I want to start of by saying my heart aches for the loss of our neighbor, Diane, Her husband and step son are hurting and mourning the loss of one who, from what I know, was a very tender-hearted person.
I never got to know Diane, although she and her husband lived just a few doors down from us and attended the same church as we did (at one time). She rarely spoke as I passed her as we were both walking our dogs. Her husband always did. He is very friendly and outgoing. I guess her quietness should have given me a clue something was amiss.
My wife attended the memorial (I was at work) and she was informed that Diane "lost her battle with depression". I am sure that means that she decided she could not deal with the depression any longer and committed suicide. The program from church stated she was in God's hands now and this statement bothers me.
I have always understood that suicide is a sin. I know that sins can be forgiven if the forgiveness is asked with a sincere heart, but how does one ask for forgiveness for suicide? Now I have researched this and it seems that most theologians agree that even though it is a sin, the person who is a saved member of Christ's body will go to Heaven. While that is comforting, the logic behind it is also scary. If I am saved, live a "good" life, do all the things proper Christian's do and I kill someone, do I still go to Heaven?
Here is one site that supports Christian's who commit suicide will go to Heaven. Here is another, although this one is a bit more critical of it. Here is one that is very interesting in Christianity Today .
1 comment:
I agree with your qualms about the logic behind "if you're a saved Christian, you'll go to Heaven no matter what." Think about it: the lady that committed suicide--if she was a true Christian and truly trusted God, then she wouldn't have killed herself because suicide is the ultimate despair (giving up on your salvation and turning your back on God). The sad truth is: people that commit suicide are condemned because they gave up. However, we should not judge them and say they are in Hell. Before they died, we don 't know what went on between the person and God. Maybe they were sorry at the last second. Believe me, I know all about this because my uncle died from attempted suicide when I was a junior in high school, and I have been struggling with the emotional scars ever since (which made my junior year the worst year of my life...I hope your son you wrote about is having a better year than I had when I was 17!).
I enjoy reading your posts, even though I do not know you. You have many good, Christian things to say, which is very refreshing in today's secular world.
God Bless!
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