April 19, 2004
-
This has been on my mind for weeks. It’s wrecked a few worship services for me. It’s even gotten me misinterpreting things because of what’s on my mind. It’s powerful, and I think that’s why. The question is: why should it not be ok for Christians to kill themselves.
I know, this is quite near sacred ground, something you just don’t talk about. I think that’s why I had my ish in the first place: I’ve never heard anyone teach about this, not even mention it in passing. I mean, you get the occasional, “Suicide is the unforgivable sin,” but I don’t buy it. Why is it any different then other sin, especially if your motivation is wanting to be with God, primarily to worship Him. All right, well, before I get on to much of a tangent, here was my argument.
Everyone wants Christ to come back. We sing songs about it, we preach about it, we hold on to it as our last hope. This is the same as dieing. This is what happens when we die. Why don’t we pray for our deaths? Why not just bring it about? This is what was bothering me. If the return of Christ was strictly gain, then why not just kill yourself. I had no answer.
I then had to assume that it wasn’t good to be looking forward to the day of Christ’s return. In searching for a reason behind this, all I could come up with was weak. I said that we shouldn’t with for Christ to come back, because then unsaved people that live today will be going to hell. Ok, I knew this was bad as it came out of my mouth, but it’s al I had. I mean, clearly God has the sovereignty to know who would and would not accept him. No one will say, “if only I had more time.” It bothered me though. Every time I heard a worship song, or a message that involved Christ coming back, and our looking forward to that, it would floor me. It seemed like God was throwing in my face. He was making me deal with this. It kept coming up again and again.
It wasn’t until I was praying about it at fredomize tonight when I came to some realisation. Why are we here at all? I give him glory, to serve him, to spread the gospel. We’re not here to live, die, and go to heaven. It we were there would be no problem with skipping the first step. Check out Philippians 1.
20I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. 21For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; 24but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. 25Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, 26so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me.
Why does Paul not want to die? because God will be using him if he does not. It’s a matter of doing what God wants. In the end, this is almost an encouraging thought. If God had no plan for us, we’d be dead.
Comments (9)
i’m sorry.. i didn’t read through all this but this is one of my thoughts on it:
If all Christians killed themselves to be with God, who would be left on earth to further His Kingdom and be His disciples? I mean, who really wants to stay here on earth? If it were that easy… why would anyone bother to wait?
ha, I would have given you the same verse, We are certainly here to do God’s will, though at the same time we do have a desire to be in heaven, to be with God (the first greater that the second i hope). so i agree that’s why were are here, because God wishes to use us in his work.
I also never understood the whole “suicide: the unforgivalbe sin” … for if all our sins are forgiven at the moment of our salvation then we are already forgiven for it. but if we actually have to ask forgivenss for each of our sins to be forgiven, as some are in the habbit of thinking, then they would never be able to be forgiven for suicide… (and all those times they sinned and didn’t know to ask for forgiveness)… clearly i would sise this the firster (… the opposite of latter??).
But anyway it is encourageing to think that we are here because God has a purope for us… but i dunno if it’s biblically sound, well based on the evidence presented anyway. but perhaps. i don’t really know. For though it is possible that God has a specific purpose for every single thing that is here on earth… *sigh* but what i do know is that “God works all things to the good of those who love him.”
sorry i got distracted and lost my train of thought, if i catch it again i’ll finish that arguement.
read the whole thing, drea..
i agree with you completely, aron.. it’s something i have had to work out recently as well.. and that’s pretty much the same conclusion i have come to as well.. i really like your last sentence.. so true.
i think people look forward to X’s coming because things will be perfect.. no one will suffer anymore.. His kingdom will have triumphed and we will all live happily ever after. Most of that is due to poor eschatology (*grr*) but a lot has to do with selfishness, I think.. which just proves our fallen nature even more.
oh, and reading tim’s response just now makes me wanna add something.
i agree. suicide can’t be the unforgiveable sin. the unforgiveable sin is blasphemy against the holy spirit, which is what i think to be not accepting Him.. resisting His call to salvation. it’s unforgiveable, because, well, you end up in hell.
if suicide sends you to hell, then X’s sacrifice was useless. He died once for all.. for sin as a whole.. and the moment you take that sacrifice to pay for your sins is the moment every sin of yours, past, present, and future, are paid for. None of this asking for forgiveness after every sin.. that’d be like crucifying Him over and over again.. when once was sufficient enough.
Shannon commented:
If you are a Christian, your life is not yours to take. You’ve given it to Christ – died to yourself… You cannot take something that does not belong to you. You’ve been bought at a price. That’s what I’ve always seemed to think when I wondered on that subject…
Also… Aside from Biblically reasons, I personally just think that suicide is cowardly. The easy way out. Sure it is difficult and stuff… but really… you hurt SO many people much more than yourself, when instead, you should be learning to depend on Jesus – or what Todd spoke on yesterday – deal with despair… He never once said run away. Neither does God. You don’t just turn and run – you fight, you depend, you stand…
I agree with you guys. I’ve also herd it said that suicide will land you in hell because it is a rejection of God. It’s a sort of final denial. Hence why I added, “especially if your motivation is wanting to be with God.” There is nothing to say that suicide is a rejection of God (well, in a final “God, I hate you” sort of way). Suicide could easily have a reasonable motive. This certainly wouldn’t make it good, but it annuls the argument of rejection.
I think the idea of “suicide as the unforgiveable sin” is just silly. If every sin we make is going to land us in hell unless we ask for forgiveness afterwards, we’re forever teetering at the brink of heaven and hell. No, that is not the case. We are redeemed, forgiven, and being transformed!
One of the only sermons I remember from my old church dealt with a similar topic.
If we’re here giving God glory like we’re supposed to, that will bring about the kingdom and Christ’s return faster. That’s why to live is Christ…. we’re expediting the kingdom’s approach by giving God glory here and witnessing.
Perhaps not exactly on topic. I appreciate your willingness to delve into such topics.
i dont think there is sucha thing as teh unforgivable sin, firstly. thats why christ died is it not? but suicide is wrong. i saw that you failed to mentiont eh fact that it is not YOUR life that you are taking. if you’ve given yourself to Christ, then you are his, even to you. so why not realise that you cant take your life as it is not yours to take. God keeps you on earth for a reason, don’t mess with him! i dont know about you, but im pretty sure god is quite powerful and you dont want to piss him off. dont take him things, its like stealing from god. ive had the thoughts and thats what i came up with.
suicide is the highest form of narcissism in most circumstances. what a way to go out.
(i say most, because i believe there are definitely valid circumstances for it that have nothing to do with that at all)