Ridgell's Originals

This is a hard subject.  Christians and suicide.  I am certainly no mental health expert, but I do know about Jesus, sin, and forgiveness.  I do know Christians sometimes take their life and it is painful and heartbreaking.

So here are a few random thoughts.

Suicide is a sin.  Just like murder.  Or abortion.  Or adultery.  Or lying.  Or gossip.  The consequences are of course different for different sins.  And the consequences of suicide are certainly different.  

But how can a Christian possibly choose to take their own life?  Just like Christians choose to commit any sin.  You lose some focus on Jesus.  You don't talk to anyone in your community of faith about your struggle.  You listen to the lies of Satan.  You let your spiritual self esteem fall.  Then you make a rash decision.  The wrong decision.  

But I just don't understand it.  Me either.  There are lots of sins I don't struggle with, so I am not sure I understand them.  Just like lots of people don't understand some of the sins I struggle with.

But how can a Christian be forgiven for suicide?  They obviously cannot repent and do better.  There is an assumption in this question that I do not agree with.  I do not believe sins are only forgiven if you specifically repent and ask for forgiveness.  This is much like having a bad thought about someone right before a fatal car wreck.  Are you forgiven for that thought?  

I John 1:7-10 talks about walking in the light and being cleansed from your sins.  And it is a certainty that we sin.  But I have never believed sin is about a legalistic yo-yo Christianity.  Sin, lost, pray, be forgiven.  Repeat and just hope you don't die between the sin and the prayer.  We do live confessinal lives rooted in the certainly that God is faithful to forgive us.  So I believe as long as we are on the Jesus road that our sins are being forgiven as a continual process.  

Suicide is a sin committed in a time when you are weak.  Just like all sins.  And Christians sometimes lose their focus and sin.  All of us.  And we are forgiven by God's grace and mercy.   

How can we help prevent this?  The same way we help prevent all the sin in our lives.

Live in authentic community.  Be confessional with our struggles.  Help others.  Speak often of grace, mercy, and forgiveness.  Share our stories.

And just for clarity.  If Satan is planting the wrong thoughts in your head, tell someone.  That's why we do life together.  

And focus on Jesus.

# posted by Steve @ 5:00 AM