Is suicide right? Yes or no? The answer is, that it is without a doubt, the wrong choice! If you will grant me a few minutes of your time, I would like to share something with you that may help me to explain why I know suicide is most definitely wrong. I had an uncomfortable experience recently. Two beloved members of the church that I attend had suffered a tragic loss in their family to suicide. My wife, in her soft but yet sincere manner, appealed to me that it would be only right for me to go along with her to the funeral service for the departed. This, she explained would be only right of me, to support the grieving family. After striving with my convictions about suicide in my own conscience, I yielded to her appeal. My concern was that some misinformed individual would tell the gathered assembly that suicide was no big deal. This kind of teaching is horrible! It is horrible to hear someone that professes to be a Christian speak in a manner that is in such opposition to what is clearly written in the Holy Scriptures. We arrived to find very little parking space and after entering the church, we found that seating was limited also. Then one of the gentlemen of the church informed us that there was seating in the balcony, and so we made our way to the balcony. I sat down and began to try and think of what I would say to the bereaved family. What would I say if I had to preside over such a service? I thought of what Apostle Paul wrote to the saints of the church in the city of Corinth nearly 2,000 years ago. In 1 Corinthians 6:18 through 20, Apostle Paul admonishes the members to flee fornication because it is an offense or a sin against one's own body. The apostle informed the believers in Corinth that the body is the temple of the Holy Ghost. Simply put, the very Spirit of God dwells within our body, it is His dwelling place. Indeed, our bodies are His temple. While I peered down from the balcony at the closed casket, I remembered the instant rage I felt a few weeks earlier when I discovered that someone had tried to break into my house. The reason why Apostle Paul's words resonated with me was because that when I saw the damage that someone had done to my home, to my dwelling place, I was infuriated! Now then, since we understand from the scriptures that our bodies are God's temple or dwelling place, how do we convince ourselves that after a person, through a suicidal act, destroys God's house or dwelling place, that God will be ever so pleased to see them? I was furious when I saw the damage that someone did to my home in an attempt to break in. Thank the Lord, something must have frightened the person away, before they were able to succeed in breaking in. I was still furious though. However, my point is that if a homeowner like me can go into a rage over the destruction of his home property, can we not understand the anger that the Lord God feels toward someone that has destroyed their own body, which is also the temple of the Lord? Back to the funeral service. Then it happened. Two or three people stood to have words, and made comments to the effect that this suicide was all a part of God's will. I think one person may have even said something to the effect that this was God's way of taking the person to a better place. To say that I was deeply saddened by such stupid remarks would be a gross understatement. I was sad and mad at the same time. The pastor of that church took such offense to the comments that he walked out of his own sanctuary. But all was not lost. The pastor came back in after taking a short break. When it came time for him to eulogize the departed, he did not mince words, but made himself very clear. The scripture he used brought clarity, not vagueness. No gray areas. Sometimes the answers we are seeking is staring us right in the face, and we miss it, or at least I did, until he led the gathered people to a passage of scripture in Matthew, chapter 4, verse 5. It reads, Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, verse 6, And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: Did you understand what you just read? The enemy of all humanity tempted The Lord of Heaven Himself to commit suicide. It's been right there before our eyes all this time, and we missed it. Is suicide right or wrong? It's wrong! God never told anyone in scripture to take their own life. Never! There is only one being that has tried to persuade humanity that the solution to all life's problems is to end one's own life, and it was never God, and it will never be God. Jesus said to the devil, Get thee hence! If you are ever pummeled with thoughts of suicide, you need to follow the example of the Lord Jesus Christ, and rebuke the devil that fights you in your thought process. I beg you dear friend, that you beseech Jesus, the King of Kings, ask Him, beseech Him to remove from your mind, those suicidal thoughts, by the POWER and AUTHORITY that's in His name, the name that is above every name. That name is, the LORD JESUS CHRIST! Ephesians 3:20, 21, reads, Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen. An Amplified version of Ecclesiastes 7:17, reads, Don't be excessively wicked, and don't be foolish. Why should you die before your time? I find it enraging when I go to a funeral and hear someone say something like the following, "This death was all in God's great plan." I have to resist the urge to jump to my feet and scream, Please don't blame this on God!" This suicide was not an act of God, but rather a fatally flawed decision made by a mere mortal. Now why would I think of saying something like that? Because I am aware of scriptures like the one in the book of Ezekiel, chapter 18 and verse 32, which reads, For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the LORD GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye. The LORD JESUS CHRIST is in no way wooing people to kill themselves. In fact Christ Jesus says, The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. This is recorded in John, chapter 10, verse 10. The book of Job is considered by some to be the oldest book in the Bible. Job suffered unimaginable loss in his life, but he did not try to kill himself. In what might have truly been the worst days of his life, he declared, For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me. But ye should say, Why persecute we him, seeing the root of the matter is found in me? Be ye afraid of the sword: for wrath bringeth the punishments of the sword, that ye may know there is a judgment. These words were spoken by a man who had suffered loss that is painful to even think about, let alone experience. His words are recorded in the book of Job, chapter 19, verses 25 through 29. Job knew that after we die, we will all stand before the Lord and we will be judged by Him for what we have done while dwelling in this mortal body. Suicide is self murder. In Exodus, chapter 20, and verse 13, the Bible clearly says, Thou shalt not kill. The forbiddance of killing oneself is doubtless included in that commandment. Now it is important for us all to remember, that when we've reached what we think is the worst time in our life, that in spite of who has announced that they no longer love us, that there is a "Redeemer" who loved us all enough to die for us, all of us. One Sunday School Superintendent would say it this way, "Now that ought to mean something to you!" That simple truth should comfort us in the loneliest times and in the darkest of days. Faith, Hope, and Charity (Love) are very important factors that can stop a person from committing suicide. You may ask, "How so?" Well being aware, being equipped with the very knowledge that no matter how much I've failed in life, and in spite of all the berating, bullying and taunting from my detractors, the King of Kings, in His Omniscience, reasoned that I and billions of others just like myself and some perhaps even worse off than myself, were worth dying for! Now who am I to argue with Omniscience ? If the most perfect human being that ever lived, thought that the whole world, myself included, was worth dying for, well then who am I to think so little of my life as to destroy what the King of Kings has judged good enough to die for ? Friends, we must all accept the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. To my estimation, He is like unto a judge that demands the death penalty for the crimes committed by the once guilty and condemned. Then that same judge rises up from his judgment seat, removes his robe and takes my place on the day of execution, only to die in my place. The Love of God demonstrated to guilty sinners is humbling to say the least. And now abideth faith, hope, charity(love), these three; but the greatest of these is charity(love). 1 Corinthians 13:13. 6