Suicide

[Benadam]

No. I don't believe the RCC or has authority over spiritual matters any more than any other denomination. We don't need a priest to forgive us JUST JESUS!

What about the baptism by fire, the HOLY SPIRIT? And what's that got to do with suicide?

If it were true "just Jesus" I don't see a reason He would give His Apostles that power. There is one Baptism. We are born of water and spirit. Be Baptized and repent and you will receive the Holy Spirit. May the Peace of Christ continue to reign in your heart dear brother.

 

[calibob]

I'd forgotten that passage about Peter. Jesus gave his rebuke by telling Satan to get behind him. Thank you for that reminder.
This leads me to a question if you will, and to anyone who may care to share their thoughts. Besides it being an amazing thing to actually be there and walk with the living Christ at the time, which is just my 21st century silly imagination thinking it can even come close to envisioning that, what are you thoughts on this question. How the apostles, walking with Christ, would be susceptible to Satan entering them? I mean, God is right there teaching them his ways and along comes Satan and actually gets inside them and leads them to do the wrong thing?

I think that the english translation is a little off. That Jesus wasn't specifically addressing Lucifer but rather in 21st century english it may have meant something like; "Thats stinkin' thinkin you foolish..."

English is the only language that I'm fluent in. maybe @dcontroversal can help.

 

[calibob]

The Lord also warned that demons or devils may return to reposes a person it or they were cast out of leaving the victim in worse condition than before.

 

[calibob]

NIV; Matthew 16:23 23Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns."

Sounds to me like Peter was being chastised according to context.

 

[Lion222]

What does the Bible say about suicide?

Sin is always in the why.
Ultimately all sin is what we do in unbelief.

 

[dcontroversal]

NIV; Matthew 16:23 23Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns."

Sounds to me like Peter was being chastised according to context.

Yeah....context determines that Satan was no in Peter per se, but rather, Peter's moronic statement was being rebuked by Jesus because it was something that the ADVERSARY would say.....

 

[soggykitten]

Only that much? not even minumum wage? for a ujob as vital as that how can they expect people to afford to do it?

God will provide?

 

[Duskey]

Ok a couple of examples.
Part of the myth about suicide being a ticket straight to hell was propogated by the RCC long ago because people in fear of losing their salvation, who lacked faith, understanding and didn't think they would measure up, `According to works and sacraments would commit suicide after recieving "Holy Communion". (a shortcut to heaven in order to avoid hell) a convoluted Inway they connected suicide to the traitor Judas Escariot (whom everybody hated) and declared it a mortal sin.


This demonstrates a lack of understanding about Communion.
For one that would be a ticket to hell not heaven.
Every Catholic knows that they shouldn't receive communion if they aren't in a state of Grace. If someone's last act is a mortal sin it doesn't matter if they received communion right before that because it changes nothing. They weren't in a state of Grace right before death. I don't know any Catholic who w ouldn't be horrified for anyone to do this.

convoluted Inway they connected suicide to the traitor Judas Escariot (whom everybody hated) and declared it a mortal sin.

This is just bizarre. Seemingly formulated on the false assumptions that the Catholic Church teaches that the Eucharist forgives sin and Judas Iscariot is a Saint.

Thank you for sharing your insight. It seems you would agree that God’s grace is sufficient, irrevocable and freely given by God to everyone who has faith in Christ, not the Catholic Church.

 

[calibob]

Only that much? not even minumum wage? for a ujob as vital as that how can they expect people to afford to do it?

It was 1982 - 84.

 

[soggykitten]

Whenever a spiritual door is opened Satan swoops through to thwart as much good as possible. Notice when Jesus said that to Peter it was right after the Father revealed Jesus as His Son. The Father shared Himself with Peter and Peter knew Jesus as the Son of the Father. Satan distorted the meaning of the revelation in Peter by tempting him to cling to the experience of Divine Fatherhood. That made Peter think it was not out of line for him to challenge Jesus's directive to go to Jerusalem and die. Satan is permitted to tempt God's Children as an exercise machine to make us strong and see what we are made of.

Doesn't that mean God lets Satan tempt us?
I thought Satan was an enemy of God?

 

[calibob]

Doesn't that mean God lets Satan tempt us?
I thought Satan was an enemy of God?

Have you read JOB?

 

[soggykitten]

Have you read JOB?

Yes. Which is why this enemy of God, the adversary, is all so confusing now. How is Satan all that if God lets him do things to us to test our metal?

 

[calibob]

Yes. Which is why this enemy of God, the adversary, is all so confusing now. How is Satan all that if God lets him do things to us to test our metal?

`I don't know either.

 

[AndyMaleh]

I thought God created Satan just like he created everything else. As such, Satan is under God’s control and is given free will due to God’s love just like God loves us. My understanding is that in this life, we are all being tested by God since we are not in heaven yet.

 

[hornetguy]

There is something a person is trying to find even when committing suicide. Happiness. The heartbreaking thing about that is happiness is a natural beacon the source of which is God.

I pretty much completely disagree with this statement. A person taking their own life is NOT seeking happiness.... they are trying to escape pain. It is a last, final act to relieve themselves of the pain of life. I believe anyone that takes their own life is mentally unstable at that point in their life. Our strongest "instinct" if you will, is the will to LIVE. To forego that is an example of mental breakdown.

I'm thankful we have a God that loves us, and wants us to draw near to Him... and who FORGIVES us when we are weak. I thank God that HE makes the decision what to forgive, and that it's not left up to humans like many here.

 

[hornetguy]

Yes. Which is why this enemy of God, the adversary, is all so confusing now. How is Satan all that if God lets him do things to us to test our metal?

