Thoughts about Suicide and the Gospel
There’s been no shortage of online attention the past couple of days given to Robin Williams’ suicide. Understandably. It’s hard to make a case for anyone contributing more to American entertainment in the past forty years. Very few have provided more laughs. So now we cry. The nation mourns.
What I haven’t seen yet, and what I think a community of largely bipartisan thoughts is longing for right now, is a “trispectival analysis” of the issue of suicide. I find it helpful to use this particular assessment tool whenever possible – consider what an irreligious assessment, a religious assessment, and a gospel assessment of a given situation would all uniquely look like.
I’ve used this tool before, but as a reminder, here’s a quick summary:
An irreligious person sees morality as relative, believes people are born basically good but sometimes hurt others or themselves when put in bad circumstances, and acknowledges no higher authority than man. Irreligion is perhaps best characterized by self-indulgence.
A religious person sees morality as purely black and white, believes there are good people and bad people, and while he acknowledges God as the ultimate authority, he believes that because of his good behavior he is more deserving of God’s blessing than the “bad” people. Religion is perhaps best characterized by self-righteousness.
A gospel-thinking person understands the black and white of morality but recognizes there is a shaded spectrum of motives, believes we are inherently born broken and powerless to put ourselves back together, and acknowledges Jesus Christ as both Lord and Savior. Gospel-thinkers are perhaps best characterized by humility about self and confidence in Christ.
With that said, how shall we understand suicide?
The Irreligious Viewpoint
The majority media viewpoint regarding Robin Williams is that he was a sensational talent who died too soon and left us with many fond memories. We (i.e. Christians) can agree with that…in part.
For the dozens of articles I’ve now glanced through on the topic, I haven’t seen any more insightful commentary on William’s life, career, and death than the one Newsweek provided. The author here astutely points out that for all the brilliance of Williams’ improv comedy, his most profound roles were in Dead Poets Society, Good Morning, Vietnam and Good Will Hunting. He observes, “That all three of those characters—Adrian Cronauer, Keating and Sean Maguire—were men dedicated to enriching the lives of young men whose paths were at a crossroads was probably no coincidence.” I think the Newsweek author is spot on. Williams played what he knew – be it the fifty-two hilarious characters he wove together as the genie in Aladdin, or a middle-aged man reflecting on the internal conflicts of life in those three aforementioned roles.
While remembering the brilliance of Williams’ career, however, you’ll notice that the irreligious world cannot ever offer a reasonable diagnosis of what drives such a talented man to take his own life. You hear a lot about mental illness as disease. You hear about addiction. I’m the last person to discount the occasionally debilitating effects of neurochemicals. But if the chemistry of the brain is the only contributing factor to Williams’ suicide, how do we account for the sixty-three previous years? Doesn’t even brain chemistry sound a little superficial to something so tragic? Fascinatingly, as though finally aware that there’s more going on here than mere chemical interaction, in such moments, even the irreligious community resorts to dabbling with the spiritual when it uses such expressions as “fighting his demons.”
The Religious Viewpoint
In our current age, it’s considerably rarer to hear the other end of the spectrum – the religious viewpoint. But it’s certainly still there. And it’s loud. This is the view of religious people that we are simply the product of our choices. We are who we’ve chosen to be. And we also then have responsibility for those choices. We (i.e. Christians) can agree with this also…in part.
Self-determination, as a philosophy of the individual, has not exactly died, but it’s certainly going away in Western thought. Born out of the ideas of Plato, Thomas Hobbes, David Hume, Immanuel Kant and others is the idea that “you can be anything you want to be if you simply put your mind to it and work hard.” It was considered a mere matter of choices. This was the predominant thought in our “Land of Opportunity” for middle part of the 20th century. As the century closed, however, the Nature vs. Nurture issue changed the discussion about how we become who we are. You’ll notice, however, that neither of those arguments (i.e. nature or nurture) has anything to do with our personal choices. Genetics and upbringing are now considered to be major causes in our personalities, our morality, and yes, even our choices. Put differently, people are thinking less and less that we do bad things, like commit suicide, simply because we choose to do bad things.
