Justification for suicide?

[Plinshree]

Forgive me if I've put this in the wrong place.

I was wondering: is suicide always a one way ticket to a condo on the lake of fire?
For instance if taking one's own life is more of a benefit to the people around them than their continued existence will God cast them into eternal damnation?
Here's another scenario: What if someone's quality of life will worsen over time rather than get better? If that person decides to end things before it gets much worse will they be eternally lost?
One last scenario: Would you advocate suicide for criminals?
Say someone like Ted Bundy or the man that had shot and killed all those people in Norway not too long ago had elected to kill himself rather than await sentencing and execution, do you feel there is justification for that?

I'm not trying to upset anyone I just want to get the perspective of other believers on this issue as myself and a few other believer swere discussing this very subject recently. I know there was a poll a while back on suicide but I don't think these scenarios were addressed.

Thank you.
-Plinshree

 

[lioncub]

Suicide is never right.

God is the God of the living not of the dead.

 

[ForumAddict]

Man can justify anything in his eyes, problem is, he does not look thru God's in doing so!

 

[Plinshree]

What would you , then, say to someone who was seriously considering ending their life?someone who was entirely convinced that taking their own life was either the only option or eminently right? I wish to know this in case I ever am in this situation so I'd know how to deal with it.
-Plinshree

 

[Giggles4God]

My husband and I have had this talk...the talk about suicide. No, taking ones life is not right, but who are we to say they didn't have enough time to ask for forgiveness before they died. We can never know.

Who am I to judge? Only God can and does have the ability to know what is in someone's heart and what will happen at the judgement seat.

Thankfully, none of us do. I believe God is more merciful than any of us. Than any of us deserve!

I am sad to say that many Christians walk around with stones in hand...just waiting.

God, show me You so I do not judge and do not cast stones at those who are crying out for love!!

What kind of Christians are we?

 

[HoneyBare]

I don't have scripture for this, but I would have to say God should be the only one who has the right to take a life. And so you would be acting like God. Besides that, it is a very selfish thing to do. You would only be thinking of yourself in a way. Not of those you left behind, who may never forgive themselves for not anticipating this person committing suicide. Always having to live with it. If you think it would be better for those around you, then you would be wrong. Buck up! Let God have the privilege. He should decide, not you.

 

[agua]

About 2000 people in Australia take their own lives every year. I'm not sure what this means concerning their eternal destiny but as far as I know being saved is only dependant on God's grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

It is a very poor reflection on our society that so many people take their own lives and most of these are healthy young men. I wonder how they could get so depressed, to the point of hopelessness, without someone intervening. I accept it is not always possible to stop someone but surely many of these people would find reason to live if someone reached out to them during their dispair. We don't pay enough attention to people around us sometimes.

Psa 34:18 The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit.

We should take a leaf out of our Lords book.

 

[ForumAddict]

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT...
SUICIDE?

"Do not be a fool--why die before your time?" (Ecclesiastes 7:17b)
Almost everyone would agree that life is the most precious gift that human beings have been given. Just the chance to be alive on this earth and play a part in the grand scheme of God's eternal plan is a privilege indeed. Yet, despite this, there are times when life becomes so difficult or unbearable that many have, at one time or another, wished they were dead or had never been born. For some, these feelings linger--and if they linger long enough, suicide seems to be the only escape. In fact, in the United States (and stats are similar in countries around the world) the suicide rate has tripled among teen and young adults in the past 40 years.

What does the Bible say about suicide? How does God view it? Do all those who kill themselves go to Hell?

Very few would argue with the fact that suicide is a direct breaking of the Sixth Commandment which is, "You shall not murder." We are not to murder each other or ourselves. God created human beings in His image and each of us carries within us the potential to overcome the evil in this world, and to rule and reign with Christ in heavenly places. If we are Christians, we no longer belong to ourselves, but to God. We are overseers of our bodies and our lives (which belong to Him), and we are responsible to guard that which has been entrusted to us.

Suicide is a grievous sin that seriously hurts both the heart of God, and those who loved the deceased. The pain of losing a loved one who took their own life is not easily healed, and often isn't fully healed until Heaven. Whether you are contemplating suicide or know someone who killed themselves, God wants you to know there is hope and life for you. He is the great Healer and Restorer of what has been lost or stolen.

Many of the greatest saints and heroes of the Bible faced overwhelming depression and sometimes wrote that they wished they had never even been born. King David, (Psalm 13:2-4), the prophet Jeremiah, (Jeremiah 20:14-18), and Job, (Job 7:15-16) among others, all reached low points where they despaired of their very lives.

Job says, "So that my soul chooseth strangling, and death rather than my life. I loathe it; I would not live alway: let me alone; for my days are vanity" (Job 7:15-16).

Yet, each one of these men were blessed of God, and persevered through their trials as an example to us. Though they faced great suffering and injustice, they kept their faith in God and His goodness, and in so doing, were sustained and led into abundant life.

Though we may get depressed from time to time, we believe that the act of suicide never takes place apart from demonic influences driving one to take their own life. Suicide is directly counter to the power of life that God has put so strongly into His creation. Everywhere we look we see life growing, even in the most hostile environments. This "survival instinct" is a gift from God. In fact, if He didn't bestow this gift upon His creation there probably wouldn't be any life on this planet at all! Suicide, then, is directly contrary to the will of God, and originated in the realm of the demonic host, who come only to "steal, and to kill, and to destroy" (John 10:10). Though demons may try to tempt us to kill ourselves, as Christians we have power over the devil and he cannot push us to do this if we sincerely call on the name of the Lord!

We are all in a spiritual battle. The problem is, many of us are not aware of it, and do not know how to protect ourselves against attack.

 

[palms25]

Suicide is a complex issue and the reasons why many contemplate this are diverse. To blandly call it selfish and sinful is a simplistic response to what is not a simple issue. There are many instances where suicide is comtmeplated out of love for others. The questioin of God sending such people to hell is an unusual response to those that feel they are already there.
Let us not forget that God is love and this love knows no bounds. To those that seek escape from this realm this may be a comforting thought and indeed one that may lead them to reconsider this option.