Biblical Myths Ep. 3: Suicide - Unforgivable?

     The third biblical myth that I want to look at in this post is the idea that suicide is the unforgivable sin.  I have no idea where this urban legend came from, but it simply doesn't hold up to any biblical study.

Christ died to save us from all of our sins, to do something that we did not and do not have the power to do for ourselves.  The only action required on our part is to accept that salvation; to admit that we are sinners who do not have the ability or power to save ourselves, sinners who need what Jesus has already done.  Salvation isn't something that Jesus will do for us when we accept Him, it was done almost two thousand years ago on the cross, but it only applies to those who will believe in Jesus' promise by faith.

Why would Jesus endure what he did only to exclude someone who kills themselves from the promise?  I think this myth probably arose from two factors.

1. In Catholic belief you must constantly ask for forgiveness to maintain your salvation.  Killing oneself is certainly a sin, but by its nature is not one for which you can confess to a priest afterwards.  As a result, you die with a mortal sin on your ledger.
2. The Bible does mention an unforgivable or unpardonable sin - but it isn't suicide

To respond to the first point, Jesus' death on the cross was a single act fixed in time.  It was an act of love, an act of redemption, and an act of forgiveness.  He doesn't repeat this act of forgiveness every time one of His children sins, so why would we need to seek His forgiveness every time to maintain our salvation?  Like I said above, when you accept Jesus' forgiveness you are forgiven of all your sins, past present and future.  Repentance should be the result of that forgiveness, and your sin should remind you of what God has done for you and why you need the savior, but those are the fruits of your salvation, not the cause of it.

The unforgivable sin that Jesus mentions is found in Matthew 12:22-32.  Jesus states that every sin will be forgiven - even blasphemy against himself.  But what will not be forgiven is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.     This comes after saying in verse 30 "Whoever is not with me is against me", which tells me that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit happens when someone denies the gospel of Jesus Christ.  I asked the question earlier why would Jesus die for our sins only to exclude one sin.  Well the answer is tied up in the way to salvation; if accepting the salvation that Jesus offers is the only way to be forgiven from your sins, then it makes sense that the only sin that cannot be forgiven is to reject that salvation.

So while I'm not saying you have a free license to commit suicide, many of us - myself included - have loved ones who have committed suicide, and you can at least be confident that their final sin was not unforgivable.