Is suicide an unforgiveable sin? - Suicide - TouchPoints

Matthew 27:4-5“I have sinned,” he [Judas] declared, “for I have betrayed an innocent man.” “What do we care?” they retorted. “That’s your problem.” Then Judas threw the silver coins down in the Temple and went out and hanged himself.

Mark 14:31“The Son of Man must die, as the Scriptures declared long ago. But how terrible it will be for the one who betrays him. It would be far better for that man if he had never been born!”

Acts 1:25“He [Judas] has deserted us and gone where he belongs.”

Some point to Judas as an example that proves suicide leads to hell. However, this ignores the far greater sin Judas committed. While Scripture gives us reason to believe Judas is suffering eternal torment, the reason given is not his suicide but his betrayal and rejection of Jesus.

1 Samuel 31:2-4The Philistines closed in on Saul and his sons, and they killed three of his sons—Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malkishua. The fighting grew very fierce around Saul, and the Philistine archers caught up with him and wounded him severely. . . . So Saul took his own sword and fell on it.

2 Samuel 1:17-19David composed a funeral song for Saul and Jonathan, and he commanded that it be taught to the people of Judah.

The Bible records several suicides but does not single suicide out as a particularly heinous sin or categorize it for special treatment. David grieved in the same way for both Jonathan who died in battle and for Saul who died by his own hand.

Ephesians 2:8-9It is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.

Romans 8:38I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.

Hebrews 10:12Our High Priest offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time.

Suicide is a final sin that does not allow time for repentance. Because of this, some Christians fear that suicide breaks a Christian’s relationship with Christ and takes away their salvation. But nowhere does Scripture tell us that we lose salvation every time we sin. If that were the case, every believer who died before repenting of a sin would lose salvation! Sin is destructive. It damages our relationship with God and others, and it harms our witness to the world. We should never take sin lightly, particularly a sin so far-reaching as suicide. However, giving in to despair in a single moment is different from rejecting God and embracing sin day after day. Scripture gives us good reason to believe that the power of Christ’s love and sacrifice is not so easily lost.