First and foremost, may it be known that if you’re considering suicide, you are not alone in this life and many people are available to live life with you — including myself. In fact, I have battled depression for as long as I can remember and I have waged wars through suicidal thoughts myself. If you are considering suicide, do everything you can to get the help you need. Suicide is never the answer! Call 1-800-273-8255, the national hotline, get yourself to a hospital if you can, call 911, go alert someone in your home, apartment, or workplace, or wherever you are, and do whatever it takes to get help.
National Hopeline Network: 1-800-SUICIDE
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK
To Write Love on Her Arms: http://twloha.com/find-help
Befrienders.org: http://www.befrienders.org/directory
Suicide hotlines available in most countries: http://www.suicide.org/international-suicide-hotlines.html
At the age of 17 going into 18, I had written out my own suicide letter. Before reading this article, I highly recommend that you read my personal testimony: My Testimony. If you have a desire to leave this life here on Earth, it is only because you are not of this world (John 15:18-20; 17:14-19) and are meant to be in the presence of GOD, connected with the Creator. But this is why we need to come to Christ Jesus in faith and be filled with the Holy Spirit.
(Acts 16:27-30)
“27 When the jailer awoke and saw the prison doors opened, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here!” 29 And he called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas, 30 and after he brought them out, he said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?””
…———…
Because Roman jailers were personally responsible for their prisoners and could be executed for allowing them to escape (Acts 12:19), the jailer decided to kill himself instead of suffering through an execution. But in Acts 16:28, Paul prevented a jailer from committing suicide.
Is suicide wrong? Is it a sin? Will suicide prevent someone from entering the Kingdom of heaven? Because mere human opinion is relative, we should investigate what GOD’s Word says about the topic of suicide being though GOD is the absolute moral standard (Leviticus 10:10; 19:2; Deuteronomy 27:10; 28:9; Romans 3:10,23; 1Peter 1:16; Revelation 15:4).
Samuel was a man of GOD, had always been careful to listen to GOD (1Samuel 3:10; 9:14-17), obey GOD (1Samuel 3:21; 10:1-2), and even ended up in the Hall of Faith (Hebrews 11:32). But Samuel prophesied that Saul and his sons would die and they would be with him (1Samuel 28:19). We also know that Jonathan was a man of GOD (1Samuel 18:3; 20:8,23,32,42). But if Saul would end up “with” Samuel and Jonathan, does this mean that Saul’s suicide (1Samuel 31:4-5) was justifiable and he would end up in the Kingdom of heaven? Is anyone’s suicide justifiable? Does suicide prevent people from entering the Kingdom?
Well, the verse simply states that Saul and his sons would be with him, meaning they would die and then go to the ‘other side’ (where Samuel went after his physical death) where we all face Judgment (Hebrews 9:27; Revelation 20:12,15). Scripture does not actually state whether Saul and his sons will be in either Heaven or Hell. But Scripture does inform us that Saul indeed killed himself by falling on his own sword.
However, suicide is not justifiable. Never. Suicide involves the unauthorized taking of a human life, and as such violates the sixth commandment of murder (Exodus 20:13). Suicide is murder; it makes no difference that the life taken is one’s own. All life belongs to GOD, and He alone has the right to take it (Deuteronomy 32:39; Job 1:21). Even the most desperate believers in the Bible who desired death never considered suicide a morally viable alternative. Rather, recognizing the sovereign hand of GOD over human life, they prayed like Jonah: “Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live” (Jonah 4:3). Apostle Paul even prevented the Roman jailer in Philippi from taking his own life (Acts 16:27-28). Abimelech commanded his armor-bearer to kill him out of a selfish and hateful motive because he didn’t want anyone to be able to say that a woman took his life; in fact, his act was not seen as commendable, but as judgment (Judges 9:54,56). Ahithophel committed suicide because he had been publicly humiliated and he wanted to avoid being executed for treason (2Samuel 17:23). Zimri, after murdering an Israelite king, ended his life to avoid being killed by his pursuers (1Kings 16:18). Judas hanged himself after experiencing remorse due to betraying Jesus (Matthew 27:3-5). And as we learned from the “Judas” Picture Scripture, there is good reason to believe that Judas was never saved.
But what about Samson taking his own life? With Samson, his situation seems to be more of a sacrifice, not a suicide. Samson had been humiliated and humbled and then he essentially offered his life as a sacrifice for others’ benefit (Judges 16:30) even though his motive was to get revenge. GOD simply used both the situation Samson had gotten himself into and Samson’s willingness to be a sacrifice to enact judgment upon an evil people. It was in Samson’s humbled decision to offer himself as a sacrifice that he aligned himself with what is written in Scripture (John 15:13). Suicide is acting for one’s self; Samson offered his life for others.
There are no biblical examples of honorable suicide nor is there any reason to believe that anyone who committed suicide was ever saved. But will suicide prevent people from entering the Kingdom of Heaven? Though we have permission to call attention to sin and judge according to righteousness (John 7:24; 1Corinthians 5:9-13; 6:2-6), it is never our place to proclaim with absolute certainty whether someone is going to Heaven or Hell — there is only One Judge (Romans 14:4,10-12; James 4:12). Only GOD knows what happens with a person in their very last moment with their very last breath. Scripture also states that all sins (with the exception of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit) will be forgiven (Matthew 12:31-32) so long as we are in Christ and the Holy Spirit is in us. So, obviously, if a person is not saved, then that person who committed suicide wouldn’t be saved anyway. But what about the person who claims to be saved?