This has raised many social questions. For instance, consider this: how accountable for their actions should we hold a child born with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome or one raised with Reactive Attachment Disorder? I don’t think anyone would suggest, “Not accountable at all.” But I also think that many people would assume it only natural that we’d have some additional understanding and sympathy for a child who suffers with a condition that he clearly did not choose for himself.
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Nonetheless, the religious voice that you hear right now will tell you that Williams took his own life and will have to answer to God. He did this because he’s selfish, godless, and has no concern for the effects of his actions. There’s some truth there, but it’s typically said with such unsympathetic disdain that it disempowers any truth it proposes. If you’re really curious, it tends to sound something like this. When you’re telling someone “how it is” in a moment of tragedy, the smugness doesn’t quite reflect God’s spirit of “I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live.” (Ezekiel 33:11)
By the way, ALL Christians, myself included, are guilty of both the Irreligious and Religious Viewpoints on occasion. The question is not whether we’re ever guilty of them. The question is, when we are, do we defend them or do we recognize them for what they are and repent of them.
The Gospel Viewpoint
This post is not a comprehensive summary on the Bible’s position on suicide. For such information, I’d go here. This is simply my thoughts on two common positions on the topic of suicide and how I believe the Bible guides us to a better one.
Suicide is NOT a product of faith. I want to be absolutely clear about that. However, the act itself doesn’t necessarily declare the complete absence of faith either.
If you’re thinking, “But I always heard when I was a kid that if you commit suicide you’re guaranteed to go to hell”, my guess is that you also heard that wearing jeans to church was also near the unforgivable sin too. Where are we at on that one today? I’m not suggesting doctrine changes. I’m suggesting the application of it sometimes changes and quite frankly, the application is sometimes just a bit off, an occurrence that is sometimes easier to see several generations out.
The Church automatically proclaiming hell for everyone who commits suicide in the middle 20th century is in some ways analogous to the Church finding as a heretic anyone who didn’t believe the earth to be the center of the universe in the early 16th century. It’s a claim that the Bible itself doesn’t make. And then Copernicus came along. And many ministers looked pretty silly as a result.
What we now know about neurosciences, although there’s still a LONG way to go, suggests that someone’s behavior, to some degree, can be affected by their brain chemistry. That some behaviors are also then more erratic, more consequential, more life-threatening than others seems obvious. In other words, it would appear possible for someone who is not thinking straight to take their own life due to poor momentary choices rather than outright unbelief.
Does that take away all culpability? Of course not. Suicide is still sin. Murder, in fact. And humans are guilty for their sins. But it doesn’t track that this particular sin forfeits salvation simply because there is little window for repentance after it is committed. Let’s flesh that thought out. What do you think the odds are that from the time of your last repentance until the moment you die you will have perfectly repented of each of your failures?
Not sure, but I wouldn’t bank my salvation on it.
In other words, your salvation is NOT based on your perfect repentance, but on your perfect Savior. So, if you confess your sins at church on Sunday, slip into a hateful thought about a fellow church member on your drive home, and as you’re distracted by your anger, you get into a car accident and die, THANK GOD your eternal life is not in jeopardy. God’s grace is a state that you live in, not a needle that you balance on. And therefore, if someone who professes Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, in a moment of weak faith, takes his or her own life, it’s tragic, it’s painful, it’s horrible, and it likely won’t ever fully be gotten over by the loved ones left in the wake. What it is not for us, however, is an occasion to declare someone in hell.
I have absolutely no idea about Robin Williams’ eternal life or death. I know he was raised Episcopal. I know that I’ve never heard of him professing faith in Jesus as his Lord and Savior. I know suicide points to either weak or no faith. All that said, I also know that because God fulfilled his promises in sending a Savior to pay for mankind’s transgressions, heaven or hell does not come based upon our actions in life…or death. Jesus is magnanimous enough that he paid for ALL of those sinful actions completely when he suffered upon the cross in our place. Heaven or hell comes when we either receive Jesus as Savior by faith or when we reject him.
God can save murderers. Even self-murderers. In fact, he’s in the basic business of saving murders, as we all are responsible for Jesus’ death. BELIEF in that is what ultimately makes the eternal difference.
“Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” (John 3:18)
James Hein
This blog is intended to help Christians see our world through eyes of faith. Pastor James Hein seeks to apply the biblical principles to our society to gain an appreciation for changeless truth in a changing world. Pastor Hein serves at St. Marcus Lutheran in Milwaukee, WI.
29 Comments
Tracy
Thanks
James Hein
Thanks for reading, Tracy!
Jon Brohn
Thanks James, for a well thought out statement. Is it okay if I would print this and share it with a few of my members who have been grappling with this issue?
In Christ,
Jon
Pastor Jon Brohn
14940 62nd St. N.
Stillwater, MN 55082
http://www.salemlutheran.org
“I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.” (John 13:16)
Hungry Beggar
By all means feel free to print and share!
Jonathan Mayer
Pastor Hein,
Thank you for this wonderful message. We hear a lot of that repentance-based salvation in the WELS, so thank you for setting the story straight. There must have been a teacher at one of our synod schools at one time who taught that if you die instantly in a car accident while speeding, you would go to hell, because you had not yet repented of it. If our salvation depended on immediate and complete repentance of all of our sins, we would surely all be condemned. Thank God that his grace to us in Jesus Christ has no strings attached!
The only part of this article that I balked at was this: “Religion is perhaps best characterized by self-righteousness.” Perhaps this is true in general. But Christianity is a religion, too. The way you’ve worded it sounds like the “Why I love Jesus, but hate Religion” fad. You’ve given religion a bad connotation here that I don’t think it deserves.
James Hein
Hi Jonathan,
Again, thanks much for reading and for your thoughts.
I’ve run into people (primarily lifelong church people) taking issue with the “religion” distinction on a number of occasions. Here’s my take:
You’re right that the word religion itself doesn’t necessarily have to have any fault with it. The problem is that a good percentage of people in our country today immediately associate “religion” with organizationally imposed morality. Before we scoff at that, we need to be honest about the accuracy of such an understanding – every non Christian religion is, in fact, an appeal for you to bridge the gap between you and the divine by way of your actions. To lump Christianity in with that group, as I would venture a majority in our country now do, is not doing anything to clarify the uniqueness of Christianity – where God bridges the gap with us by taking on human flesh and suffering in our place.
The distinction needs to be made that Christianity is NOT about what we do but about what Jesus HAS DONE to a nation that is frustrated and confused about what Christianity truly is.
Is religion the ideal word to express that? I don’t know. I don’t know that there is an ideal word. But there is a definite societal association with “religion” right now that has nothing to do with the person and character of Jesus and it’s one that we need to clarify. Diana Butler Bass shows pretty extensive research on this in “Christianity After Religion” if you’re like more evidence.
So…I know you don’t think that “religion” deserves the bad connotation, but the reality at this point is that it has exactly that, and I’m not convinced the effort it’d take to redeem that particular word is worth it, at least at this point. For right now, though, using it the way I do does require some explanation, which is why I tried to provide a basic summary of how I was using it.
JD
I don’t see what you see in Matt Walsh’s blog. I appreciate Walsh’s calling attention first and foremost to the sinfulness of suicide, as I’ve gotten quite sick of all the Williams worship spanning the internet, even in Christian circles. The counterpoint was needed. At the same time, Walsh did not say that a mental illness could not possibly have played a role in Williams’ choice.
What I really don’t like here, though, is the mention of brain chemistry’s impact on behavior as though it excuses behavior. ALL behavior is a product of brain activity. Brain activity is the physical manifestation of every thought and memory we have. To say that we’re not responsible for actions motivated by the physical nature of our brains is to say that we have no free will at all. Such a belief nullifies both sin and faith!
Our world is full of this fallacy – saying that people are “born that way”, so what they do can’t be wrong. Of course it is!
I understand that a person can be inhibited to an extent that his actions don’t reflect the lack of faith that they appear to reflect (though Williams expressed a lack of faith pretty clearly throughout his adult life). But we’re all inhibited by the sinful nature all the time, and that doesn’t mean that our sins don’t count!
James Hein
“Does that take away all culpability? Of course not. Suicide is still sin. Murder, in fact. And humans are guilty for their sins.” Please re-read. I’d also encourage a reading of what the Apostle Paul says in Romans 7. Is sin merely, key word being MERELY, a product of poor volition.
You’re taking a true point – the fact that the irreligious world is dismissive of sin, and swinging the pendulum into the religious pit on the other side – that’s Walsh 101.
Pastor David Ernest
Well said, Pastor Hein. Thank you for your contribution on this topic.
James Hein
My pleasure. Thanks for reading!
Beth Voswinkel
Thank you so much for this Gospel insight on the topic of suicide. Very well written and based on what the Lord tells us in His Word and His redeeming and endless love; not on judgment that many are quick to give.
James Hein
Thank you, Beth!
Joey Schumann
Pastor Hein, thanks. I’ve been feeling really down since I read Matt Walsh’s blog about 24 hours ago. THANK YOU for getting this out there.
James Hein
I thought it was important to provide a counterpoint. I ultimately want my words to be building up, not tearing down someone else’s work, but I think he provides an opportunity to make a clear, important distinction with Christianity.
Thanks again for reading!
Heather Biedenbender
Pastor Hein,
Excellent article!! More of our pastors need to discuss this topic with their members. Growing up I was always taught that suicide equals hell. I believed that, until I was diagnosed with my own mental illness. Unfortunately, the pastors that I sought help from never ever mentioned the possibility that I was suffering from a mental illness and should seek help from a psychiatrist. I was convinced that my issues were faith related!!! So wrong, they were chemical imbalances in my brain. Thankfully, my issues have been helped through a proper diagnosis, medication, and counselling. I suffered for many months thinking that my faith was not strong enough. I am sure there are many church members out there who have already decided that Robin Williams is in hell without a second thought about his mental illness. Thank you for spiritually educating us on this uncomfortable topic.
James Hein
Thanks, Heather! I’ve written about this topic in some more detail at http://wp.me/pIDP5-Dj. The Bible has a wonderfully nuanced approach to overall health and wellness that isn’t nearly as simplistic as the irreligious or the religious tend to espouse.
ken borchert
Pastor Hein as Lutheran and former member of WELS I can not agree with your writing on suicide. Suicide is wrong and the person will go to hell unless he repents. In suicide there is no time to repent. You can not repent for it before hand because you are then going back to catholicisms practice asking forgiveness before committing a sin. Suicide is wrong and from what bible classes over the years have taught it is a sin punishable by God sending one to hell. Your writing of this and the explanation of it once again has the WELS siding with a matter that is totally wrong. These are the sort of things that had me leave WELS. Irresponsible quoting or misquoting scripture and GOD’S WORD. Every pastor I have had in the past 67 years of my life has said if you commit suicde you will go to hell. GOD’S WORD as I understand it is true for the past, present and future as written by inspired men of GOD. No deviation. You should not have written this article it is false. Robin Williams will not rest in peace. His committing suicide took care of that.
James Hein
Ken, I appreciate you taking the time to read, but I’d encourage a re-reading. As it stands, you are the quintessential Religious Guy.
Michael Schottey
From Pastor Hein: “In other words, your salvation is NOT based on your perfect repentance, but on your perfect Savior.”
The idea that people go to hell based on the completion of their repentance is NOT a Lutheran (or WELS) teaching. There are worlds difference between the idea of being “an impenitent unbeliever” and “not repenting for a single sin.”
We are saved by grace through faith on the merits of our savior, Jesus.
Almost all of us will likely die with unrepentant sins, but those with faith will also die as saints washed in the blood of the lamb (simul iustus et peccator).
