What About Christians Who Commit Suicide? Do They Go To Heaven?

Whenever someone sends me a question about suicide, they are usually asking this because they had Christian friend or family member who ended their life.  However, I’m always mindful that someone who’s thinking about ending their life might be reading this and would misunderstand my answer to these questions.  Let me be clear: Suicide is never God’s will and is not the way to escape your problems.  There is a better way.  God has another way for you.  He always makes another way.  Wait for Him and seek the help you need.

I was a Paramedic for twenty years, I have personally been to several suicides in my life.  In over thirty years of preaching the Gospel, I have known several Christians who have committed suicide.  I had a close family member who was a professing believer to take his life.  A few years ago, in my neighborhood a young Christian teenager took their life.  What do you say to the parents of a Christian teenager who has just killed himself or to the wife of a Christian husband who took his own life?  I faced this situation years ago and, it’s not easy.  Death at any time is hard to handle, but death from suicide leaves loved ones bewildered and confused because it’s so senseless.

Suicide by a Christian is one of those subjects that most people just don’t talk about.  Ask the average person, “What happens to Christians who commit suicide?” and you’ll get some confusing answers.  The church I grew up in taught that any person who committed suicide went to hell because they never repented for the sin of murder.  However, when a believer in our church committed suicide, they preached at his funeral that he was in Heaven with the Lord.  How could this be?  Isn’t it interesting how people adjust their theology to suit their situation.  There are Christians who say they don’t believe in the forgiveness of “future sins”, yet they say the Christian who committed suicide is forgiven and with the Lord.  That means that we have received, not will receive, the forgiveness of sins (Eph. 1:7) which includes all sin, even the sin of suicide.

The question is not about, “What happens to Christians who commit suicide”, but the real question is, can a person who has been forgiven of their sin, who has been received by God through the mercy and the merits of Jesus … can that person do something to be unforgiven?  Can they somehow lose their standing before God?  So, the real question is, “Can we lose our salvation?”  The answer to that is NO.  Can a Christian, one who’s been born again by the mercy of God, commit suicide and go to Heaven?  The answer is YES because our standing before God is not based on how well we perform.  It isn’t based upon our own obedience, but the obedience of Jesus.  Our salvation isn’t based on our righteousness but Jesus’ righteousness.

Every Christian who believes they can lose their salvation have always given a reason that involves them. What if I commit suicide?  What if I stop believing?  What if I do this or that?  Religion always places man and his performance at the center of the equation.  But you’re not at the center, you’re not even in the covenant making process, yes, you benefit from it, but it’s not based on you and your performance.   It’s not on our faithfulness to the covenant, it’s HIS faithfulness.  God in establishing the New Covenant accomplished the unthinkable, He placed Jesus at the center and not us.

Hebrews 6:18-20 (NKJV)

18 that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us.  19 his hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, 20 where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.  

This new covenant is really New.  Our performance is not the basis of it.  We’re not the one exchanging vows this time with God.  God found fault with the people’s inability to be faithful in the first covenant.  So God swore to Himself, the two unchangeable things is God.

Now, some people would suggest that a person who really is born again, who has experienced God’s grace, who really has faith, that person wouldn’t commit suicide.  What some people don’t realize is that just like you can become sick in your lungs, stomach, or heart, you can also become sick in your brain or mind.  So, a Christian who unfortunately, in the midst of mental sickness, confusion or despair who loses their way, they may commit suicide, but if they know Christ … they’re received by their Heavenly Father.

On the cross Jesus carried the sins of the world and now you are completely and eternally forgiven.  But what about repentance?  Don’t we have to repent in order to receive forgiveness?  Isn’t this the stumbling block for those who kill themselves – that they never had a chance to repent?  No.  We are not forgiven on the basis of anything we do or don’t do.  We are forgiven because of what Jesus has done:

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace. (Eph 1:7)

Notice it says we have forgiveness of sins, not “will have if we repent” and notice that our forgiveness of sins in not according to our repenting, but according to God’s grace!  In God’s eyes you are forgiven whether you repent or don’t repent.  To say, you must repent to be forgiven, is to cheapen the riches of His grace.  The blood of Jesus paid for the sins of the whole world – including the unrepentant and suicidal (1 Jn 2:2).  This isn’t to say that the whole world is saved, for we all need to respond and receive the grace of God by faith (Eph 2:8).  Everyone is forgiven but not everyone has received the gift of His forgiveness.  But we are talking here about people who are saved when they die.  Can a Christian nullify God’s forgiveness by committing suicide?  No – it’s impossible.  God’s gifts are irrevocable.

In Luke 5:20, Jesus said this to a paralyzed man: “Man-Your sins are forgiven you”.   Notice, the man had not repented, he had not confessed his sins, he had not even asked for forgiveness, yet Jesus said his sins were already forgiven.  The scribes and Pharisees got upset about this, and they still get upset about this today.  Whether you like it or not, whether you believe it or not, John said, “Behold the Lamb that takes away the sin of the world”! (John 1:29).  If we would just receive that all our sins have been forgiven, this revelation would affect every area of our life!  The revelation that your sins have been forgiven will cause many that are paralyzed by fear to leave their bed of religion and walk with confidence and faith in their Father’s grace.

For someone to say, “we don’t know what happens to Christians who commit suicide” just reveals an ignorance of God’s Word.  We do know what happens.  They go to be with Jesus (Jn 3:16).  Look closely at this promise of Jesus and see if you can find any conditions on “everlasting life”.  There are none!  The way in which you leave this earth has absolutely no bearing on His promise of everlasting life.  Whether you die in a car accident, from an over-dose, or die in your sleep, Jesus said, He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies.