Today’s Thought “Suicide, Forgivable or Not?” G. Ward

 

“For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,  nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39

 

1 Peter 3:15 records, “But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence.” Is the current church able to instruct/admonish others regarding those who’ve taken their own lives as a result of great anguish, or are they exacerbating a more common response of absolutely going to hell? This question emanates from the more current uneventful suicide of famed evangelical pastor and author Rick Warren’s son Matthew. Reasonably and legitimately, there’s an expectation of great success from the progeny of evangelicals. When tragedy or illicit behaviors are unfolded, many are dismayed, esteeming those faithful ones as impervious to this level of victimization.

I had an aunt (Paulette Kirk) and a great uncle (William Holmes) committed suicide in the 1970’s. Paulette was a high achiever and somewhat introverted. She gave no sign of being mindfully perplexed and certainly no verbiage or message prefaced this terrible act. Uncle Son (William Holmes) however, was told that his wife (Elizabeth) of more than 60 years had 5 days to live. His disturbance couldn’t live without her.

For those of us who’ve experienced great tribulations and survived, suicide is never comprehensible. We can all begin to psychoanalyze what happens to individuals in such despair; and many will continue to do so, but today’s scripture lesson text precludes our designating anyone’s eternity (cf. Isa. 55:8-9). Our decision in making HIM LORD is without question irreversible (*cf. Mt.7:21). Many will/do attend worship services, but are they the church (cf.1 Co.1:2)? Happy Wednesday!