Angel, I did have a brother that committed suicide in 1989. Was he saved? I really don't know. But I do believe that if he had asked Jesus to be his Savior and meant it, he is in heaven - no more pain, no more sadness.
I don't like to think about the alternative.
When I was younger (and knew little about God) I would pray and beg God to let me take his place in hell - if that's where he went. I understand now that it doesn't work that way, but I've also thought about what I was willing to do (yes, in ignorance) so that my brother wouldn't have to go through the torture - when he had obviously been so tortured in his mind here on earth. I've thought about how much I love him, how I've forgiven him for what he did, and how I would have done anything to help him. For years, I was so angry with him for taking that way out - I questioned so many times why he didn't reach out for help. Why he didn't call someone. But as the pain subsided a little over the years and the anger faded, it was replaced with compassion and the understanding that he must have felt there was no other way to ease the pain. At the moment he pulled that trigger, he must have felt completely alone - even though he had a huge family that loved him dearly and would have done anything to help him. And I'm sure beyond a shadow of a doubt that he thought of us in those final moments - and begged us to forgive him.
I'm hoping and praying he said the same thing to God. Because if I forgave him, being only human, I know that God was able to forgive him, too.
Our God is a God of hope - and I'm hanging on to that.
But in that same context, you're saying that if we live in the flesh, even momentarily, and happen to die in a car accident at that very time, we are not saved. That's simply not true. People that commit suicide aren't "bad" people that have completely fallen from God's grace. They are people who are in a deep depression that simply do not see ANY other way out.
There is only one unforgivable sin - suicide isn't it.
We have to remember that suicide isn't done out of anger. What one person can handle, someone else may find overwhelming.
We all backslide from time to time and it differs in severity. Sometimes this backsliding is caused by lack of faith. We take matters into our own hands because we're unsure God can handle it (again, lack of faith). Does that mean if I'm having a momentary lack of faith in God and I die, I'm not saved? No. Does suicide automatically rate me as an unbeliever? Absolutely no.
If I have accepted Christ, the Bible tells me I am no longer under condemnation (Romans 8:1). I have absolute assurance of forgiveness. We can't compartmentalize sin and say that grace is only reserved for "acceptable" sins. There is no such thing.
I think it's all a matter of whether or not the person had accepted Christ in their life.
Sampson, if you seriously think God is going to send someone to hell for celebrating HIM, you are showing your blatant ignorance to the Bible, God, and everything He is.
I'm done with this post. This is flat out ridiculous.
A few of you may remember my post about losing my car, and ending up getting a ride home from a kid I work with - he then poured out his heart to me about his family, his suicidal thoughts, his life...and checked himself into treatment.
Well, I heard from him today and he's a different person.
He has two weeks to go until he's done with treatment. He sounds excited about life, he sounds hopeful, and most of all, at peace. He started attending a church while in treatment and is VERY excited about God. He said it's similar to what I've told him about the church I attend.
AND....as soon as he's out, he wants to start coming to church with me - twice a week.
And just to show my age for the fun of it, Kirk Cameron was with Growing Pains before the Left Behind series. Ha Ha This is where he came to God and met his wife (who was an actress on the show)!
Maybe "reality" kicked in. Some people can handle being that far away, but for others, it's just too much. Maybe when you started talking plane tickets, dates, etc, it hit home how much would go into actually being able to see each other. I'm not in any way saying what he did was right, I'm just giving a possibility. :)
