Can a Christian Commit Suicide?
I never will forget being called by the state police to meet them at the scene where the suicide by hanging had occurred. The man did not profess to be a Christian and seldom attended church. His wife and two daughters (ages 11 and 13) were professing believers. The police requested I go with them to break the news to the family. They were unaware that Dad had been found in a barn after tying a rope to his neck and jumping from a hayloft. What could I possibly say to them? How would I ever be able to wisely answer the questions that might arise? Out of this experience I began to consider the issue of suicide from a biblical perspective. It was no longer an academic discussion to be debated around the kitchen table; rather, it was a serious topic which effected precious lives.
Definition of Suicide
In any discussion of suicide the logical starting point is a definition of the term. The dictionary defines suicide as, "the act or an instance of taking one’s own life voluntarily and intentionally especially by a person of years of discretion and of sound mind." According to this definition a bona fide suicide must be a voluntary and intentional act committed by a person who is rational. I would add one other element - motivation. For example, a soldier may give his life voluntarily and intentionally for his country and not be guilty of suicide. We must consider motivation. In the case of a courageous soldier his act is worthy of a medal. If that same soldier places himself in harm’s way because of a letter received from his wife informing him of an impending divorce, his death could accurately be described as suicide. The difference is his heart motivation.
I define suicide as, "the act of voluntarily and intentionally taking one’s own life for the express purpose of escaping any or all of life’s circumstances.” Under this definition there are four completed suicides in the Bible: Saul (1 Samuel 31), Ahithophel (2 Samuel 17), Zimri (1 Kings 16), Judas (Matthew 27). In each case the victim took his own life to escape his particular adverse situation. None of these men were willing to face the consequences of their behavior. Death seemed far more pleasurable than what awaited them in life.
The Ultimate Way of Escape
Once suicide is seen as "that ultimate way of escape", the sinfulness of the act becomes apparent. Suicide is the last great rebellion against God. It is the final argument against God’s providential dealings in a person’s life. In essence, self-destruction is a declaration against the Lordship of God. Proverbs 16:33 declares, "The lot is cast into the lap; the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord." The sinful heart cries out, "I will not tolerate this rule!" The loudest cry is the act of suicide. We must always remember that sin is a heart attitude which is antagonistic toward God’s Providence. The antagonism takes on many forms. The sinner says, "I will be my own boss. No one shall rule me." When he senses a loss of control, suicide becomes that last act of control. He may not be able to master his environment, but, he can make one final decision which displays self-reign.
For example, suppose a father determines his family would be better off without him. He does not earn a salary sufficient to send his children to college. His wife struggles to maintain the household under the restrictions of his income. The financial pressure effects the way each family member relates to the other. The father says to himself, "It’s my fault. If my wife had married someone more capable neither she nor the kids would be suffering. I have $1,000,000 in life insurance. The best thing I can do is step out of their lives. I’m going to kill myself so they can at least have the insurance." Is this an act of sacrificial love? He certainly loves his family. But, the gut issue is not his love for his family; it is his dissatisfaction with life’s circumstances. He is saying, "My problems are out of my control. I don’t see any solution. In order to have some management over my life and its affairs, I shall end it." The father in this example is unwilling to accept the fact his children may not be able to go to college. He faces severe heartache when he sees the struggle his family endures. These realities are unacceptable, so, in desperation he regains control by his suicide decision.
What should be his proper response? In Acts 17:22-31 the Apostle Paul spoke to philosophers who were non-Christians. After proclaiming God as the Creator and Sovereign of the earth, he confronted them with God’s demand, "... but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent." "Repent" means to turn from rebellion and bow before the Lord of heaven and earth. In other words, the proper response to God is submission. The father in our example has no right to argue with God’s workings in his life. His obligation is to submit to his Creator.
What is true for this father is true for every Christian. Suicide is a sin of rebellion. It is a shaking the fist in God’s face, an unwillingness to submit to His demands. Someone might say, "What about the sixth Commandment? Isn’t suicide a form of murder?" Suicide is self-murder, but, this is secondary to the primary evil of rebellion against God’s Providence. Suicide arbitrarily ignores the Person and Work of God. It is a direct assault upon His authority.
Can a Christian Commit Suicide?
Although the Bible gives no record of a Christian’s suicide, there is sufficient scriptural material to suggest Christians can commit such a sin. We have examples in the Bible of children of God committing heinous transgressions. For example, David was guilty of both murder and adultery. The Apostle Peter openly denied his Lord at the time of the crucifixion. Both examples demonstrate that Christians are capable of the worst kinds of sins. We can conclude that suicide would not be excluded from the sins Christians commit.
One objection raised is, "There is a difference between suicide and the sins of David and Peter. Both men lived on to repent of their respective sins. However, there is no time for repentance in a completed suicide. Therefore, how can this sin be forgiven?" This objection is best answered by remembering the basic truths of redemption. The Bible tells us Christ died for the sins of His people, "Who His Own Self bear our sins in His Own Body on the tree... by whose strips ye are healed" (1 Peter 2:24). The reason Christians do not suffer eternal judgment for their sin is because their Lord suffered for them. Every sin the believer has committed, is committing or will commit, has been judged in Christ. The believer’s eternal destiny does not rest upon unconfessed sin; it rests upon the finished work of Christ. Therefore, even suicide is covered under our Lord’s Atonement.
It must also be remembered that no Christian dies in sinless perfection. All children of God go to the grave as miserable sinners saved by the grace of God. If one believer dies guilty of unconfessed bitterness, how is he different from the believer who dies in rebellion through suicide? The blessed hope for every believer is his trust in a victorious Savior. There would be no hope if the Christian’s fate hinged upon his purity of life.
The Remedy to Suicide
The solution to suicide is not a better self-concept. It is not immediate relief from the depressions of life. The remedy to suicide is submission to God. The person with suicidal tendencies needs to be directed to his Lord. He needs to see that God has not dealt unfairly with him. In fact, his very life is an undeserved blessing from God. In God’s tender mercies He allows life to continue. Life is God’s gift to us. The circumstances of life come from a loving Heavenly Father Who knows exactly what we need to prepare us for eternity. Even the heartaches come from His infinitely wise and loving hand. Our duty and privilege is to bow before Him with a thankful heart for the gracious ways He directs us. He knows what is best for us. May we be found submitting to His tender Providence.
