Can a person who commits suicide still go to Heaven?

At times, we get questions about the death of a loved one, or someone who has died at their own hand.

Whenever someone commits suicide, they will be leaving unanswered questions for loved ones to wrestle with. A person contemplating suicide should consider the confusion and sorrow they are inflicting on those who remain behind.

The questions most asked are, “Would a real Christian do such a thing?” or “Can a person who does that go to Heaven?” or “Why did my loved one do this?”

In the Bible, we have some that we conclude were believers who thought of suicide. I think right away of Elijah under the juniper tree, or Jonah under the gourd. Both were in deep depression, which is normally the state of a person contemplating suicide. Samson, who is a man mentioned in the roll call of the faithful in Hebrews 11, committed suicide by bringing the pillars down on himself and his enemies.

One of the strongest urges God has put within humans is the urge to live. Even those who attempt suicide often struggle at the last second trying to stay alive. A person jumping over a bridge into water will try to surface if possible. It takes a temporary insanity to permit the person to take his or her own life. It is possible for a Christian to get out of touch with reality, and out of fellowship with the Lord and destroy himself. His eternal destiny would not be based on the last thing they did before death, but on the decision he made to trust Christ as his Savior. If we only made Heaven based on our final act on earth, not many would make it.

While suicide is a type of murder, since it involves taking a life, it is still a sin for which Jesus died. There have been many accounts of murderers being saved, and no one who knows the scripture would deny that a murderer can be saved and forgiven of that deed. Since Christ’s atonement pays for all sins for the Christian, it covers murder and even suicide, but, lest anyone should think that this makes suicide an acceptable option for a Christian, consider this. A Christian will have to answer a very serious question in Heaven should he end his own life. That question will be asked by God, Himself, and it is, “Why did you not choose My best for your life? Could you not trust Me that I knew what was best for you?” You see, His best never involves violating His law.

God said eternal life is based on our belief on Jesus Christ and His death on the cross. (John 3:16-18) Our actions as Christians may bring shame to the name of Christ, but they are not the basis of our salvation. (Titus 3:5-7)

For more teaching on this topic see: 0105 Suicide and Self Destruction