Suicide is a very emotive subject.
Many people feel that a wall of silence is the best way to cope with suicide - to even talk about suicide is wrong because such talk may cause someone to think more about it and ultimately ‘do it’. This is the old ‘if I ignore it, it will go away’ philosophy and is not how the Bible works. God has never covered up the weaknesses and sins of people in this world and so he reveals at least seven incidents of suicide within the pages of Scripture.
Abimelech asked his armour bearer to run him through with the sword because he feared the humiliation of being killed by a woman. Judges 9:54-55
Samson, blinded and humiliated by his enemies, collapsed the temple upon himself, killing thousands of others in the process. Judges 16:29-30
Saul fell on his sword during battle because he feared the abuse he would receive at the hands of the enemy. 1 Samuel 31:4
Saul’s armour bearer immediately followed his lead and did the same. 1 Samuel 31:5
Ahithophel hung himself after experiencing public humiliation when his advice was rejected. 2 Samuel 17:23
Zimri set fire to the tower he was in because he feared falling into enemy hands. 1 Kings 16:18
Judas hung himself after betraying Jesus. Matthew 27:3-5
In reading these accounts, we find that all of the decisions made to suicide were escape mechanisms in reaction to a personal crisis and all were made in reaction to negative issues being faced.
In none of these incidents does the Bible seem to make judgement as to whether the suicidal act was right or wrong. It simply makes no comment at all. However, we must not therefore be fooled into thinking that the Bible has nothing to say on the subject in general.
As an option in society, suicide is increasingly coming to the fore today.
It can occur when life in a physically healthy person’s mind may be perceived to have become too difficult and too sad to continue.
The medical profession is being forced to consider the option of suicide (we give it the more respectable name of euthanasia) where a patient has been diagnosed to die, and natural death may be painful or humiliating.
What about those who choose to rescue another person knowing that it would cause their own deaths? Some may even question as to whether Jesus committed suicide. Knowing that no one could take his life he gave up his own life didn’t he?
To help us answer these questions we need to define what we mean by suicide.
Suicide is an action taken that successfully destroys one’s own life – self murder – the intentional killing of oneself.
To give up one’s life for the sake of another, as Jesus did, at the hands of another, cannot therefore be classified as suicide.
Many Christians feel that committing suicide will automatically send a person to Hell. The Bible however does not say so. It doesn’t even really address the issue directly.
Although we must not use this apparent silence to advocate that suicide is acceptable to God, neither must we use it to build any doctrine suggesting an automatic Hell for those who have killed themselves.
There are one or two Scriptures that raise the issue of unforgivable sin, but suicide is not listed in those Scriptures. 1 Samuel 3:11-14, Isaiah 22:12-14, Matthew 12:31-32
We should not therefore make judgements as to whether or not people can lose their standing with God if they commit suicide.
Yes of course it is. All human beings are made in the image of God. Genesis 1:27
The sacredness of life is therefore directly tied to the nature of God. He created man and placed within him his own image, in order that man would enjoy relationship with both God and fellow humanity.
The Bible very clearly shows that God prefers life for humans, not death. Ecclesiastes 9:4, Ezekiel 18:32, Ezekiel 33:11
It is also very clear that death is not the end of existence, death is simply the doorway through which eternal existence, having begun here on earth, continues. John 3:16, 1 Peter 1:4
The huge consequence of suicide is the eternal closing of the door on any further opportunity to alter eternal destiny. Where there is life, there is hope. Ecclesiastes 9:4
Where there is life, changes can be made. Life is superior to death. God is well aware of these truths and will always provide a way out of perceived hopelessness or despair. 1 Corinthians 10:13
As has been already stated, suicide is murder of self and the Bible clearly states “Do not murder.” Exodus 20:13
Suicide attacks and seeks to destroy the image of God. Genesis 1:27
Suicide attacks Christ. 1 Corinthians 6:15
Suicide denies that life has value and assumes that man is solely in charge of his own life. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Suicide is the direct intentional killing of the human life given as a gift by God in order to prepare for eternity, and it is the act of ultimate rejection of that life and the world.
Suicide removes any further hope for God to call out to a person.
Suicide removes any further hope for a person to call out to God.
Suicide declares final rejection of Gods’ will and authority in a person’s life.
Suicide is intensely demonic. Even non-Christians testify to the evilness of suicide.
