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Suicide is a devastating event which reveals deep pain and suffering experienced by the individual and causes deep trauma to everyone else connected to that person. The Christian response should be one of empathy and comfort, based on biblical principles.<\/p>\n
The Bible is clear that it is God who gives life. We should not take life and should do everything we can to protect life, especially for the weak and vulnerable.<\/p>\n
And [God] is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. <\/em>Acts 17:25<\/p>\n You shall not murder. <\/em>Exodus 20:13<\/p>\n Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked. <\/em>Psalm 82:3-4<\/p>\n This includes protecting your own life, as the Bible teaches us to treat our own bodies with respect.<\/p>\n Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. <\/em>1 Corinthians 6:19-20<\/p>\n The Bible records multiple examples of suicide.<\/p>\n Abimelek went to the tower and attacked it. But as he approached the entrance to the tower to set it on fire, a woman dropped an upper millstone on his head and cracked his skull. Hurriedly he called to his armor-bearer, \u201cDraw your sword and kill me, so that they can\u2019t say, \u2018A woman killed him.\u2019\u201d So his servant ran him through, and he died. <\/em>Judges 9:52-54<\/p>\n The fighting grew fierce around Saul, and when the archers overtook him, they wounded him critically. Saul said to his armor-bearer, \u201cDraw your sword and run me through, or these uncircumcised fellows will come and run me through and abuse me. But his armor-bearer was terrified and would not do it; so Saul took his own sword and fell on it. When the armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he too fell on his sword and died with him. <\/em>1 Samuel 31:3-5<\/p>\n When Ahithophel saw that his advice had not been followed, he saddled his donkey and set out for his house in his hometown. He put his house in order and then hanged himself. So he died and was buried in his father\u2019s tomb. <\/em>2 Samuel 17:23<\/p>\n When Zimri saw that the city was taken, he went into the citadel of the royal palace and set the palace on fire around him. So he died. <\/em>1 Kings 16:18<\/p>\n When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders. \u201cI have sinned,\u201d he said, \u201cfor I have betrayed innocent blood.\u201d \u201cWhat is that to us?\u201d they replied. \u201cThat\u2019s your responsibility.\u201d So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself. <\/em>Matthew 27:3-5<\/p>\n These situations are all portrayed as tragic events but the individuals are not directly condemned. After King Saul\u2019s suicide, David gathers his bones and gives him a respectful burial, rather than distancing himself from a shameful act (2 Samuel 21:13-14). The Bible does not describe suicide as an \u2018unforgivable sin\u2019. While clearly the result of sin, suicide is not beyond God\u2019s grace. Every Christian dies with some sin that has not been repented for. We are all relying on God\u2019s mercy and grace for forgiveness, not the quality of our repentance.<\/p>\n In the life of Elijah, we see God\u2019s prophet battling suicidal thoughts.<\/p>\n Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, while he himself went a day\u2019s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. \u201cI have had enough, Lord,\u201d he said. \u201cTake my life; I am no better than my ancestors.\u201d Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep. <\/em>1 Kings 19:3-5<\/p>\n God\u2019s response is to feed Elijah (1 Kings 19:6-9) and to gently speak to him in a still, small voice (1 Kings 19:12-13). This compassionate response should inform the way we relate to those struggling with suicidal thoughts, and the family and friends of someone who has committed suicide.<\/p>\n But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us. <\/em>2 Corinthians 7:6<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Suicide is a devastating event which reveals deep pain and suffering experienced by the individual and causes deep trauma to everyone else connected to that person. 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