Expert: Phillip Senn - 7/11/2008

Question
Do people who commit suicide go to hell? Are they able to go to heaven?

Answer
While committing suicide is a grave sin, and one that has consequences for all involved, from the one who commits the act as well as to those that remain, it is a sin just like any other, in that all sin caries the penalty of (spiritual) death (Romans 6:23a;Ezek 18:20a).

The Lord Jesus took the sting of death away, as well as the penalty, from those that would believe on His Name. So a person may indeed be a believer in the Lord Jesus, and commit this horrible sin, yet still get to Heaven, not based upon his/her actions, but based on the actions of the Lord Jesus, in that He died for our sins.

Does that mean that a person should continue to sin that grace may abound? God Forbid! (Romans 6:1)

For those of us that have believed on Christ Jesus, we can have confidence that we have Eternal Life. We cannot know what is in the heart of another, as God judges the heart. Many preachers have preached against sin without the grace message (legalism). God's grace is extended to all that believe on Christ. Still others have preached grace to the extent that they have excluded the justice of God (they teach that sin has no consequences at all).

In order for God to be just and gracious, He sent His son to take the penalty of sin upon Himself, and die in the place of sinners, so that all that would believe in Him, would have everlasting life.

If you have had a friend that may have committed suicide, their decision cannot be changed. But we can change the lives of others by remembering what the Lord has commanded us to do, "Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature". Our testimony of Christ can benefit others with the opportunity of receiving Eternal Life through faith in Him.

Submitted with Love In Christ,
Phillip Senn