According to Christian beliefs, is suicide an unforgivable sin? Does it guarantee eternal separation from Jesus Christ?

Altenweg

That's what is believed. Think about it, by commiting suicide you are taking away the life that God gave you.

Jesushelper76

Suicide is throwing the gift that God gave us of life back in his face and saying we do not want it.

Each day is a miracle and every creation is a miracle. It is up to God when it is our time to go.

So is it an unforgivable sin according to the teachings in Christianity the answer is yes.

Ceasefire

What about choosing to discontinue your own life-support while in the hospital? Is that a form of suicide?

Jesushelper76

Medical technology and the gift of knowledge to doctors to help save our lives. Where do you think those gifts come from. From God, We all have that debate on where to draw the line and it is up to each individual to determine what the line is. Life is life, and if it can be maintained and saved through technology and we deny that gift. That is a tough call. I have often thought of not wanting to continue on life support if that ever happened, but as you state. It is a form of suicide??? Depending on your beliefs.

Altenweg

Usually a person on life-support is not conscious, therefore they are not the ones that will request to discontinue life-support, that is up to the family.

When my mom was dying of cancer she signed a DNR (Do not resuscitate) she wanted to go when God chose, not when man chose.

Fr_Chuck

well the real problem is that you can't normally ask forgiveness from the sin. so if you live to ask forgiveness you did not do it.
I would have to assume, since we don't know Gods mind, that if a person is doing a long death and during that death they ask forgiveness they would be forgiven,

But for most poeple who kill thierself they are also not mentally sane, so I do beleive God may also not hold a person responsible if they are at a poiont in thier life where they are not sane, They could only be judged by thier choices before that point.

life support, pulling the plug , as they say is not, since you are actually giving the choice to God, While medical care is great and we should use it, when and if it comes to a point where the person is really not alive, merely keepoing a heart beating is not alive, it may be on the law books but it is not real living.

Ceasefire

Is living with severe depression comparable to the descriptions of eternity in hell? What would you say to someone who has severe depression, is contemplating suicide, and all they can think about is how hell can't be this bad or is just as bad?

Altenweg

I would do my best to see that they get the help they need and deserve. There are lots of treatments for depression, tons of medications, therapies and other things that have been proven to work. Depression is a horrible thing, I know, I've been there, I'm on medication and trying to work through the things that I know are causing the depression, it's a long road, but one worth travelling.

We are all here for a reason, we all have a purpose, God has a plan for each and every one of us, who are we to mess with that plan?

RickJ

1. All sin is forgivable.
We cannot know whether the person repented before s/he actually died.

2. Acts due to mental illness - and other circumstances - may indicate that the act is not "sin".

We cannot know the details so should not necessarily presume that one who commits suicide has died "in sin".