What Does the Bible Say About Suicide?

What does the Bible say about suicide vest is one of the questions will be answering on today's addition of core Christianity hi this is Bill Meyer along with Pastor Gabriel Sanchez and this is the radio program where we answer your questions about the Bible and the Christian life every day. We would love to hear from you.

You can call us right now with your question. At 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673, as always, you can post your question on our Facebook, Instagram or twitter accounts. You can watch us right now on YouTube and messages that way and you can always email us your question at questions at core, Christianity.com first up today let's go to John in St. Louis, Missouri. John what your question for Pastor Israel I love your program and Larry always can learn something and my question is I don't know can never really be deftly answered on this on this earth but since it says in Genesis that God created the heavens to grade the stars and grade earth and all all that we see what was God's interest kindly often wondered wonder what God was doing before he did all that I want to be due before that, John. Thank you for your encouragement and thank you for that question. And I mean that we are speculating a little bit here is as you said, and we have the history of redemption and in what God did for us in creation, creating all things referred to to Genesis. We do know that God, the holy Trinity existed in perfect purity. Love, joy, all of the things the guy didn't need anything that they didn't create the world because he was lacking something. It was really out of the abundance of his glory and of his love that he chose to create freely and so God existed in in perfect harmony in perfect peace and perfect glory. And I guess what one passage of Scripture that I would go to John is Jesus's high priestly prayer in John chapter 17 it says this, verse one when Jesus is spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said father, the hour has come. Glorify your son that the son may glorify you since you have given him authority over all flesh to give eternal life to all whom you have given to him and this is eternal life that they know you the only true God and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.

I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do and now father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed as late right there. Jesus makes it very clear in verse five that the holy Trinity, God the father, God the son and God the Holy Spirit existed prior to the creation before all things in perfect glory in in love and so that's one passage of Scripture that I would point you to.

But what the Bible is concerned with primarily is God's acts of redemption in history. That's why we sometimes refer to the Bible is the record of redemptive history. It's what God has done to reveal himself is God who is uncreated was before all things, what he did to reveal himself to his creation. And so thank you John for that question and thank you for your encouragement again.

May the Lord bless your day you're listening to core Christianity with Pastor Israel Sanchez.

As always, we love to receive your phone calls and questions and will take calls for the next 20 minutes or so. If you have any question about the Bible or the Christian life. Give us a call 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673 let's go to a voicemail received from one of our callers named Shelby in Texas, about their twaddle that I shall be. Thank you for for your question and this is always a question that we want to be very sensitive and in handling one wheat we always point people to just be you who are who are struggling with this you were contemplating suicide. There is the national suicide.

Suicide prevention hotline or lifeline is available 24 hours a day, 1-800-273-8255. This is something that you're thinking about maybe turn the radio off right now and and call that number 1-800-273-8255. We recognize that, you know, especially with with the last year that we've had. There's a lot of stress there are a lot of extra pressures. There's a lot of depression and so this is just a really important conversation for us to have an in with regard to what the Bible says about suicide in is interesting. I was reading recently, a theologian who asserted discussing this, and he was talking about when when Rome was essentially sacked by the barbarians. How there were many people who contemplated suicide or did commit suicide for fear of being harmed by the barbarians, and so this particular theologian was was sort of wrestling through what the Bible actually does teach on this and encouraging people not to take their own lives, one for the fundamental reason that our lives are not our own, were created by God it we don't have the there right over our life. In that sense to say it. I just want to end it now know God gave us life to know him and to glorify him and it is a one it was excavators, they want one passage of Scripture that this this particular theologian pointed to as you look at the 10 Commandments in Exodus chapter 20, and you have that command, you shall not murder, and you and he was making the point that you a little bit later when you have the command not to bear false witness against your neighbor that that that phrase against your neighbor or your neighbor isn't added to the prohibition with regard to murder because there is such a thing as self murder by taking one's own life and that would be wrong. That would be sending God's eyes, like I already said, because of the fact that we belong to the Lord.

Mind, body and soul. But even even if we don't call ourselves Christians.

God created you for a purpose and that purpose is to know him to glorify him now II know that there are so many other things that we have to bring up when we have a discussion like this you think about the reality of mental health and and Bill lied. I'd appreciate some of some of your insights hereto is as someone is who is trained in in this field.

In particular about we just want to encourage all of you is those of you who are struggling with depression, there is hope, there is help and you you really need to get that help immediately go in and talk to someone about how it is that you're feeling and know as I said that that that there is hope is in their bill. Now you know what you said something so key there Israel you said talk to someone reach out to anyone that you know was close to a friend or family member, a pastor and let them know what's going on in your life because God loves you and they love you and they don't want you to do anything that would put your life in harm's way. One of the things we often say in the psychology world, a drill is that suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem and were mean by that is, at the time. You may think that life is over, that there's no hope.

