I'm going through a pretty rough time right now, and I'm seriously considering taking my life.  My mental conditions have gotten too much for me... hence, my questions: what happens to you when you commit suicide?  Does God send you to Hell because you try for relief?  And part two: when I was a teen, I kinda lost it and cursed God’s name.  I know that was wrong, and I am very sorry.  Can I still be forgiven?  Or is that unforgivable?  Thank you for considering my question and for helping so many others.

Sincerely,
Without Hope

Dear Without Hope,

Suicide is murder.  Your question is akin to asking, “Would God send me to hell for murder?”  No matter the reasoning behind self-murder, it is still wrong.  No matter what your situation is – and we believe you when you say it is extremely rough right now – God is faithful, and He can see you through it (1 Cor 1:9).  There is always a way of escape available, even in the most difficult situation (1 Cor 10:13).  We may not always know how to move forward, but there is a way.  Jesus came to give us hope (Matt 12:21).  There is always hope as long as there is still breath in your body.

As far as your previous sin of cursing God, you can be forgiven.  The apostle Paul cursed God and blasphemed, and yet, God forgave him (1 Tim 1:13-15).  No sin is so great that you can’t start over.  We recommend you read “What Must I Do To Be Saved” and find a faithful congregation in your area to start a new life of hope with.  E-mail us at askyourpreacher@mvchurchofchrist.org, and we will happily help get you in contact with a sound, Biblical congregation in your area.

Does God punish people by making their loved ones sick because that person didn't want something to occur?

Sincerely,
Guilty Conscience

Dear Guilty Conscience,

We couldn’t say what God has or hasn’t done in a specific circumstance.  However, we can provide some general principles regarding life for you to consider.

1. We reap what we sow (Gal 6:7-8).  The choices we make have consequences in this life – and in the next.  What you do affects you and those around you that you come in contact with.  When you behave godly, certain things happen; when you behave sinfully, other things happen.  That is a universal principle of life.
2. God is always fair and just (Deu 32:4).  God doesn’t make bad decisions.  If (emphasis upon the ‘if’) God had a hand in causing someone you love to be sick… He has a reason.  God loves mankind and always seeks what is in our long-term best interests (Jhn 3:16).
3. Sometimes bad things simply happen because they happen.  Job suffered greatly and lost his children, but it wasn’t his fault.  Job hadn’t done anything wrong, nor had his kids.  It all happened because Satan wanted to do evil (Job 1:6).  As long as we live in this world of sin, there will be troubles.  Sometimes, there isn’t anyone at fault.
4. God causes all things to work together for good for those who love him (Rom 8:28).  No matter what has happened in the past, if we love God and turn to Him, He will make everything turn out for the positive.  We can’t tell you how, but in His great wisdom, He can turn even the worst of scenarios into a long-term benefit.

We here at AYP cannot imagine what heartache you must be going through if someone you dearly love is sick.  We wish you the very best during this trying time and will pray that all turns out well.

I am wondering if you could offer a biblical answer to the following confusion I have had over the topic of sin and whether it is forgotten by God as Heb 8:12 would indicate.  Or will we have to account for all of our life's sins on the Judgement Day and have them forgiven if we have obeyed God's Word?  I have heard entire sermons preached on how we will have to give an account for every word and action before God on the Day of Judgement.  I looked for the scripture to back this up, but I could not find it to reference in my question.  Thank you!

Sincerely,
Keeping A Tally

Dear Keeping A Tally,

We will all need to answer for the lives that we lead on this earth, but christians will not be judged for their sins; instead, they will be forgiven.  God says that everyone will give an account to Him for the life that they lead (Rom 14:12).  In fact, in the case of elders, they will give account for not only themselves, but also for the congregation they were to watch over (Heb 13:17).  The Scriptures teach that we will all face God on the Judgment Day (Heb 9:27).

However, christians will not be judged when they give account; they will be forgiven (Jhn 3:18, Lk 6:37).  For us, it will be a joyous day when we go home to our Father and are finally free of the burdens of this life.  Through Jesus, we can come to the Father without fear (Jhn 14:6).

If it is considered humane to “put down” a dog or a cat that is suffering, why isn’t it humane to “put down” a human that is suffering?

Sincerely,
PETA Progressive

Dear PETA Progressive,

Because people aren’t dogs.  Animals and humans may share some similarities between their physical bodies – but humans have eternal souls.  The key verse to understanding this topic is Eccl 3:21.  Human spirits are made in the image of God (Gen 1:26), unlike animals.  When people die, our souls go to God and await the judgment (Heb 9:27).  When animals die, they simply cease to exist.

The difference between humans and animals can only be appreciated through God’s Word.  Without the insight that the Bible gives us into the Creation, we would never know that there is a difference in value between a human and a cow.  Human life has inherent value because God says so.  Without God’s Word, we’d never know.

The Bible says that Jesus said, "No one gets to the Father except through me", which I have been taught means if you don't believe God is the Father and Jesus is His Son, you don't/won't go to heaven.

My question is: does this mean that three quarters of the world's population (non-christians, Jews, Mormons, the Dalai Lama, etc.) who don't believe that Jesus is the Son of God aren't going to heaven?  It doesn't seem to me that the God I believe in would let this happen.

Sincerely,
Sympathy For The Masses

Dear Sympathy For The Masses,

The verse you are referring to is Jhn 14:6.  Here is a great example of a fork in the road for christians.  Will we take the Bible at face value and accept what God says, or will we ignore certain verses in order to mold God into an image that is more suitable for us?  You are absolutely right; there is no mistaking the implications of Jhn 14:6.  All that do not follow Christ will not be saved.  In fact, there are other verses that re-emphasize this message.  Jesus said that the way to salvation was narrow, and the way to destruction was wide (Matt 7:13).  He also says that many people will erroneously claim to have served God and will be turned away on the Judgment Day (Matt 7:22-23).

These verses do exclude large swaths of mankind from heaven.  However, if we believe the Bible to be God’s infallible Word (and we here at AYP do – read “Who Wrote The Bible” to see why we are so convinced), then we must accept that the same loving God who would send His own Son to die for our sins has a very good reason for being so picky about who goes to heaven.  Remember, God doesn’t condemn people to hell; it is our sinful choices that does that (Rom 6:23).  Jehovah offers us salvation through His Son, even though we deserve death (Jhn 3:16).