Jon Noyes explains that the manner in which we die does not determine our eternal destiny and reminds believers that, at the same time, God’s lavish grace is not an excuse to sin.
Transcript
There’s this idea that a Christian who dies by suicide can’t go to Heaven because they weren’t able to repent or confess of their sin, but here’s the truth of the matter: According to what the Bible says, the manner in which a person dies has no determination on their eternal destiny. Zero. Zilch. Nada. So, if a Christian dies by suicide, it’s not the suicide that determines their destiny. This is equally true of a non-Christian. If an unsaved person dies by suicide, it isn’t the suicide that determines their eternal destiny. Where a person spends an eternity is determined by one factor and one factor only: Did that person accept or reject Christ?
This is the way I like to say it, and this is an illustration. God’s going to ask you one question when you stand before him. He’s going to say, what did you do with my Son? What you do with Jesus here and now is what determines where you spend eternity. That’s it. Our hope is not found in repentance. And repentance is good. I’m not saying it’s not good. It is. It’s a good thing. It’s a gift given to us by God, but we can’t even begin to repent until our hard heart is softened. Our hope that we have is found in an unwavering relationship with a redeemer God and the Son of Heaven. That’s the truth of the matter.
Now, I want to be extra clear, because this comes up too. This is super important. Suicide is a serious sin. It is self-murder. It’s wrong. You ought not pursue sin, ever, even knowing full well that you’re forgiven. I know I stand before God forgiven right now, but I’m not going to go chase an adulterous affair. I’m not going to pursue addiction. I’m not going to pursue hedonistic living. I’m not going to pursue these things because they’re wrong, and I’m in love with Jesus, and I want to chase Jesus. I want to look more like Jesus tomorrow than I do today, but my salvation doesn’t wax and wane with my behavior. It’s important to understand this. Suicide is a sin, and we should never do it.
Just because you’re covered by grace doesn’t mean it gives you the right to do whatever you want with your body. When you become a Christian, you don’t experience autonomy; you become a slave to righteousness. You have a new master. You’re no longer a slave or a child of iniquity. You’re no longer a slave to your sin. You’re a slave to righteousness. You are not your own because you’ve been purchased and bought at a price, and that price was Christ. Paul is clear on this in Romans 5 and 6 as he’s talking to the Christians in Rome. He’s preaching this lavish grace on them, and they get the brilliant idea, “Should I just go on abounding in my sin so the grace of God can abound even more? With multiplied sins comes multiplied grace. In order to show that God’s grace is so overwhelmingly amazing, I’ll just sin more.” What’s Paul’s answer? May it never be! Don’t do that!
I want to let you know, if you’re sitting here, and you’re watching this right now, and you’re thinking that this amazing, this lavish grace is an excuse, that it’s a way out to die by suicide, it’s not. You need help, and there are so many people who want to help you right now at this moment.