On the show we talked about suicide. Our guest (who's father killed himself) said he did not believe that ending your life would not exclude a person from heaven. This is one of the toughest topics to talk about. You don't want to challenge someone who is grieving, but at the same time I personally equate suicide with murder and have hard time accepting a saved Christian would end their life.
I was challenged to consider a person who slowly kills himself through drugs, tobacco or alcohol. Would that exclude them? I don't pretend to have the answers. My thoughts are if a person feels that death is better then life then there are in a dark place and have given their life away to evil.
If you spend your years pumping your body full of poison to the point that it kills you, it would seem to me that a person had very clearly rejected Christ.
I have a person who is close to me. She is drinking herself to death. She knows it but continues. Once upon at time she accepted Christ and I've debated with loved ones about her destination if she dies. I don't believe that because she accepted Christ years ago, that gives her a pass into heaven after a life of rejecting God.
Like I said, I don't have the answers but I do think it's an important topic to consider. Feel free to share your thoughts.
3 comments:
I think you could end up going down a slippery slope here with the slow suicide theory. Because one could argue having a heart attack because of poor eating habits is also suicide. Everyone is slowly dying, some people decide to participate in activities that quickens their demise.
I think the thing to keep in mind is intent, classic suicide there is a decision made to murder oneself. With substance abuse the end goal is probably not death.
In the end the body is the temple of God if the person is a Christian. And we need to treat it as such. And when I read that verse I get convicted for the fact that I don't even exercise regularly to keep my body healthy. There are many things I don't do 'right' because I'm sinful, but praise be to God for His grace and the transforming process that takes place as we walk with him.
All good points. I guess we all take some risks while not intentionaly wanted to end our life.
But once that intention changes and one does end their life does that exclude them from salvation?
I feel that a lot of people end their lives out of desperation, or depression, instead of seeking help, they end it all. Should they be excluded from salvation?
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