*** g90 9/8 pp. 22-23 Suicides—A Resurrection? ***
The Bible’s Viewpoint
Suicides—A Resurrection?
THE tragic news of a suicide does not close a chapter in the lives of relatives and friends; it opens one—a chapter of mixed feelings of pity and anger, sorrow and guilt. And it raises the question: May we entertain any hope for our friend who took his or her life?
Although self-inflicted death is never justified, never righteous, the apostle Paul did hold out a beautiful hope for even some unrighteous ones. As he told a Roman court of law: “I have hope toward God . . . that there is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous.”—Acts 24:15.
Nevertheless, many theologians have long dismissed any suggestion that the resurrection of the unrighteous might offer hope for those who commit suicide. Why?
Theologians Contradict Resurrection Hope
William Tyndale identified part of the problem in the foreword of his 16th-century Bible: “In putting departed souls in heaven, hell, or purgatory you destroy the arguments wherewith Christ and Paul prove the resurrection.” Yes, centuries ago, churchmen introduced a non-Biblical concept: immortal souls that leave the body at death and go straight to heaven, purgatory, Limbo, or hell. That concept clashed with the Bible’s clear teaching of a future resurrection. As Baptist minister Charles Andrews asked: “If the soul is already blissfully in heaven (or is already justifiably roasting in hell), what need is there for anything further?” He added: “This inner contradiction has remained to plague Christians throughout the centuries.”
One result of such errant theology was that “since Augustine’s time [354-430 C.E.], the church has condemned suicide as a sin,” says Arthur Droge in the Bible Review, December 1989, “a sin beyond redemption, just like apostasy and adultery.”
The harsh verdict of being “beyond redemption,” or hopelessly consigned to hellfire, carried the judgment-at-death argument to its shaky extreme. Admits the National Catholic Reporter: “Two of the church’s greatest doctors railed against suicide—Augustine branding it ‘detestable and damnable wickedness’ and Aquinas indicating it was a mortal [unforgivable] sin against God and the community—but not all churchmen have agreed.”
Happily, we can avoid such “inner contradiction” by accepting two compatible Bible truths. First, “the soul that is sinning—it itself will die.” (Ezekiel 18:4) Second, the real hope for dead souls (people) is to live again through “a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous.” (Acts 24:15) What, then, may we reasonably expect for people who commit suicide?
An Unrighteous One to Be Resurrected
Jesus told a criminal sentenced to death: “You will be with me in Paradise.” The man was unrighteous—a lawbreaker rather than a distraught suicide victim—guilty by his own frank admission. (Luke 23:39-43) He had no hope of going to heaven to rule with Jesus. So the Paradise in which this thief could hope to come back to life would be the beautiful earth under the rule of Jehovah God’s Kingdom.—Matthew 6:9, 10; Revelation 21:1-4.
For what purpose will God awaken this criminal? So that He mercilessly can hold his past sins against him? Hardly, for Romans 6:7, 23 says: “He who has died has been acquitted from his sin,” and “the wages sin pays is death.” Although his past sins will not be accounted to him, he will still need the ransom to lift him to perfection.
Therefore, theologian Albert Barnes was wrong and misleading when he asserted: “Those who have done evil shall be raised up to be condemned, or damned. This shall be the object in raising them up; this the sole design.” How beneath a God of justice and love! Rather, a resurrection to life on a paradise earth will furnish this former criminal (and other unrighteous ones) a golden opportunity to be judged by what they do after their resurrection.—1 John 4:8-10.
A Merciful Opportunity
Stunned friends of a suicide victim may thus take comfort in knowing that “Jehovah has shown mercy to those fearing him. For he himself well knows the formation of us, remembering that we are dust.” (Psalm 103:10-14) Only God can fully understand the role of mental sickness, extreme stress, even genetic defects, in a “suicidal crisis,” which, the National Observer noted, “is not a lifetime characteristic [but] often a matter only of minutes or of hours.”—See Ecclesiastes 7:7.
Granted, one who takes his own life deprives himself of the opportunity to repent of his self-murder. But who can say whether one driven to suicide might have had a change of heart had his fatal attempt failed? Some notorious murderers have, in fact, changed and earned God’s forgiveness during their lifetime.—2 Kings 21:16; 2 Chronicles 33:12, 13.
Thus, Jehovah, having paid “a ransom in exchange for many,” is within his right to extend mercy, even to some self-murderers, by resurrecting them and giving them the precious opportunity to “repent and turn to God by doing works that befit repentance.”—Matthew 20:28; Acts 26:20.
The Responsible, Scriptural View of Life
Life is a gift from God, not something to be abused or to end at one’s own hand. (James 1:17) Hence, the Scriptures encourage us to see ourselves, not as immortal souls, but as valuable creations of the God who loves us, who treasures our being alive, and who looks forward with joy to the time of the resurrection.—Job 14:14, 15.
Love strengthens our recognition that suicide—though evading one’s own burdens—only heaps more problems on loved ones left behind. As far as the one who rashly took his own life is concerned, we humans cannot judge as to whether he will get a resurrection or not. How reprehensible was he? God alone searches ‘all hearts and every inclination of the thoughts.’ (1 Chronicles 28:9) But we may be confident that ‘the Judge of all the earth is going to do what is loving, just, and right!’—Genesis 18:25.