Mark Boudreau
Ken – Some of your wording is very interesting, as well as revealing:
1) “Suicide is wrong and from what bible classes over the years have taught it is a sin punishable by God sending one to hell.” So, Bible classes (i.e., class leaders and group consensus) have taught you about the eternal consequence of suicide? Leaders and consensus also taught that the world was flat, that “earth, wind, fire, and water” were the four “elements” that made up everything, and that an object in motion tended to come to rest (contrary to Newton’s 1st law of motion). I recognize that my examples all pertain to the physical realm while the idea that “suicide = hell” transcends the physical, but my point is simply this: unquestioning and noncritical submission to a popularly-held belief does not make the belief true.
2) “Every pastor I have had in the past 67 years of my life has said if you commit suicde you will go to hell.” I attended a WELS school from kindergarten through 8th grade, and attended church throughout that time and as well as through high school into adulthood. If I had continued unquestioningly believing everything that pastors and other leaders taught me through those years, I would also believe the same as you about suicide, that all non-WELS people were heathen, and that non-baptized infants/children who died likely met a similar fate as suicidal adults. The difference between you and me is that – while you have continued trusting in the word of “authorities” in the church for your entire life – I began thinking for myself and critically evaluating WELS (and other Christian) teachings in my mid-20s or so, such that now – at age 41 – I am no longer fearful of hellfire in departing from the “status quo” taught by the “authorities.” Rather, I prefer investigating for myself what the Bible really has to say about a subject, and evaluating the writer’s historical and cultural context.
I agree with James Hein’s comment: “As it stands, you are the quintessential Religious Guy.”
colleen
I read Mike Walshes blog. Then i read yours. What is a person to believe? I am in the deep dark pit right now. Suicide does look like the answer. The only thing preventing me is how family will take it. I take meds. The church disagrees with that. If i were to stop taking meds i would commit suicide. When i eventually come out of this pit my thoughts will be more rational but church will still be against me. It is during these times suicide is the strongest. The church is no support and i know i will be going back into the pit again sometime. Suicide can prevent this cycle of hell. But there is family. I am a christian but those who are suppose to support me in my faith are not there. I am not sure what exactually i am trying to say. This is part of the pit. I dont know what to believe on what the bible says about suicide. I have been let down by my pastor so how can i beleive what he has to say about suicide. Help.
James Hein
Colleen, it’s important for you to stay on your meds at this point. Second, I would specifically talk to others at church. Perhaps it’s time to locate a new pastor and church. But I wouldn’t rule out trying to talk with your pastor once again when you’re feeling better.
Anyways, I’m well-acquainted with the brain fog that you’re describing as well as the desire for it to finally end. I promise that there is relief available, both in God’s promises, God’s supportive people, and perhaps getting your meds balanced.
Hang in there. It’s worth it!!! Please read more at the following links below and feel free to contact me.
http://wp.me/pIDP5-Dj “Recovering From Sadness”
http://wp.me/pIDP5-nb “The Medicated Christian
Heather Biedenbender
Colleen,
I understand your pain too. A mental illness can convince you that the thought patterns and feelings that you deal with are REALLY YOU!! It’s not you-it is your mental illness that causes the awful emotions and roller coaster feelings that you go through. Please do not let anyone convince you that taking meds is the WRONG thing to do. That is absurd!!! That is like telling a person with cancer to not go through chemo! So many people are uneducated about mental illness and treatment. Chemical imbalances in your brain can cause such awful despair. You need to make sure you have a doctor that you feel comfortable with discussing your issues. You also need to be closely monitored if you are starting a new medication. It takes time to find meds that will work for you so you have to be patient and work with your doctor. Be completely honest about how you feel and how the meds make you feel. You might have to be admitted if you are scared that you are going to hurt yourself. That is o.k., it will give doctors time to figure out a treatment plan for you. Medication is not a quick fix but it surely can help reduce your symptoms as you focus on a diagnosis and treatment plan. Your life is worth fighting for and God will help you get through the difficult times ahead. It is o.k. to ask for help. God has provided us with such excellent doctors in the mental health field, please seek the help they can provide. I will pray that you find peace!!!
