I'VE BEEN ASKED A VERY GOOD QUESTION AT BY A FRIEND WHO DOESN'T BELIEVE IN HELL! (So there are two issues here!)
Question: CAN A PERSON COMMIT SUICIDE AND STILL MAKE IT TO HEAVEN?
Let's take on the HELL doubt first! That's the more important issue, than where your friend ended up because your belief in everlasting punishment concerns YOUR SOUL'S FINAL DESTINATION!
Hell is as real as heaven, though the devil works hard to cause people to NOT believe in a God Who WILL send people to a place of eternal torment! Many are equally deceived these days! It's been the devil's game plan from the Garden of Eden, to get your mind on ANYTHING other than your salvation!
A haunting placard was on my good friend Art's car dash. It said, "You DON'T have to believe in hell to go there!"
Jesus spoke more about hell than any other subject! Why? Because He wanted NO one to ever go to a place he created for the devil and his angels! Here are a few passages where Jesus Christ, the Creator, speaks about sending some people to hell. Matthew 7:13 "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:" 2 Peter 3:9 "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."
But many choose that wide gate because it's easier! Live it up on earth and "hope for the best!" Do you know how many people I have heard that from in my 45 years of witnessing? Too many!)
Matthew 25:41 "Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:"
Let's established a few things from these verses! Hell IS REAL because God said so! It is also everlasting! But as it is a place of continually burning, you'll NEVER completely burning up!
Let's see at a few more facts!
Mark 9:43-48 "And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: 44. Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. 45. And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: 46. Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. 47. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire: 48. Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched."
Very few can fully explain, "where their worm dieth not"! BUT one thing that I know about these verses is that those in everlasting fire will NEVER totally BURN UP or GET OUT! It is better to lose a body part due to offences against God, and then getting them right with God, than to be cast whole into hell.
Those who are left on earth during the time of the Antichrist (who is revealed immediately after the rapture of the present church) and those who receive his mark will NEVER have the option of receiving Jesus Christ as their LORD and Saviour! EVER! Revelation 14:11 "And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name."
In your unforgiven state you will burn forever!
Again to further clarify Mark 9, the sort of people who will enter into hell are these: Revelation 21:8 "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death."
HOLD ON A COTTON-PICKIN' MINUTE! Why won't God be more lenient with these people? I mean we ALL LIE, right? Common, hell in payment for little "white," innocent lies?
NO SUCH A THING WITH GOD! ALL unforgiven sin is punishable of death by burning in darkness forever! Even liars!
Why won't He forgive? Because those people refused Jesus' cross sacrifice for their sins and never asked His forgiveness! John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
When you choose OF YOUR OWN FREE WILL to NOT receive Jesus death for yours, to have your wrongs paid for, and never ask God to forgive you of your sins, you are hating God's rules and His sacrifice for your sins!
Proverbs 8:36 "But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death."
Ezekiel 18:4 "Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die." AND THAT DEATH GOES ON FOREVER, AND EVER!
TO BE SAVED you have to first ask God's forgiveness! You must believe the gospel account of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). This states that Jesus died for your sins! He was buried, but three days later He arose from the grave according to the scriptures!
NOW ABOUT THE PERSON WHO TAKES HIS OWN LIFE.... Revelation 21:8 (above) answers this! If that person who killed themself should die in his sins, he's condemned as an unforgiven murderer and will burn forever!
If his soul was given to Jesus, and he already received Him as his LORD and Saviour, upon his death he will enter into heaven, ALSO a very REAL place because Jesus forgave them of their wrongs WHILE THEY LIVED ON EARTH! Remember, just because Jesus Christ died for your sins doesn't also mean they're automatically forgiven UNTIL YOU ASK!
WHEN YOU BELIEVE THE GOSPEL AND ASK JESUS TO SAVE YOU FROM YOUR SINS, HE FORGIVES THEM ALL! Question: CAN A PERSON COMMIT SUICIDE AND STILL MAKE IT TO HEAVEN?
Answer: No
Be saved today! Tomorrow's promised to no one!
-Ed Luek
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