What Happens to a Christian Who Commits Suicide?
Ron Davis | XP Cramerton Church | Founder - CORE Apologetics
In wake of the recent death by suicide of Jarrid Wilson, we have been asked this question many times within the last 72 hours. Understanding this is something many believers are processing right now, we have decided to provide a public response to this important question.
I would like to first offer my deepest condolences to the family of Jarrid Wilson, his close friends, and the many people he ministered to at his church. He was not only a pastor but an advocate for mental health. According to the memoriam written by Greg Laurie, Jarrid repeatedly dealt with depression and especially wanted to reach out to those who were dealing with suicidal thoughts. He was a warrior of the faith fighting a battle that was deeply profound and real in his own mind. I believe he had great courage in this fight, and we applaud his life, ministry and openness about a very difficult issue we face in our world today. Our attempt to answer this question is, by no means, meant to undermine the life or death of Jarrid Wilson. It is only meant to bring perspective and maybe, just maybe, a sliver of hope for those who are hurting and the people who interact with those facing a similar battle.
Before I answer this question, “What happens to a Christian who commits suicide?”, I would like to point out a few church culture assumptions that have made the subject of anxiety, depression and suicide a more difficult topic to engage.
We have made this issue too simple by relegating it to a “spiritual problem.” What do I mean by this? We have taken the position that anxiety is “easily overcome” through a more vigorous engagement of Scripture and prayer. For those of us who have battled anxiety and depression, we know this is not always the answer…and many times it is the absolute worse thing that can be said. Why? It makes us feel more isolated and inadequate. It makes us afraid to ask for help because we fear rejection and judgment. This is not a simple issue, and it will require help beyond what most pastors are trained and equipped to handle.
We are too quick to judge those dealing with these issues (or any issues for this matter). Many of the people we have counseled though religious doubt have been too afraid, many times for years, to reach out because of the judgmentalism they receive from people in the church. This is especially true of those in leadership. We need to create an environment in our churches where grace lives and judgmentalism dies. People who connect with our church on any level should know that it is okay to be broken, to struggle with sin, and to need help.
We make therapy, medication and counseling seem “last resort” and/or something to be avoided all together. Mental health issues are a significant and real problem that needs to be addressed on any level that is helpful to the one who is dealing with it. As a the church, we need to embrace treatment that is helpful and not force our opinions upon those who are trained to deal with deep issues of this nature. While it may be true that some of these issues can be remedied through biblical cognitive therapy (caused by more of an emotional and/or sin issue), mental health issues require an approach that is beyond the training of the majority of those in pastoral ministry. We need to not only be okay with this as church leaders, we need to promote and encourage proper treatment.
Dealing with sin and the struggles of life is abnormal for followers of Christ. This is the furtherest thing from the truth. As followers of Christ, we are to consider ourselves “dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus” (Romans 6:11), but we are also commanded to not let “sin reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions” (6:12). In other words, it is normal for us to deal with sin and difficulties of life. Understanding this is so important, because we want to have a church environment where it is perfectly acceptable to not be perfect. We are all growing in grace, and it is not our job to tell everyone what to do but to love them, accept them, speak the truth, and let God, through the power of the Holy Spirit, lead and guide them. I think he is much better at this than we could ever be.
The idea that it is possible for a believer to go to hell because they commit suicide brings great confusion to the body of Christ and is detrimental to those needing love, guidance, and proper treatment. There is not a single biblical concept, or passage of Scripture, that allows for this to be true in any way. As church leaders, we need to be clear on this and not shy away from speaking the truth in this area. I am going to address the biblical perspective below.
The answer to this very specific question, “What happens to a Christian who commits suicide?” is: the same thing that happens to any Christian who dies — they are in the presence of our Savior. Here is the biblical perspective on why this is true.
Ephesians 1:4 makes it clear that those who are in Christ are “holy and blameless” before the Lord. If by the term Christian, you mean someone who is “in Christ,” i.e., has experienced salvation by grace through faith, the quick answer to your question is, “yes.” Those who know God through Christ, in a redemptive relationship, have been declared righteous before the Lord. In other words, their position has changed. They are no longer dead in trespasses and sins but alive unto Christ and have “abundant life” made available to them by Christ (he came to give life and more abundantly - John 10:10).
As a believer, Paul warns us of abusing the grace of God (Romans 6:1-23). The grace of God will abound, but we should not let this be! We have died to sin and should not live in it anymore (6:2). He also states that there are “death wages” and “life wages” for the believer (we incorrectly apply 6:23 to the lost - it is clearly written to believers - see this blog on our website). In other words, Christians can live really wicked lives, and in doing so abuse the grace of God. Our position in Christ requires the grace of God to abound, but we, in this life, will reap either death wages or life wages, i.e., God’s law of reaping and sowing is true, and we can choose our actions but not our consequences.
Suicide is a sinful choice. It is complicated from the aspect of “why would anyone do this if they truly love Christ?” But can we not ask this same question of someone who slanders a fellow brother/sister in Christ, continually lies, commits adultery, etc.? They are all sins, and they all have consequences (death wages according to Paul in Romans 6). This does not mean, however, that our position with God has changed. It also does not mean that someone who choses to disobey God in this way is a “greater sinner” than we are, nor does it mean that we are better than they or closer to God. We all struggle with sin…period.
If we die with any unconfessed sins, including suicide, it does not change our position, i.e., we are still holy and blameless before the Lord. How can this be true? Salvation brings about an incredible spiritual phenomenon that is so wonderful: our sinfulness (all of it) is place upon Christ while, at the same time, his righteousness is placed upon us. Wow! This is so indescribably amazing, and it is why Paul writes in Ephesians 2:10 that we are the masterpiece of God created in Christ for good works. God has chosen us to be used, it is up to our obedience and submission to his leading that will bring this about as a reality in our lives. Death wages destroy our ability to be used, and suicide certainly is an example of how this takes place. Those who truly know Christ, and commit suicide, are most certainly in His presence because of the wonderful grace of God. But they have also missed out on being that continual wonderful masterpiece of God to be used unto good works for the sake of the gospel.
If you, or someone you know, is dealing with these significant issues, please take the necessary steps to love them deeply and help them find the treatment they need to face what most of us cannot comprehend. Here are some amazing resources to help those of us dealing with anxiety, depression, and even suicidal thoughts.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255) | website
Christian Counselors Network | website
The American Association of Christian Counselors | website
ADAA (Anxiety and Depression Association of America) | website
Axis - A resource developed for parents to engage these topics with teens and can also be used for young adults, etc. The “Conversation Starter” they have for anxiety & depression is excellent and good for any age group.
Also, if you would like to give to the Jarrid Wilson Memorial Fund, here is the link: Jarrid Wilson Memorial Fund.
