I had someone ask me. Is commencing suicide is a sin??? And will you go to heaven???
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Suicide is such a hard subject to talk about. I’m not sure what we can know about God’s plans for our life. It can seem as though he has no plan, that we are drifting alone and unmoored. Our hearts are deceitful, we can not trust them.
Consider instead the great price Jesus paid for us and how much value he places on us. How much he loves us. Have faith and trust in God.
In answer to your question, I can only offer what I believe is true, but belief is not truth. Truth cannot be changed and remain true, but the same can’t be said for beliefs. I say this because I don’t want you to rely on anyone else but Jesus for an answer. This is too important to make a mistake.
God bless you
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Hi @doyle,
This is a great question. It’s one that I immediately feel is far more than an intellectual question - it’s often about how we try to make sense of suddenly and unexpectedly losing someone we loved.
Sometimes, people ask this question because they consider ending their lives. Perhaps they are in such tremendous pain that they feel it is the only way to get relief. There are several motivations, and each person’s experience is different. If you have any sense that this is a possibility, a good next step is to learn how you can compassionately assess this risk, and provide support to your friend.
If you know someone considering suicide, please encourage them to use the 988 lifeline. You can learn about it here: https://988lifeline.org/. It’s also a valuable resource for you and your community as you support them in their journey to finding hope.
Or, if you’re grappling with thoughts of suicide, please know that you’re not alone. God has placed people in your life who care deeply about you and want to help. Right now, reach out to a trusted friend, family member, pastor, or a professional, licensed counselor. For instance, getting access to anti-depressants or other medication can dramatically change many people’s outlook on life. Most importantly, God is bigger than our struggles - and that means there is always hope!
As I understand it, most of the Christian tradition regards suicide as a sin because it amounts to ending the life of an innocent person - one’s own. After someone ends their life, it usually takes their family and friends a while to grieve and recover from the loss of someone they loved.
But defining it as a sin can carry a sense of guilt and shame - heaping judgment on someone who is already hurting and struggling to find hope. I think we can look at this from another angle. The point is, it’s so important that we affirm that everyone’s life is incredibly valuable - valuable to God and valuable to their friends. When someone is feeling hopeless, we want to affirm that their life matters!
It’s also important to say that Christians also affirm that it is not our moral performance that brings us to heaven. We are saved - not because of what we do or what we avoid doing - but because Jesus died on the cross for our sins.
In particular, I think it helps to meditate on Romans 8:38-39,
For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
For instance, I suppose that many Christians have died while committing adultery, gambling, or while they were still avoiding paying their taxes. Yet, in the grace of God, they may still be saved and spend eternity with God. That does not mean their sins are not serious and grievous and cause harm to others, but that this is not the basis of salvation.
When life feels heavy, I especially find encouragement in the Psalms. Here’s what Psalm 34:17-18 says:
The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears,
and rescues them from all their troubles.
The LORD is near the brokenhearted;
he saves those crushed in spirit.
Please reach out with any follow-up questions.
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