Suicide is a very effective tool of Satan, to remove people from fulfilling God’s identity and destiny for them. When we think about it, this is Satan’s scheme for all of us, isn’t it? John 10:10 We all have emotions that can lead to suicide. The potential is certainly within us all. We all have hard times and we all suffer disappointments. However, we all need to learn healthy ways, not destructive ways, of coming through these emotional down times.
Suicide is rooted in a lie. Satan will use hardships in life to fill our minds with lies. The mind that refuses to hold on to truths such as “I am loved”, “I have a unique purpose in this world”, “I may feel lonely but I am not alone”, submits easily to the lie of suicide. Suicide takes the feelings of rejection another huge step downwards. Suicide is the final and ultimate rejection of self, God, family and friends. Death is very final.
Death by suicide is one of the most painful and fruitless grieving experiences a family and friends can go through. Fruitless because in every case, others are painfully reminded of the waste and hopelessness of that death, and such pain will most likely never go away.
Many people who attempt suicide do not intend to be successful. They just want their pain to stop. In a few cases death is seen as a way out of that pain. It may be seen as a place of safety from the troubles of this world, but the Scriptures very clearly point out that after death every person will face their Creator and will have to give an account of how they have lived their life. Hebrews 9:27
The open talking about death, wondering about it, even wishing to die.
Statements or attitudes that no one would care if they are not there or even that people would be better off without them.
Depression – sometimes followed be cheerfulness and apparent peace.
The giving away of possessions and apologising for things past and present.
The consumption of drugs and/or alcohol. These habits can play an important part. They quench the natural God-given desire to battle for life and the natural fear of dying.
The losing of interest in personal hygiene or looks.
The putting down of self. The withdrawing from social activities, family, friends and normal life activities.
Previous attempts at suicide and self-harming.
Never enter into an agreement to keep suicide a secret, or enter into a pact of suicide.
Listen. Don’t feel you have to always give answers or advice or solutions. Often a suicidal person needs someone who first of all will simply listen.
Listen carefully. It is never just one incident that triggers off desires for suicide, so don’t rush into prejudging the reason for a person’s thoughts or feelings. Proverbs 18:1
Believe what is being said. Every person reacts differently to emotional or physical pain, so don’t assess according to your ability to handle emotional pain. Never trivialise what is being said or felt.
Have a heart that cares, and let the person know that you care, that he or she is not alone. Especially tell of the Saviour who knows exactly the internal feelings and can help. There are also lots of people who want to and will help if allowed, so give these messages loud and clear.
Don’t use emotional arguments, such as “Please don’t do it”, “I’ll be really upset if you kill yourself”. The reason a person is considering suicide at all is because of internal emotional chaos. More emotional argument will most likely not even get through, let alone make sense. Such arguments can make the suicidal person emotionally dependent upon you for security and support, or even worse, open doors for you to be emotional manipulated or blackmailed. You are not capable of handling such a responsibility nor is it your right to do so. The issues of life and death are between God and the suicidal, not you and the suicidal. Revelation 1:18 So don’t ever promise what you can’t deliver.
Speak truth about destiny – about what really happens after death.
Speak truth about value – everyone has a place in this world, everyone has someone who values him/her.
Speak truth about purpose – everyone has a purpose in this world, a reason for being alive. Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem.
Be willing to enter into spiritual warfare. Because suicide is intensely demonic, you may need to take up warfare on behalf of someone too oppressed to stand on his or her own behalf.
All people have a need to be loved and needed and Christians have a responsibility to help those who struggle. Please remember however that you can only help a person as much as that person is willing to let you. It is very rare for anyone to commit suicide without revealing to others a need for help, often many times over. You must however remember that every human is ultimately responsible to God for his or her own decisions, and if help offered is refused, then the one who suicides will be held accountable by God for that action – not you. Romans 14:4
Recommended Reading:
Good Grief by Granger E. Westberg
Leaving Early by Bronwyn Donaghy
Silent Grief by Christopher Lucas & Henry Seiden
Helping People Through Grief by Delores Keunning
This paper seeks to accurately represent the teachings of Holy Scriptures. You are free to copy or alter all or any part of this paper PROVIDED that the Holy Scriptures are not misrepresented as a result.
