?
I know Christians are not immune to trials, and tribulations, and we will all have our share of suffering this side of eternity. But shouldn’t we have hope? Not wishful thinking like the world has, but a confident expectation in Christ that helps us endure (2 Corinthians 1:10)?
The Bible says whoever believes that Jesus is the Son of God has overcome the world (1 John 5:4-5); that though we are pressed and afflicted in every way, we are not crushed and driven to despair (2 Corinthians 4:8). Those who hope in the Lord shall renew their strength (Isaiah 40:31). And those who keep their minds on Jesus will have peace (Isaiah 26:3).
With all these promises of God that we can endure, how can any Christian lose against the world? How can they become so hopeless they choose death over life? Did God not strengthen them? Did God not give them peace? Was His strength not sufficient for their weakness? Isn’t He who lives in us greater than he who is in the world? Why didn’t they overcome and endure to the end?
The Word of God is the truth. And if it says Christians have hope and can overcome, but a Christian become hopeless and gives up; the fault must lie with the Christian. Does it then mean that a true believer cannot commit suicide?
The Bible says a child of God cannot keep practicing sin because God’s seed abides in him (1 John 3:9). So, it is reasonable to say that anyone who plots to commit suicide might not be a child of God. It’s tough, but the Bible is clear that God has equipped all His children to overcome this world, and they will endure to the end.
But if it’s somehow possible for a genuine Christian to commit suicide, I don’t think they will lose their salvation and automatically go to hell. Nor do I believe that their sins will not be forgiven. Jesus’s blood paid for all sins, and the only unforgivable sin is the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit (Luke 12:10). Furthermore, Jesus said He would not lose those who belong to Him (John 5:36). If a Christian is truly saved, he can’t lose his salvation.
But since it’s unlikely a true Christian would choose that route, I don’t think all the people who die by suicide while calling themselves Christians automatically go to heaven. It might only be possible if they killed themselves in a moment of weakness instead of a result of ongoing unbelief.
But can anyone really take their life on the fly without planning it in advance? Perhaps if those people had kept on living, they would have left the faith and proved they were not Christians.
Maybe not, only God knows.
It’s best to let God be the judge and refrain from saying with absolute certainty that the departed is in heaven or hell. It all depends on if they were genuinely saved while they lived, and sadly not everyone who professes faith is a true believer. Sometimes the tares resemble the wheat.
The important lesson here is that we need to examine ourselves to make sure we are indeed in the faith (2 Corinthians 13:5). It would be regrettable to die and finally get to meet Jesus only for Him to declare, “I never knew you, depart from Me.” (Matthew 7:22-23)
I diaageee with you. I’m disappointed at your lack of empathy. The Bible doesn’t prove that a true Christian can not commit suicide. So you are saying that he died and is not a true Christian? You don’t know their heart.
Hi Isabella, I don’t indeed know anyone’s heart, but the Bible consistently says born again Christian have hope. That’s what makes me doubt a true Christian can commit suicide. However, I cannot say that with complete certitude. And that’s pretty much what I said in the post.
Don’t give into fear of what others may think, you are correct in thinking that a true Christian cannot be overcome by the world and practice sin. Thus cannot ever succomb to suicide even if depressed or wanting God to pull the plug. Those who are overtaken by such sin are continuing in deliberate sin after already being enlightened with the truth without the willingness to repent, which is the effect of unbelief in the Lordship of Christ thus unforgivable sin. This is why the only accounts of suicide recorded we’re of the ungodly while no accounts of saints following… Read more »
Hi Joseph, thank you for your insights! The idea of Christians committing suicide really bothered me and the fact that a lot of evangelicals support it confused me more. But I can find any Scriptural evidence to back it up, and as you said, the only suicide recorded in the Bible were of non-believers.