Do Christians who commit suicide go to heaven?
Justin Fashanu was a professional English footballer who made history in 1981 as the first black player to get paid a million just for a transfer fee. Underneath his success was sin. He begged the church to ‘cure’ his homosexuality, but he continued going to gay clubs.
In 1998, a teenage boy accused him of sexual assault, leading to an arrest warrant. Fearing he wouldn’t get a fair trial for being black, Justin fled to England and later hanged himself. In his suicide note, he said, “I hope the Jesus I love welcomes me home.”
WHAT HAPPENS TO CHRISTIANS WHEN THEY DIE?
True Christians who commit suicide are with Jesus
Suicide is a grave sin equivalent to murder (Exodus 20:13; 21:23), but just like any other sin, it can be forgiven, according to John MacArthur.
Scripture says those redeemed by the blood of Jesus have been forgiven for all their sins—past, present, and future. Paul also said that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.
JUDE 24
Now unto him that can keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy
COLOSSIANS 2:13-14
God made you alive with Christ when you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh.
ROMANS 8:38-39
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
HOW TO COPE WITH DEATH OF A LOVED ONE.
But a faithful Christian will NOT choose suicide
The devil told God that if Job lost everything, he would curse God “to his face” (Job 2:5). And so God allowed Job to be tested by allowing Satan to steal, kill, and destroy him (John 10:10; Job 2:5)—except God did not permit Satan to kill Job.
Job 2:5 and John 10:10 clearly show Satan wants us to be miserable and dead. No wonder he got Justin to believe the lie that there is no hope and the only solution is death.
God could have intervened, but the enemy completely overtook Justin’s faith. Hence, suicide exposes the following sins:
- Believing a lie
- Lack of faith
- Lack of trust
- Cowardliness
- Selfishness
Ultimately, God’s sovereignty keeps us firm to the end
Interestingly, some Christians who succumbed to suicide were church leaders, pastors, and those who spoke about overcoming suicide and depression—yet they lost the battle.
Therefore, if, in their weakness, God did not intervene (as He did to Job), there are two tragic conclusions:
- It may be that people who commit suicide are not God’s children because God, who began a good work in us, is faithful (Philippians 1:6).
- God’s sovereignty will keep us firm to the end so that we will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 1:8).
- God’s children are defined repeatedly in Scripture as those who have hope (Acts 24:15; Romans 5:2-5, 8:24; 2 Corinthians 1:10, etc.) and purpose in life (Luke 9:23-25; Romans 8:28; Colossians 1:29).
The bottom line is that a “true child of God” will know the truth and will be set free (John 8:32). There is no truth in suicide, nor does “death by suicide” glorify God. It is selfish and cowardly. But then, who are we to judge the weakness of a brother? (Romans 14:10).