Many people feel that a wall of silence is the best way to cope with suicide - to even talk about suicide is wrong because such talk may cause someone to think more about it and ultimately ‘do it’. This is the old ‘if I ignore it, it will go away’ philosophy and is not how the Bible works. God has never covered up the weaknesses and sins of people in this world and so he reveals at least seven incidents of suicide within the pages of Scripture.
Abimelech asked his armour bearer to run him through with the sword because he feared the humiliation of being killed by a woman. Judges 9:54-55
Samson, blinded and humiliated by his enemies, collapsed the temple upon himself, killing thousands of others in the process. Judges 16:29-30
Saul fell on his sword during battle because he feared the abuse he would receive at the hands of the enemy. 1 Samuel 31:4
Saul’s armour bearer immediately followed his lead and did the same. 1 Samuel 31:5
Ahithophel hung himself after experiencing public humiliation when his advice was rejected. 2 Samuel 17:23
Zimri set fire to the tower he was in because he feared falling into enemy hands. 1 Kings 16:18
Judas hung himself after betraying Jesus. Matthew 27:3-5
In reading these accounts, we find that all of the decisions made to suicide were escape mechanisms in reaction to a personal crisis and all were made in reaction to negative issues being faced.
In none of these incidents does the Bible seem to make judgement as to whether the suicidal act was right or wrong. It simply makes no comment at all. However, we must not therefore be fooled into thinking that the Bible has nothing to say on the subject in general.
As an option in society, suicide is increasingly coming to the fore today.
It can occur when life in a physically healthy person’s mind may be perceived to have become too difficult and too sad to continue.
The medical profession is being forced to consider the option of suicide (we give it the more respectable name of euthanasia) where a patient has been diagnosed to die, and natural death may be painful or humiliating.
What about those who choose to rescue another person knowing that it would cause their own deaths? Some may even question as to whether Jesus committed suicide. Knowing that no one could take his life he gave up his own life didn’t he?
To help us answer these questions we need to define what we mean by suicide.
How do we define suicide?
Suicide is an action taken that successfully destroys one’s own life – self murder – the intentional killing of oneself.
To give up one’s life for the sake of another, as Jesus did, at the hands of another, cannot therefore be classified as suicide.
Does suicide send a person to Hell?
Many Christians feel that committing suicide will automatically send a person to Hell. The Bible however does not say so. It doesn’t even really address the issue directly.
Although we must not use this apparent silence to advocate that suicide is acceptable to God, neither must we use it to build any doctrine suggesting an automatic Hell for those who have killed themselves.
There are one or two Scriptures that raise the issue of unforgivable sin, but suicide is not listed in those Scriptures. 1 Samuel 3:11-14, Isaiah 22:12-14, Matthew 12:31-32
We should not therefore make judgements as to whether or not people can lose their standing with God if they commit suicide.
Is suicide wrong?
Yes of course it is. All human beings are made in the image of God. Genesis 1:27
The sacredness of life is therefore directly tied to the nature of God. He created man and placed within him his own image, in order that man would enjoy relationship with both God and fellow humanity.
The Bible very clearly shows that God prefers life for humans, not death. Ecclesiastes 9:4, Ezekiel 18:32, Ezekiel 33:11
It is also very clear that death is not the end of existence, death is simply the doorway through which eternal existence, having begun here on earth, continues. John 3:16, 1 Peter 1:4
The huge consequence of suicide is the eternal closing of the door on any further opportunity to alter eternal destiny. Where there is life, there is hope. Ecclesiastes 9:4
Where there is life, changes can be made. Life is superior to death. God is well aware of these truths and will always provide a way out of perceived hopelessness or despair. 1 Corinthians 10:13
Why is suicide wrong?
As has been already stated, suicide is murder of self and the Bible clearly states “Do not murder.” Exodus 20:13
Suicide attacks and seeks to destroy the image of God. Genesis 1:27
Suicide attacks Christ. 1 Corinthians 6:15
Suicide denies that life has value and assumes that man is solely in charge of his own life. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Suicide is the direct intentional killing of the human life given as a gift by God in order to prepare for eternity, and it is the act of ultimate rejection of that life and the world.
Suicide removes any further hope for God to call out to a person.
Suicide removes any further hope for a person to call out to God.
Suicide declares final rejection of Gods’ will and authority in a person’s life.
Suicide is intensely demonic. Even non-Christians testify to the evilness of suicide.
