The issue of suicide is a difficult one for Christians. On one hand, suicide goes against God’s commandment “Thou shalt not murder” (Exodus 20:13). On the other hand, many Christians who commit suicide are struggling with mental health issues like depression and feel they have no other way out. So what does the Bible say about Christians who take their own life? Can they still go to heaven? Let’s take a thorough look at what Scripture says.
1. Life and Death Belong to God
First, we need to recognize that life and death belong to God alone. Our lives are not our own to take (Ezekiel 18:4). Only God has the right over life and death, as He alone is the author and giver of life (1 Samuel 2:6). We are merely stewards of the life that God has entrusted to us.
Therefore, suicide is problematic because it presumes sovereignty over life that belongs only to God. As John Piper puts it, “We don’t know when the thief is coming in the night. God decides that. Beware of presuming to take your appointed place.” Suicide takes a decision out of God’s hands that is not ours to make.
2. Our Bodies Are Temples of the Holy Spirit
The Bible calls our physical bodies “temples of the Holy Spirit” (1 Corinthians 6:19). Just as the Old Testament temple was set apart and belonged to God, so our bodies are set apart for God’s purposes and indwelling. We are caretakers of our bodies, not owners. Suicide damages something that God purchased at great cost.
This affirms the sacredness and dignity of the body. It is not something to harm or destroy at will. As John Piper says, “Your body is not your own. God bought it.” Suicide wrongly asserts human autonomy over a temple that belongs to God.
3. Suicide Causes Deep Wounds for Others
Suicide also causes deep, far-reaching wounds for family and community. It leaves behind grieving family members plagued by guilt, anger and unanswered questions. The Bible warns strongly against causing others to stumble (Matthew 18:6). While suicide intends to end pain, it often just transfers that pain to loved ones left behind.
Some even turn away from God afterwards, feeling abandoned or thinking their loved one is eternally lost. But we are called to consider others above ourselves (Philippians 2:4). For the sake of others, suicide should give us pause. Our lives are not fully our own.
4. We Are Called to Hope
A Christian should always have hope, both for this life and the next. Suicide directly contradicts Biblical hope that trusts God’s sovereignty and goodness even in our darkest moments. Scripture repeatedly affirms God’s faithfulness and urges us to persevere and press on (Romans 5:2-5, James 1:2-4).
Paul specifically encourages Christians not to “grieve like the rest who have no hope” (1 Thessalonians 4:13). Our hope is rooted in Christ’s resurrection and return. Suicide leaves no room for this persevering hope that Christ will see us through.
5. God Can Redeem Any Circumstance
No situation we face is beyond God’s ability to redeem, including mental illness. Even when we see no light at the end of the tunnel, God is able to turn ashes to beauty (Isaiah 61:1-3). He specializes in bringing life out of death.
In fact, the Bible regularly portrays God rescuing seemingly hopeless situations caused by human sin and error. When we take our lives, we act as if the situation is beyond God’s capacity to redeem. Suicide leaves no room for God’s restorative grace.
6. We Are Called to Imitate Christ
As Christians, we are called to follow Jesus’ example – especially amidst suffering. Jesus himself faced gruesome torture and a painful, unjust death on the cross. Yet Scripture says he endured this due to the “joy set before him” (Hebrews 12:2). His love for us empowered perseverance.
When we want to end our lives to escape pain, we are acting in opposition to Christ’s pattern of endurance even in agony. His suffering had purpose according to God’s plan. Our lives do as well. Suicide departs from the Christlike path of submission in suffering.
7. Our Lives Are Not Our Own
Because God is the giver of life, our lives are not ultimately our own (1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Romans 14:7-9). We do not have absolute autonomy over our bodies and choices. Our lives belong to God and ought to honor Him. We are not free to do with them whatever we want.
Suicide wrongly operates out of a paradigm of human autonomy and self-determination. But Scripture commands us to live or die in submission to our Master in heaven, following his will rather than our own (Romans 14:7-8). Our lives are gifts on loan, not personal possessions.