But for many people, that of contemplated suicide. When you talk to them. A year later they can't even believe that they would've considered that because the circumstances of change so dramatically in their life. Not that a year from now you know everything is going to be rosy, but the fact is that most people if who were seriously considering that you asked me your later and they're just flabbergasted that they would've ever considered taking their own life so it is a indeed a permanent solution to a temporary problem you need to get help.

You need to find hope and you mentioned that suicide prevention hotline will give it again and you can call 24 hours a day, 800-273-8255.

You can also just a Google that and call it that number.

There are people there counselors are waiting to talk to you. Thank you Bill, this is core Christianity with Pastor Israel Sanchez. Let's go to Christine calling in from Toledo, Ohio, Christine, what's your question for Pastor Israel. I was just calling in regards to Marcello about just the certainty of salvation in regard to reading second Peter 220 you know those who escape wickedness by knowing the Lord and knowing their Savior and then getting tangled up in Seneca and are worse off than they were before.

When I guess I just always been so cemented in like the book of John in out chapter 6 chapter 17.

He talked about he doesn't lose one of the father had given him so I don't know if that's just referring to the disciples or if he is referring to everyone who come who come to Christ. Sias NASA certainty is the salvation just on my loss on how to interpret that I know and I could see why this passage of Scripture might might raise some concerns in your mind's house, to be honest it it did for me as well.

When I was a newer believer and I was reading about the false teachers and second Peter chapter 2 just thinking oh man, you know that this is absolutely terrifying because it's very clear Christine in second Peter chapter 2 that these false teachers have have this intimate knowledge of the things of the Lord and yet there's something so sinister about them that we have to define them from for who they are what they are and and that's exactly what Peter calls them in second Peter chapter 1 he says a second chapter 2 verse 20 says, but false prophets also arose among the people. Just as there will be false teachers among you who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them bring upon themselves swift destruction, then you were referring to a little bit later and in verse 20, which is if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And there I get entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first four. It would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness, and after having known it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them now. How do we make sense of this.

Are these people who lost their salvation. No, I don't think that there people who lost their salvation, not at all because as you said, you know you go to the gospel of John. For example, and John makes it absolutely clear that if we believe in Jesus Christ, we have passed from death to life.

We don't enter into judgment.

Jesus is that in John chapter 5 in John chapter 10 I think that you referring to that is all you know that, beginning in verse 20, 24th, as the Jews gathered around him and said to him, how long will you keep us in suspense.

If you are the Christ, tell us plainly in Jesus that I told you, and you do not believe the works that I do in my father's name bear witness about me, but you do not believe because you are not of my sheep.

I would say that these false teachers and and second Peter chapter 2 are also those who are not the sheep. In fact, Peter goes on to say that there like dogs who returned to their own vomit. Jesus is verse 27 my sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me is precisely what the false teachers in second Peter chapter 2 don't do they deny the Master who bought them. Peter says I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My father, who is given them to me, is greater than all and no one is able to snatch them out of my father's hand I am the father are one, and I know you're familiar with those words, Christine, but I think with what Peter is highlighting there in second Peter chapter 2 is that there is an intimate knowledge that people can have about God, about the commandments of the Lord. The things of the Lord.

It can even rise up as teachers in the church. Influential leaders in the church and yet if you have all that knowledge, all of that had knowledge but your heart has not been changed by the gospel will then you're in a very precarious situation you you stand to be judged to be condemned and essentially what these false teachers were doing as they were leaving people away from Jesus and the gospel.

So this is an individual who knows the truth and is struggling to obey God's word and to follow Jesus and is convicted of their sins. These are people as as Peter describes in their their blots and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions while they feast with you, they have eyes full of adultery insatiable for sin. They entice unsteady souls. They have hearts trained in greed occur say to children they have forsaken the right women you just read the description of the false teachers there and these are these are people who love Jesus want to follow Jesus and have known Jesus there people who heard the truth knew the truth and had this intimate knowledge of the word of God and yet reject Jesus and his gospel is sort of reminds me Christine of what Jesus said in Matthew chapter 7 where he says not everyone who says to me Lord Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only those who do the will of my father who is in heaven. Many are going to say to me on that day did we do this that and the other in your name and then Jesus to member what he what he says to these false prophets to these false teachers Christine he says, depart from me.

I never knew you, you who practice lawlessness, not yet. I used to know you. We used to know each other. We used to be in a good relationship you had your sins forgiven and now you've lost all that Jesus is look, I don't even know you.

I've never known you.

We've never been in that relationship that intimate relationship that were called to by faith. And so the these false teachers didn't lose their salvation. They knew the truth cognitively in their heads but they rejected the truth of the gospel and they lived according to their own sensual desires. Thank you for your question, Christine.

Your listing to core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez and we have another 10 minutes left resolve the program. If you have a question about the Bible or the Christian life hop on your phone right now and give us a call at 833 the core that's 833-843-2673 well whether you're driving around town doing errands are going on a long road trip this summer.

