Founded by Bryant Wright, Right from the Heart is a
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Suicide - An Option?Dec 27 2007
"...choose life...by loving the Lord your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him..." - Deuteronomy 30:19-20
Through the years, we've heard in the news about Dr. Jack Kevorkian, the doctor of death (if that isn't an oxymoron) who chose to make assisted suicide his cause. His actions elicit strong emotions, because no one wants to see a loved one suffer, and no one desires to endure long-term pain and disability. But it really comes down to a question of faith.
Long ago, a man named Job suffered incredible loss--all his possessions and his children--and he had to endure an agonizing illness. If anyone had a right to end his life, it was Job. And yet, Job chose to put his trust in God. He asked, "Will I accept the good things God gives and refuse the bad?"
This is a question we should all consider. Is freedom from pain my right as a human being? Is life only worth living if everything is going my way? In the face of eternity, trusting a loving and sovereign God is really the best choice. Only God has the right to give and take life.
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5 Comments
Only God has the right to take a life? What about capital punishment? What about war? Self-defense? I'm not suggesting the statement is wrong, but perhaps it needs some qualifications.
- Erik
Is suicide a forgivable sin? - Lauren
God has the right to take a life. But at the same time people have the right to self defense. Every month or so there are jail and prison breaks. We don't seem to be able to keep the violent bad guys locked up. At almost every prison break citizens are hurt or killed. Find a way to keep them away from the innocents and I'll reconsider the death penalty. - Hal
We live in a society that constantly seeks to reduce the level of pain one may feel. Have a headache? Take aspirin or a substitute. Have a cavity to be filled? Get a shot of a numbing agent. Have a c-section birth as I did? Get a morphine drip for a few days. When the drugs are not effective and death appears to be the only relief from pain it is understandable some people would look to that as a last resort. But it is not God's way and it is not right to take a life under those circumstances. Perhaps He allows such pain to inspire scientists to come up with better pain medications or alternatives for relief. There is always a reason why God allows suffering. - Janice
Lauren- I'd like to give you an answer to your question. Actually two answers. The first is from the ghost of my former Bible-believin',
God-glorifyin', fundamentalist self: No, suicide is not an unforgivable sin. Catholic tradition is different, but in the Protestant faith one's actions do not make one either worthy or unworthy of forgiveness (and salvation). The traditional belief (taken from Romans 3:23) is that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." We can not be good enough for God, but neither can we be "bad" enough not to receive His grace.
Second answer (from me now): no, suicide is not an unforgivable sin, because there is no such thing as sin. But even if there were, then I can't imagine a God who would be so petty as to punish
in the next life someone who was driven to the extremity of suicide
in this one.
NB: you don't want to know what the Catholics think on this one, but it needn't trouble you. They have all manner of wacky beliefs.
- Erik