8. Suicide Impacts Our Witness
For better or worse, suicide leaves a lasting impression on those who observe a Christian’s life. While suicide certainly does not invalidate faith itself, it leaves unnecessary stumbling blocks to belief in Christ. It raises questions regarding the hope, comfort, purpose, and power of the Gospel.
Conversely, when Christians demonstrate Christ’s love in suffering, it makes the Gospel attractive and real (Matthew 5:16). As one pastor said, in suicide “an opportunity to die well is lost.” Suicide cuts short our Gospel witness when godly responses to suffering may have powerfully advanced it.
9. Every Suicide Is a Tragedy
Given all the above, suicide is always regrettable. The factors above make suicide an unfortunate choice displeasing to God. While there may be mitigating circumstances like mental illness, every suicide remains a tragedy.
First, it leaves survivors wishing they could have helped or intervened. Second, it deprives a person of potential decades of purpose, ministry, and transformation. Third, it violates biblical principles for life and death that honor God. Suicide leaves God’s purposes unfinished.
10. We Cannot Fully Understand Someone’s Situation
Despite the above concerns, only God fully understands a person’s heart, motivations, and situation in suicide. We cannot know the depths of someone’s pain, or how mental illness or trauma may have impaired thinking. Only God sees fully.
Therefore, we must refrain from judging salvation based on an act alone (Matthew 7:1-5). Salvation depends on one’s relationship to Christ. And while suicide has grave implications, only God can weigh all factors involved. Therefore, we entrust suicide victims to a merciful God.
11. Salvation Cannot Be Lost
Most importantly, while suicide is deeply troubling, no sin can cause a Christian to lose their salvation. Jesus assured that “no one can snatch them out of my hand” (John 10:28-29). Salvation rests securely in Christ for all who believe.
Our deeds cannot jeopardize our status in Christ, since we are “saved by grace through faith” (Ephesians 2:8-9). Suicide, like any sin, cannot undo what God has done. The Bible repeatedly separates salvation from human works like circumcision (Galatians 5:2-6) and even murder (2 Samuel 11; 12:13).
Thus, while tragic, suicide in isolation cannot jeopardize salvation. Only unbelief forfeits salvation, not particular acts. A Christian who commits suicide remains securely in God’s hand.
12. We Entrust Them to God’s Mercy
Because only God sees the heart, and He judges mercifully, we can entrust suicide victims to Him. While we cannot make definitive pronouncements, we can pray that they did not fully understand the implications of their actions. Mental illness or extreme circumstances may have diminished their responsibility.
God always judges fairly with perfect wisdom. He understands the factors influencing decisions in a way we cannot. Therefore, we avoid claims about someone’s standing with God after suicide. Instead we entrust them humbly to divine mercy, care, and justice.
13. Focus on Preventing Suicide
Rather than debating salvation after suicide, our energy is better spent preventing suicide in the first place. This honors God’s purposes for life and minimizes harm to others. Suicide prevention includes:
- Cultivating churches where people feel loved, valued, and cared for
- Talking openly about mental health struggles
- Training church leaders to recognize signs of depression and suicidal intent
- Providing mental health resources and counseling access
- Practicing love, support, and understanding to those contemplating suicide
Proactive suicide prevention embodies the biblical value of life. It offers real hope, care, and help to those struggling deeply. This should be our focus.
14. We Can Trust God’s Justice and Mercy
Ultimately, after taking appropriate prevention measures, we can only entrust those lost to suicide to God. His justice is perfect and merciful. He knows the deepest realities of every heart and story. In humility, we must trust Him without judgment or presumption.
While finding suicide tragic, only God sees the full picture. We cannot make definitive statements about someone’s salvation. Our hope rests in a God with limitless mercy and complete understanding. To this God we commend all who have departed in such a tragic fashion.