There is good reason to believe that suicide would be sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, and that means there would no longer remain a sacrifice for sins (Hebrews 10:26-27). Would the Holy Spirit ever tell someone to kill him/herself? Or is that something only Satan would do because he was a murderer from the beginning (John 8:44)? Suicide is an attack on the image of GOD in man (Genesis 1:26-27) and an attempt to usurp GOD’s sovereignty over human life. If a truly saved person does not practice lawlessness but bears fruit by keeping with repentance (Galatians 5:16; Ephesians 5:7-17; 1John 3:4-10; Matthew 7:16-20,24-25; Luke 6:43-44; John 13:17; 15:1-11; James 1:21-25), wouldn’t suicide be sinning willfully while cutting down the tree to ensure that no fruit would come from it? Suicide bears no fruit and destroys the tree. Dying daily to our flesh (Luke 9:23-24; Romans 6:11; 8:13; 1Corinthians 15:31; Galatians 2:20; 5:24) does not mean literally murdering your body. Anyone who knows the truth yet willfully walks away from the truth would be guilty. It is written in James 4:17 that “one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.”
Committing suicide is a willful rejection of the Holy Spirit. No one who has the Holy Spirit within them is able to make the claim that the Holy Spirit is telling them it’s acceptable to commit suicide. The very act of committing suicide as a “Christian” would be to either declare the Holy Spirit as evil (for telling you to commit suicide) or to rebel against the Holy Spirit (because He told you not to commit suicide). Either way, suicide is willfully sinning after knowing the truth. And true children of GOD do not reject the Holy Spirit in order to do what they know is wrong. Christians are called to endure until the end, not escape (Matthew 10:22; 24:13; Mark 13:13; John 6:27; 1Corinthians 4:12; 10:13; 13:7; 2Corinthians 1:6; 2Timothy 2:10-13; 2Timothy 4:5; Hebrews 12:3-17; 1Peter 2:19-20). It is also written in Philippians 2:3-5: “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus” (see also, Romans 15:1-3).
The bottom line is that we should not be willing to gamble with salvation or eternity. Even if forgiven, it does not mean that it’s right or acceptable (Romans 6; Hebrews 10:26-27; James 4:17). Life is a gift from GOD and your body is a Holy Temple (1Corinthians 6:19-20) that should be used for service to the Lord and others (Matthew 20:26-28; 23:11; 24:46; 28:18-20; Mark 9:35; 10:43-45; Luke 12:38,43; 22:26: John 12:26; Acts 26:16; Romans 1:9; 12:11; 14:18; 1Corinthians 4:1; 9:19; 2Corinthians 4:5; 6:4; 11:23; Galatians 5:13; 2Timothy 2:24; 1Peter 4:10). How is it possible to serve the Lord and others if you’re not here to do so?
To take a life — even your own — is to play the role of GOD. But GOD is the only One who should give and take away (1Samuel 2:6; Deuteronomy 32:39; Job 1:21). We are instructed to endure until the end and walk by faith (2Corinthians 5:7; Hebrews 11:6). By giving up and quitting early, do you believe you will hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21,23) or would you get told that you’re a “wicked and slothful servant” (Matthew 25:26) and get cast into the “outer darkness” (Matthew 25:30)? Is it possible for someone to have faith in Christ yet not have faith in His plan and to abandon the great commission (Matthew 28:19-20; Philippians 1:22-26)? Instead of taking our lives into our own hands, we should place our lives into GOD’s care and trust Him (Proverbs 3:5-8; Romans 14:7-8). If GOD brings you to it, GOD will bring you through it!
Conclusion:
An examination of Scripture reveals the Truth about suicide:
[1] Suicide is an option that some deeply troubled people will choose when facing seemingly hopeless circumstances. There may be perceived problems, but we need to be solution seekers. Suicide is murder and even our own lives are not ours to take.
[2] Suicide is a selfish choice and a tragic end to a human life.
[3] If we place our focus on the great commandment (Matthew 22:36-40; Mark 12:29-31) and the great commission (Matthew 28:19-20), we will know that suicide is not in alignment with GOD’s will because suicide is not in alignment with loving GOD and loving others (1Corinthians 13).
[4] Therefore, suicide is blatant rebellion against GOD’s will, it will never receive divine approval, and it is never justifiable. It is also written in 1Samuel 15:22-23 that “rebellion is as the sin of divination.”
Now, I freely confess that like Elijah in 1Kings 19:4, I have prayed for GOD to take my life and bring me Home. I confess that there have been many days I desired to depart from this world because I know I am not of this world (John 15:18-20; 17:14-19). But because there have been many days I desired to depart, there have also been many days I felt connected with the words of Paul in Philippians 1:21-30: “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose. But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith, so that your proud confidence in me may abound in Christ Jesus through my coming to you again. Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; in no way alarmed by your opponents—which is a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and that too, from God. For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, experiencing the same conflict which you saw in me, and now hear to be in me.”
Just like the Roman jailer of Acts 16:25-34, the answer is not suicide. In fact, the answer to being saved is to follow Christ and obey His commandments, enduring until the end. The Holy Spirit would never command anyone to commit suicide. Instead, Jesus tells us to take up our crosses and follow Him.
Quest For Truth 
12 thoughts on “What About Suicide?”