Janis Visaggio
“God’s grace is a state that you live in, not a needle that you balance on.” I love this sentence!
James Hein
Thank, Janis! I’m convinced that, in a sense, our single biggest error is underestimating the overwhelming love of God.
KB
Very well-written blog and helpful to those who are trying to sift through all of this right now. It’s not a big point, but I thought worth mentioning–I saw an interview that Williams gave (not too long ago I believe) in which he did mention that in life, there are a few things of which to be certain–one of those is a loving God. We will not know where he was in his faith, we can only say “I don’t know” but I do find some small comfort in the statement he made in that interview.
James Hein
Thanks, KB! I saw a couple of videos like that as well. They were certainly more vague than I’d hope for them to be, but you’re right, if there was true saving faith in his heart, I’m certain that God didn’t miss it. He alone knows and is the only one qualified for the ultimate judgment.
James J Blado
All mankind are God’s children. All mankind are sinners. All God’s children are sinful from birth through life. Mankind sins daily and cannot avoid sin nor can man/woman/child be free from sin during their lifetime on this earth (this veil-of-tears.)
Repentance yes; free from sin no. In this earthly veil-of-tears, mankind’s temporal journey, mankind cannot keep God’s law perfectly. God’s law condemns mankind to eternal damnation in hell. It is impossible for sinful mankind to enter into eternal life in heaven with God through any merit or good deeds on their part. Not one.
Only faith in God’s Son Jesus Christ crucified assures mankind of life eternal with God in heaven. Only God’s love and mercy, Jesus Christ crucified, mankind’s substitute, saves mankind from eternal hell-fire and damnation and assures mankind of eternal life in heaven.
God loves all his children even though they sin daily. God does not hate mankind. God condemns sin. Sin condemns mankind to eternal hell-fire and damnation. Man cannot save himself from sin by good deeds and cannot enter into God’s Eternal Heavenly Kingdom through any merit or worthiness on man’s part. God doesn’t want anyone of his children to live in eternal hell-fire and damnation with the devil. God wants everyone to be saved and to live with him in heaven for eternity.
What’s God’s plan for sinful mankind’s salvation and eternal life in heaven with Him? God sent His one and only Son Jesus Christ to save the entire world from sin, death and damnation. Jesus Christ crucified died to take away the sins of the entire world. John 3:16—For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 3: 17—For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
God’s love and mercy, the Triune God, the Trinity, three persons-in-one, God the Father, God the Son Jesus Christ and God the Holy Spirit, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, sinless, Alpha & Omega, sent His Son Jesus Christ to be mankind’s substitute for the sins of the entire world. God’s Son, Jesus Christ, intervened on mankind’s behalf to die for the sins of the entire world. All generations: past, present and future. All sins: past, present and future. So, that through faith in Jesus Christ crucified all people can have eternal life in heaven with God, the Trinity.
How glorious is that? How glorious is God’s love? God’s one and only begotten Son, Jesus death and resurrection, forgave all mankind’s past, present & future sins once and for all. There’s nothing more mankind needs to do for their sins. God has already done everything for the forgiveness of man’s sins and God gives the assurance that every man, woman and child can have salvation for eternal life in heaven through faith in Jesus Christ crucified, the Savior for all mankind from sin, death and eternal damnation in hell.
In love, faithfulness and thankfulness, God loves to have mankind express their love for God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit by being disciples of Jesus Christ crucified and being disciples of Jesus’ Great Commission to His disciples: Mark 16: 15 – 16—And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. .
Jesus Christ crucified conquered death, the devil and eternal damnation in hell so mankind can be assured of eternal life in heaven with the living Triune God through faith in Jesus Christ crucified. How simple is that? What greater love can there be that God’s Son Jesus Christ crucified has done it all for mankind—for all of us sinners?
Sins forgiven!
Faith in Jesus Christ crucified for eternal life in heaven!
How great is Jesus’ love for His children?
Emily
Thank you. This helps in a way that nothing else I have read does.