Do you go to hell if you kill yourself? Will I go to hell if I commit suicide? This is one of the most interesting questions I was asked one morning in a Sunday school lesson. Will believers in Christ go to hell if they commit suicide? Keep reading to find your answers.
Suicide is becoming a major cause of death in the world. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide is the major cause of death in the United States, with 45,979 deaths in 2020. [1].
Why do people kill themselves?
People who commit suicide often have been struggling with serious problems, such as death of their loved ones, heartbreak, alcoholism and other forms of depression.
Do you go to hell if you kill yourself? The answer is Yes and No depending on who you ask. Some scholars believe that suicide is unforgivable sin, and anybody who commits such an abomination risks going to hell.
The truth is that, it is difficult to answer the question. We do not know whether a believer in Christ who kills himself will go to hell or not. The topic remains one of the most controversial topics in Christianity.
However, there are other possible answers to the question. According to the Holy Bible, killing an innocent soul itself is a sin.
Do not deny justice to a poor person when he appears in court. Do not make false accusations, and do not put an innocent person to death, for I will condemn anyone who does such an evil thing. (Exodus 23: 6-7 GNB)
There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that she'd innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathe out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers. (Proverbs 6: 16-19)
As we can see from the above verses, God detests shedding innocent blood. If God hates a hand that sheds blood according to the Bible, why would he loves a person who commits suicide? From your own judgement, would such a person be worthy to go to heaven?
A believer in Christ who kills an innocent person risks going to eternal condemnation. Most Christian theologians have agreed that, suicide is not the immortal sin as some have alleged. But it remains a serious sin in the eyes of the Lord.
Since killing yourself is a sin against God and yourself, it is unclear in the Scriptures what will happen to you.
Judas Case As a Scenario
Judas was one of the Lord's disciples who betrayed him for thirty pieces of silver according to the Bible. We read from the Scriptures that he later committed suicide after regretting for his actions.
Lenard Huebscher in one of his articles wrote:
"Judas may not go to heaven because he did not believe Jesus Christ is God in human flesh. He saw Jesus healed the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers etc, but did not still believe.
"According to the Bible Jesus Christ is God in human flesh. "In the beginning the word already existed, the word was with God, and the word was God. From the very beginning the word was with God. Through him God made all things; not one thing in creation was made without him (John 1:1-3 GNB)
As you can see, Lenard didn't mention anything about suicide. Lenard believes Judas inability to go to heaven was as a result of him not believing in the deity and saving power of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Let's take a look at what other scholars have to say about Judas' suicide:
Dr. Ray Pritchard, president of Keep Believing Ministry in one of his statements said,
"Judas did not go to hell because he committed suicide. Suicide is a sin, but it is not the reason Judas went to hell. Judas went to hell because he never truly committed himself to the Lord Jesus Christ. His betrayal proved that fact; his suicide merely sealed his fate [1]
Other scholars have rejected the idea that Judas is burning in hell. The reason, according to them, is that Judas cannot be held accountable for his sins because he was merely carrying out God's sovereign plan.
For instance, some Catholics believe that Judas is currently not in hell, but rather in purgatory, undergoing cleansing.
In conclusion, most theologians believe that Judas is burning in hell not because he committed suicide, but because he rejected God's saving grace which is found in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Final words on whether a person who kills himself will go to hell.
As I said earlier, we do not know the fate of a person who kills himself. The Bible is unclear on the subject. In my opinion, a Christian who kills himself is likely to go to heaven depending on his relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.
The moment a person believes in Christ, they move from death to life. No amount of sins they commit can damn them to hell (Romans 5: 1-11) . According to the Scriptures, what determines a person's fate is whether they trust in Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
Therefore, if you are reading this and you know someone who committed suicide, you do not need to worry much provided he was a true believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. However, if it's you thinking about such a terrible sin, I suggest you seek for help. Get someone to talk to about your challenges. You can call 1-800-273-8255 for assistance.
Suicide is a terrible sin against the Lord God of Heaven.
Killing yourself is almost equal to murder. People who murder can later repent of their sins and be forgiven. What about a person who commits suicide? Only the Lord God knows the answer.
Conclusion
Do you go to hell if you kill yourself? Yes, if you had a good relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. No, if you were never a believer in Christ. All that matters is your personal relationship with the Almighty.
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[1] Source