Growing up, I heard from many people (including some Christian leaders) that suicide was a sort of unpardonable sin. People who took their life ensured they would not be welcomed into heaven. It never made sense to me. I didn’t see that in the Bible. And while I understood that suicide was an awful thing, I didn’t see how it could make someone lose their salvation.
Recently, I was reading a book by Scott Sauls, Beautiful People Don’t Just Happen. In it, he describes the journey of a mother whose son took his own life. Sauls describes her belief “that her young son, a sweet and kind and loyal believer in Jesus who tragically succumbed to self-harm in a moment of weakness, will not be judged by the last thing that he did before he died. Instead, he will be judged by the last thing Jesus did before he died as he cried, ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.’”
I like that. As with any sin, ultimately, we believers are judged by Jesus’ sacrifice and sinlessness—not our own shortcomings. Thank God!
I’m glad to hear that Christians’ beliefs about suicide are changing. Read this report on the latest findings on the topic from Lifeway Research. And check out our resource on Preventing Suicide. These articles explain the attitudes and actions that are critical to providing effective care to people contemplating suicide.
