Expert: Pastor Don Carpenter - 10/13/2006

Question
I had to pick my son up from school today .He had A goodfriend hang himself last night.. he is scared that his soul is going to hell. this boy that past away was A good child age 16 .can you help me help him ?
Thank You,.

Answer
Hi Andi,

Not all people who commit suicide go to Hell.  If one has trusted Jesus Christ, then they will be in heaven.  I will give you one Biblical example of a person who committed suicide who is in heaven, Saul.

1. King Saul had disobeyed God.  He was losing the kingdom.  He was used to getting advice from the prophet Samuel, but Samuel had died.  Saul did the unthinkable, he used a witch to try to contact the prophet.  Samuel, who was dead gave one more prophecy... he said that " tomorrow you will be with me."  Samuel was in Paradise...  Look at the passage for yourself.

1 Samuel 28:15-19
15 And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do.  16 Then said Samuel, Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing the LORD is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy? 17 And the LORD hath done to him, as he spake by me: for the LORD hath rent the kingdom out of thine hand, and given it to thy neighbour, even to David:   18 Because thou obeyedst not the voice of the LORD, nor executedst his fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore hath the LORD done this thing unto thee this day. 19 Moreover the LORD will also deliver Israel with thee into the hand of the Philistines: and to morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me: the LORD also shall deliver the host of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.

The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

Now we will read about the battle that ensued the next day.  We will see that Saul killed himself after being wounded.  Saul committed suicide.

1 Samuel 31:1-5


Now the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gilboa.  2 And the Philistines followed hard upon Saul and upon his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchishua, Saul’s sons. 3 And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers hit him; and he was sore wounded of the archers.   4 Then said Saul unto his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword, and fell upon it.  5 And when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise upon his sword, and died with him.
The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

The promise is still there...  Samuel said that they would be together... this is more than just being together in the grave.  Notice the same wording that Jesus gave the thief on the cross.

Luke 23:39-43
39 And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. 40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. 42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. 43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.

The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

I know that this is a lot of scripture.  I just wanted you to see that the common notion that all suicides lead to hell is not a Biblical one.  I hope that this helps.

In Christ
Pastor Don

PS... please do not forget to rate my answer, it would be a great help.