He threw down the pieces of silver in the sanctuary, and departed. He went away and hanged himself.     Matthew 27:5 (WEB)
This week God has been speaking to me about death and dying. The subject could not be covered without including suicide. Too often Christian grief support groups/programs ignore or attempt to carefully step around the difficulties of this subject. Jesus did not avoid hard subjects so why should we if we are His ambassadors?
C. Michael Patton, theologian, recently wrote “Do People Who Commit Suicide Go To Hell?†on his blog. He expressed my views much better than I could repeat. I hope you will take a few minutes and read his blog that was done in answer to a question from a hurting soul. I smiled in agreement and with a lump in my throat as I read:
“Christ’s death is a once for all remedy to our damnation. Because of this grace and forgiveness we should live a life that is pleasing to him, but some of us won’t do so well. That is what makes grace so wonderful and radical—indeed, beyond belief.â€
Paul told Timothy (1 Timothy 2) that the Father desires that all should come to know Him. His love and passion to have His children live forever and ever with Him is truly beyond our comprehension. Jesus died once for all. All of God’s children. All of the children’s sins. ALL. No sin too big. No forgotten sin too small. Jesus took them all and washed us with His blood so that we would have an eternal relationship with our Father and Creator. Whether I come to this saving knowledge early in my life or at the last moment, Jesus is Savior and has done it for me. Whether I have lived a good and moral life or led a most heinous life, I need Jesus to save me and He has done it!
Parents, siblings, friends, the ripple effect of suicide is devastating and can affect generations. We are God’s ambassadors and should be ready “in season and out†(2 Timothy 4) to give testimony to the extravagant love of God. Judgment is in His hands and there it must remain.
