19 January 2006

the unrepentable sin...

I am working on a project for Biblical Ethics class on suicide, which I will be presenting to the class next week as part of a panel. I thought I would do a little survey and find out what you all think about this. If a Christian commits suicide does he go to Heaven or Hell? What do you think just from your beliefs and convictions (without doing research or looking at the Internet)? Leave your thoughts in the comments section or send me an email.

3 comments:

amy said...

Ceej, I agree with The Motivational Speaker. If you are truly a Christian, then your name is written in the book of life. Whether or not you murder yourself is a decision...just like the decision to sin in any other way. It doesn't take your name out of the Book Of Life. Jesus died for ALL our sins, his death replaced ours. So I say that suicide or not...a Christian, whenever and however they die, goes to be with their One True Love in heaven.

(Of course there is a whole 'nother discussion on why we are here and why we shouldn't commit suicide, but that is, like I said, another discussion.)

Mark D said...

I was brought up very legalistic and was always told that people who committed suicide went to hell. I have known a couple Christians who did commit suicide, and that outlook did nothing but increase my grief and despair. When I went to Bible School I heard a completely different take on it. Would we think God to be the kind of God to condemn someone to hell for dying of cancer, or heart disease, or some other ailment of the physical body? Or course not. Why then would God condemn someone for doing something as a result of being sick in the mind? This teacher believed that anyone who does that has to have some form of depression, which basically boils down to a chemical imbalance which causes them not to think straight. Hearing that brought me hope and reminded me that God is both a merciful God and a just God.

Then again, there's the issue of Judas. I think the types of decisions someone made before they got sick in the mind have some bearing. The Bible says you can't serve both God and money. Judas' greed got the best of him. He made a decision to betray Jesus before he ever got sick in the mind enough to take his life. I would really doubt Judas is in heaven because Jesus said it would have been better for him if he had not been born. Very sobering...and a good reminder of how important the small decisions are.

christina joy said...

i agree that if you are a Christian and commit suicide you go to heaven. stephanie makes a good point with the lie. i just wanted to see what y'all thought.