Q: Can Christians commit suicide?

A: Suicide is a horrible thing to have to endure. I can tell you that the Bible has little to say about suicide (we deal with it in Acts semester 2, actually, with the Philippian Jailer). In the ancient world suicide was considered an honorable death during times of war (e.g. King Saul), but dishonorable if a person had to submit to it because they had become shamed (e.g. Judas Iscariot). It is not precisely like murder, forbidden in the ten commandments but neither can one assume that it is ever acceptable for a Christian. Her are my simple thoughts on suicide:

1. Is it sin? Yes, clearly.

2. Is it unpardonable? No, the only unpardonable sin is blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. Unless one assumes that any unconfessed sin at the point of death is not pardoned, which is, in my estimation, a horrible assumption.

3. Under what conditions would a Christian want to commit suicide? None, that is, if we are talking about a Christian who has a right relationship with Jesus.

4. So would a Christian ever commit suicide? Well, perhaps if a person was insane (even temporarily) or had a chemical or biological imbalance due to stress, fatigue, addictions, etc., or if a person was undergoing persecution which broke his/her will to live.

There is much more that could and probably should be said, but this is what I am convinced of for sure.

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