God allows Satan to test our mettle because Satan walks the earth, where we live. God did not promise us a life with no temptations. Otherwise, everyone would be saved. There would be no choice we have to make, which would make us all God's little robots. We are living in a flawed world, and we are free to be tempted by Satan..... just as Jesus himself was. Satan was testing HIS mettle, as well.

 

[Benadam]

Doesn't that mean God lets Satan tempt us?
I thought Satan was an enemy of God?

Satan's hatred is aimed at God. Made in God's image makes us a target along with his evil desire to thwart God's plan.
The Sacrifice on the cross defeated Satan. Satan has been judged. Christ handed over to His disciples power over satan. Paul could with a word cast out demons yet he himself had one tormenting. A messenger of Satan to keep him humble. Don't be confused. People can still hand themselves over to Satan and be helplessly trapped. Satan tempts us all but is subject to Jesus and all of us who love Jesus can call on Him if we are troubled by the fallen spirits. As we conform ourselves to Jesus the hatred demons have for Jesus is increasingly directed at us. As we grow in Christ demonic activity may become a tool to discipline us as it did with Paul.

 

[Benadam]

I pretty much completely disagree with this statement. A person taking their own life is NOT seeking happiness.... they are trying to escape pain. It is a last, final act to relieve themselves of the pain of life. I believe anyone that takes their own life is mentally unstable at that point in their life. Our strongest "instinct" if you will, is the will to LIVE. To forego that is an example of mental breakdown.

I'm thankful we have a God that loves us, and wants us to draw near to Him... and who FORGIVES us when we are weak. I thank God that HE makes the decision what to forgive, and that it's not left up to humans like many here.

He did give His Apostles the power to forgive or not to forgive. He left it to their own judgement. About Happiness, not to be confused with joy.
Seeking relief from pain is seeking happiness. A drug addict is relieving pain. The addict is happy to take them, at least until they begin to destroy.
When you have an itch that is unreachable nothing else can make you happy until it is scratched. When we have to go to the bathroom really bad and barely make It, well I think that is a happy state. I think in this fallen world relief from the pain and suffering of it makes us happy. Like a Hawaiian vacation is an escape from suffering.

 

[CS1]

Some believe that suicide is the same as murder, since one is murdering their own self. When someone takes their own life, they are rejecting our Lord's gift of life. The Roman Catholic Church believes if a Christian takes his or her life, it is unpardoned, therefore they are not saved. Other Church denominations have followed suit with this belief. What does the Bible say about suicide? There is not many that the Bible lists that took their own life. Most of them were the result of a prolonged life of depression and disobedience to God's word. Though there are times when believers may have to give their lives for Jesus, but voluntary martyrdom is not usually considered suicide. Here are a few people in the Bible that took their own lives, whether they were saved or not, that is God's judgement.

Abimelech He was a son of Gideon and became king of Shechem. He commanded by force, murdered all who opposed him, and was a leader in such a way that questions his allegiance to God.

Saul There is much debate on whether Saul was saved. Scripture tells us of Saul that, "the spirit of the Lord will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man." Sounds like a born again Christian. Also scripture tells us that, "God gave him another heart," or changed him. Saul was also God's choice to lead Israel.

Ahithophel He was one of king David's most trusted advisors, but also betrayed the king. Scholars debate if he was a man of God.

Zimri He burned a palace down with him inside it. Scripture says he, "sinned in doing evil in the sight of the Lord.....which he did to make Israel sin." Most agree, he was not a man of God.

Judas Ischariot He was one of the original 12 disciples of Jesus, and of course betrayed Jesus. Here is what Jesus said of him, "woe unto that man by whom the son of man is betrayed! It had been good for that man if he had not been born." Pretty harsh words coming from our Savior. Judas was with Jesus for 3 years and was given ample opportunity for salvation and repentance. Some claim that by Judas giving the money back to the pharisees was an act of repentance. ***Interesting to note that Judas was given power and authority over demons, to proclaim the word of God, and to heal and perform miracles by Jesus. But did he have saving faith?

Samson "O Lord God remember me I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes." Its obvious that Samson believed in our Heavenly Father, though he lived in sin. The fact that Samson asked God to end his life, is quite different than someone taking their own life without communicating it to our Heavenly Father. Samson killed more people when he died than when he lived.

this is a subject that can be hurtful to some. lets keep that in mind ok . Yes suicide is a sin however, we do not know the final condition before one does do such a thing not all over us have be there when one has done such a thing.

Therefore absolute knowing of the eternal condition is not known we must leave that with God. Secondly they're are those who have been given or prescribe mind altering drugs that have had side effects which cause one to take their life. many are being sued today because of that.

Also mental health issue that have contributed to this. There are thing the Bible is silent on and we can't fully know nor will we possibly ever know.

 

[hornetguy]

He did give His Apostles the power to forgive or not to forgive. He left it to their own judgement. About Happiness, not to be confused with joy.
Seeking relief from pain is seeking happiness. A drug addict is relieving pain. The addict is happy to take them, at least until they begin to destroy.
When you have an itch that is unreachable nothing else can make you happy until it is scratched. When we have to go to the bathroom really bad and barely make It, well I think that is a happy state. I think in this fallen world relief from the pain and suffering of it makes us happy. Like a Hawaiian vacation is an escape from suffering.

You can spin it however you wish.... people who are intent on ending their lives are NOT seeking happiness. It is not a situation of "I'm going to do this because it will make me happy".... it is "I'm going to do this to end my suffering".

and... last time I checked, none of the apostles are still living.