[Footnotes]
This article is intended for the survivors of suicide victims. For a fuller discussion of the subject of suicide, see The Watchtower, August 1, 1983, pages 3-11 and Awake!, August 8, 1981, pages 5-12.
[Picture Credit Line on page 22]
Kollektie Rijksmuseum Kröller-Müller, Otterlo
daniel-p
JoinedPosts by daniel-p
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What is the current WTBS view of suicide?
by still wondering insorry if this has been discussed before, but can anyone tell me what the current wtbs view of suicide is?
it used to that they would suffer the second death and therefore would not be resurrected.
hows that for christian love.
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daniel-p
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Those in the Faithful and Discrete Slave Class ARE NOT ANNOINTED
by Elsewhere inhttp://www.davidgladden.com/jw/docs/branch_organization_manual_bo-e.pdf
page 24-1.
4. those used as writers (for the watchtower and awake!
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daniel-p
Elsewhere,
I am curious, are these documents re-typed, copying from the originals to electronic documents? I only ask because I've noticed several grammatical errors that I know the Society would not have published in any official document. I'm not saying these documents arn't legitimate, I'm just curious. -
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DNA rocks the Mormon "boat"
by Kenneson inthere is an ongoing controversy that is making waves in the mormon church.
many converts, who are native americans and those from the south pacific, the polynesians, were led to believe that they were the ancestors of ancient hebrews.
now dna evidence is putting all that into question and some are leaving the faith.
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daniel-p
Heheh. Birds of a feather flock together, don't they?
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The Ten Commandments Displays furor, why?
by AlmostAtheist ini heard on npr today that some public buildings in the u.s. are moving to bring a display of the ten commandments in through the backdoor, calling it a historical document and presenting it alongside the magna carta and the constitution.. ok. but why?.
80% of the ten commandments aren't reflected in our legal code.
when was the last time you heard of someone getting busted for coveting?
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daniel-p
My point about it being historical is not in referring to the actual historicity of the Ten Commandments. It was in light of respecting the historical signifigance of the Christian faith in reference to this country.
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daniel-p
This brings back memories.... a severly neurotic mother who does not see anything beyond herself.
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The Ten Commandments Displays furor, why?
by AlmostAtheist ini heard on npr today that some public buildings in the u.s. are moving to bring a display of the ten commandments in through the backdoor, calling it a historical document and presenting it alongside the magna carta and the constitution.. ok. but why?.
80% of the ten commandments aren't reflected in our legal code.
when was the last time you heard of someone getting busted for coveting?
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daniel-p
You can go on all you want about seperation of church and state, but when you come down to it, what harm is there in allowing the plaques a spot in the lobby? It represents a facet of American history and culture, and as such should be respected. I would be considered an agnostic, and defenitely see the danger of church and state converging, but I do not see this as a risk to the barely functional judicial system. I often wonder why atheists take it so personally, as if the fact that "in God we trust" written on the back of their money really takes away their right to freedom of religion. And being resentful to the religious right in this country is not a valid reason. This extends beyond the simple, black & white politics of primetime television.
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Watchtower and the Masons - part 1
by truth_about_the_truth ini will be posting contents of the book "watchtower and the masons" by fritz springmeier.
this is an extremely rare book that is currently out of print.
the information contained here is extremely important in determining what this organization is all about.
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daniel-p
What better way to lend credence to a crackpot theory than framing the author!
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Complete ban on smoking in public places just passed in England
by ballistic infrom summer after next, smoking will be banned in any public place including pubs and clubs in england.. although i plan on giving up again, i still don't agree with government interfering like this.
they had previously.
made proposals for some pubs to remain licensed for smoking which i thought would have been a workable compromise.
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daniel-p
"Well, I think that's sad you bring that up considering the USA is the biggest polluter per capita.The air pollutiom caused by smoking is absolutely miniscule compared to buring oil."
I don't know if you are referring to my comment, but I am not making that assertion. The issue is that of air pollution, since the pollution of cigarette smoke is substantially hazardous to humans. If a person goes to work 8 hours a day and has little choice but to endure second-hand smoke, that is a substantial risk. Yes, of course, burying oil would have a much larger impact, but we are talking about impacts which are harmful to humans in a human environment. -
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What book are you reading now?
by Dimples ini just stated reading a book called "the lovely bones" by alice sebold.
i am beginning chapter 3. here is the excerpt from the inside cover:
when we first meet susie salmon, she is already in heaven.
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daniel-p
IP_SEC "Faith on the March-- A. H. Macmillian"
You're doing a stellar job at pummelling your body and leading it as a slave! ;) -
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Morning Worship bloopers and comments you won't hear anywhere else
by What-A-Coincidence insome of these comments from the gb are hilarious!!!.
from morning worship.... .
"just a few minutes ago i was telling brother barber how bad i feel...he told me that there's always the resurrection...i would like to thank brother barber for his encouraging words.
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daniel-p
Ok, I've reached my pun quota for the month. ;)