Suicide is a very effective tool of Satan, to remove people from fulfilling God’s identity and destiny for them. When we think about it, this is Satan’s scheme for all of us, isn’t it? John 10:10 We all have emotions that can lead to suicide. The potential is certainly within us all. We all have hard times and we all suffer disappointments. However, we all need to learn healthy ways, not destructive ways, of coming through these emotional down times.
Suicide is rooted in a lie. Satan will use hardships in life to fill our minds with lies. The mind that refuses to hold on to truths such as “I am loved”, “I have a unique purpose in this world”, “I may feel lonely but I am not alone”, submits easily to the lie of suicide. Suicide takes the feelings of rejection another huge step downwards. Suicide is the final and ultimate rejection of self, God, family and friends. Death is very final.
Death by suicide is one of the most painful and fruitless grieving experiences a family and friends can go through. Fruitless because in every case, others are painfully reminded of the waste and hopelessness of that death, and such pain will most likely never go away.
Many people who attempt suicide do not intend to be successful. They just want their pain to stop. In a few cases death is seen as a way out of that pain. It may be seen as a place of safety from the troubles of this world, but the Scriptures very clearly point out that after death every person will face their Creator and will have to give an account of how they have lived their life. Hebrews 9:27
What are some signs that someone may be considering suicide?
The open talking about death, wondering about it, even wishing to die.
Statements or attitudes that no one would care if they are not there or even that people would be better off without them.
Depression – sometimes followed be cheerfulness and apparent peace.
The giving away of possessions and apologising for things past and present.
The consumption of drugs and/or alcohol. These habits can play an important part. They quench the natural God-given desire to battle for life and the natural fear of dying.
The losing of interest in personal hygiene or looks.
The putting down of self. The withdrawing from social activities, family, friends and normal life activities.
Previous attempts at suicide and self-harming.
How can the suicidal be helped?
Never enter into an agreement to keep suicide a secret, or enter into a pact of suicide.
Listen. Don’t feel you have to always give answers or advice or solutions. Often a suicidal person needs someone who first of all will simply listen.
Listen carefully. It is never just one incident that triggers off desires for suicide, so don’t rush into prejudging the reason for a person’s thoughts or feelings. Proverbs 18:1
(NIV)
reads – What a shame, what folly, to give advice before listening to the facts!
Believe what is being said. Every person reacts differently to emotional or physical pain, so don’t assess according to your ability to handle emotional pain. Never trivialise what is being said or felt.
Have a heart that cares, and let the person know that you care, that he or she is not alone. Especially tell of the Saviour who knows exactly the internal feelings and can help. There are also lots of people who want to and will help if allowed, so give these messages loud and clear.
Don’t use emotional arguments, such as “Please don’t do it”, “I’ll be really upset if you kill yourself”. The reason a person is considering suicide at all is because of internal emotional chaos. More emotional argument will most likely not even get through, let alone make sense. Such arguments can make the suicidal person emotionally dependent upon you for security and support, or even worse, open doors for you to be emotional manipulated or blackmailed. You are not capable of handling such a responsibility nor is it your right to do so. The issues of life and death are between God and the suicidal, not you and the suicidal. Revelation 1:18 So don’t ever promise what you can’t deliver.
Speak truth about destiny – about what really happens after death.
Speak truth about value – everyone has a place in this world, everyone has someone who values him/her.
Speak truth about purpose – everyone has a purpose in this world, a reason for being alive. Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem.
Be willing to enter into spiritual warfare. Because suicide is intensely demonic, you may need to take up warfare on behalf of someone too oppressed to stand on his or her own behalf.
All people have a need to be loved and needed and Christians have a responsibility to help those who struggle. Please remember however that you can only help a person as much as that person is willing to let you. It is very rare for anyone to commit suicide without revealing to others a need for help, often many times over. You must however remember that every human is ultimately responsible to God for his or her own decisions, and if help offered is refused, then the one who suicides will be held accountable by God for that action – not you. Romans 14:4
Recommended Reading:
Good Grief by Granger E. Westberg
Leaving Early by Bronwyn Donaghy
Silent Grief by Christopher Lucas & Henry Seiden
Helping People Through Grief by Delores Keunning
This paper seeks to accurately represent the teachings of Holy Scriptures. You are free to copy or alter all or any part of this paper PROVIDED that the Holy Scriptures are not misrepresented as a result.
