I looked at a website of Holy Bible subjects about suicide/heaven and just got confused.  I know suicide is a sin.  My question is: if a person is saved and commits suicide, will they go to heaven?  My belief is being saved forgives our sins, but does suicide not let them into heaven?

Sincerely,
Not Sure

Dear Not Sure, 

People can lose their salvation. Heb 6:4-6 and Heb 10:26-27 outline that if someone rejects God’s Word (even after becoming a christian), they will go to hell just like any other unbeliever. And that is the key to the whole thing – is suicide an example of rejecting God’s Word and sinning willfully?

The Bible never specifically addresses suicide as being worse then another sin. Suicide certainly is condemned. Suicide is murder, self-murder, and is therefore very clearly a sin (Rev 21:8). The only difference between suicide and murdering someone else is that you don’t get a chance to repent after suicide. Suicide is a final decision and leaves no room for correction or for asking forgiveness. Therefore, in most cases, it would be fair to say that suicide will send you to hell. It is a willful act of disobedience against God without opportunity for repentance.

We here at AYP only hesitate to say, “All people who commit suicide go to hell,” because God never specifically makes that statement. The final judgment belongs to God (Heb 12:23), but we certainly wouldn’t want to face that judgment with our own blood on our hands.

     I am newly saved and born again, and I am tormented with constant intrusive thoughts, even blasphemous thoughts of the Holy Spirit.  I would never ever believe them, and I hate them, but I was telling my mother-in-law everything I was thinking about, and I am scared I made the unforgivable sin just by relaying the thought I had.  Please, help me.

Sincerely,
Thought Tortured

Dear Thought Tortured,

We often think that we have complete control over what we think, but that isn’t true.  For example, as you read the word “dog”, you can’t help but think of dogs.  The more we tell you not to think of dogs, the more you do!  What thoughts pop into our heads aren’t inherently sinful; they only become sinful when we embrace them (such as lust in our heart – Matt 5:28) or by acting upon them (such as outbursts of anger – Eph 4:26).

It is not a surprise that in your newborn Christian state you are struggling with evil thoughts.  The devil preys on us most when we are weak (1 Pet 5:8), and when we first become Christians, we are babies with a lot of growing to do and still very susceptible to falling away (1 Pet 2:2).  You haven’t committed the unforgivable sin.  It takes more than a few words to do that.  Read “Stop Thinking That!” for more details on what the sin against the Holy Spirit really is.

Hang in there; you are perfectly normal, and there isn’t anything you are doing wrong.  Find a faithful church (we can help you with that if you’d like!), keep plugging away at learning and applying the Scriptures, and you’ll do just fine (Rom 1:16, Jas 1:22).

Do we have our own spiritual power like the stuff that Shoalin monks practice, using spiritual energy they call ‘chi’ to block bullets or set stuff on fire or energy healing; is that stuff for real?  And is it okay to practice that stuff, like, even if we do not have our own power, we can still learn to use ourselves by putting spiritual body and mind beyond the norm to do things, right?

Sincerely,
Ready To Use The Force

Dear Ready To Use The Force,

We do not have our own spiritual power.  The only time people can do things miraculously is if God gives them the power (Jhn 3:2).  Feel free to practice martial arts, etc., but don’t think that by training your body, you will reach a point when you can break the laws of physics.

What if I knew someone who simply didn't care about their own life but didn't actively try to take it? For example: never wearing their seatbelt or something.

Sincerely,
Healthy Choices

Dear Healthy Choices,

God says that your body is a temple that ought to be used to glorify God (1 Cor 6:19-20).  The issue comes down to whether or not we care for our bodies – which are gifts from God. If someone woefully neglects their body (through gluttony, poisoning it by doing drugs or smoking, taking excessive risks of bodily injury, etc.), they are sinning. As we make decisions regarding our own health, we must be sure to avoid judging others in this area. A healthy body and lifestyle will look different for every person. All you can control is yourself. We must strive to live with a good conscience (Heb 13:18) and consider how to glorify God with our bodies.

How does the Bible view suicide?

Sincerely,
Morbid Matters

Dear Morbid Matters,

Suicide is murder, self-murder, and is therefore very clearly a sin (Rev 21:8).  The only difference between suicide and murdering someone else is that you don’t get a chance to repent after suicide.  Suicide is a final decision and leaves no room for correction or for asking forgiveness.  It is a willful act of disobedience against God without opportunity for repentance.  The final judgment belongs to God (Heb 12:23), but we certainly wouldn’t want to face that judgment with our own blood on our hands.