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The core let's go to a voicemail, we received of from one of our listeners and this is actually a follow-up to a question that a drill answered earlier this week, I would regard to your question that came in at the end of the boat show. Recently my Abimelech show regarding what does post-mean in Genesis and the early verses of Genesis 1. Let us create the him in our image, Goodpaster made a list of the good coaching mentioned in Crips and paste the tour. There were angels involved in all of these forgotten angels.

I think at least in my opinion, that was the lack of better term.

The initial offering will be the existence of the Trinity, so to speak. That's where the plurality comes from. Anyway, thank you very much for your show. It's a blessing to everyone who listens. I'm sure God bless you all to care about a thank you for that question to me to say to II love when we get follow-ups with the question that I've answered work were someone will say that you know II don't know if I totally agree with your answer there, and you give me a credit provide another perspective, if you ever feel that way.

As you listen to this broadcast you please give us a call we want it. We want to hear your comments as well and be able to engage on the Scriptures very Paris and Breitling. Paul talked about the Koreans and I have that's what they did they search the Scriptures to see if this the things were spoken by the disciples were true, is that something that were all called to do now with regard to this question related to the plurality that you see early in Genesis where God says, let us make man in our image, or using slang with sexy kind of all over the place in Isaiah.

For example, when when I say has a vision of God's throne room. The Lord says who will go for us whom shall we send you know that that kind of a thing, and that there are a few different ways or couple of different ways primary ways of looking at this one is this idea of the divine counsel and that is that God is depicted in the early chapters of Genesis.

Is this great King surrounded by the heavenly host is quote unquote divine counsel and that is the us it's the angelic host and and God is being as I said depicted as the Lord of all creation. The creator king who speaks in the plural.

For that reason, you do see this. I think supported and in different places.

You see it supported and in the Psalms. For example, where it talks about the creation of of man. You have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor their referring to the angelic hosts that even later in Genesis the end of Genesis chapter 3 work were Adam and Eve were exiled from the garden and in God's as man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil, just a little bit later. There it, it talks about the cherubim there again to sort of include the angels in that language but brother, I agree with you that that the that the Trinity is also involved here, because we know that the Trinity was there from the very beginning of creation Genesis chapter 1 verse two, the spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. John chapter 1 verse one in the beginning was the word that is Jesus, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. And so we know that the holy Trinity get before creation. As we as we heard from your talk about that with the very first question on the broadcast today but was there at creation was instrumental in the creation of the world and so I think we can also say yes to what you said brother thank you so much for for your comment and I thanks for listening and one thing I love about you a drill you're not afraid to be challenged by our listeners if they have a question or concern. Are they misunderstood something that you said and really that's kind of one of those both and our responses is meant as far as the Trinity job so I think it is really really easy to be able to say yes I'm into something like the Trinity can be God, the holy Trinity was certainly there at creation and so sometimes you know what when we look at those text of Scripture. The only reason I want it I want to say you just in terms of the original context. How would the. The Hebrew people who were reading those passages of understood them initially. I think they would've pointed to the divine counsel that that that angelic you know heavenly hosts, but I think now you know as we sort of have this progression of of Revelation we know more about God in terms of how his revealed himself. We can also say in and we ought to say that the holy Trinity is is there in Genesis chapter 1 verse one. You're listening to core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez by what by the way, just a reminder that some of the radio stations that air our program error it on a delayed basis.

So if you want to call in live to the studio when were actually taking calls. Here's the time you want to do it. It's 11:30 AM Pacific, which translates into 1230 Mountain 130 Central or 230 Eastern time for that 30 minute. You can call right in the studio and talk to pastor Israel otherwise agree, listening at a later time in the day, you can always leave a voicemail factor. Voicemail operates 24 hours a day you can call us at 833 the court go to Robin who was calling in from Bethany, Missouri Robin, welcome to the program what your question hey Robin are you there hello hey what's your question now and I got it question here is one know the Bible is God's word and you now I know that back out and buy it so strangely we convert that Arnie mineable nonpertinent that are apparent grasp on how determined to divide it happens that even something that can be answered that we know we just recently had a question about this Robin is not a bad question at all.

And, you know. Thank you also for your encouragement.

We want to say we love you to thank you for listening and that the chapter divisions the verse divisions we have weren't worth something that were a part of the original text is not like you know as as Paul was writing his epistles is okay chapter 1 verse three that kind of thing.

This is something we didn't get until probably the 13th century, 14th-century and so really what it's for those chapter divisions the verse numbers are just, you know, for convenience sake to help us in terms of referring back to a particular passage of Scripture's lot easier to remember a passage and to memorize Scripture. We have these things is it's really exit quite helpful that we have these chapter divisions in these verse divisions that when we think about the Old Testament. In particular I was really divided up into three parts. You had the Torah, the first five books of the Old Testament sometimes referred to as the law oftentimes and you have this link to the law in the Old Testament particular the Psalms. It's in the Psalms is referring back to those first five books you had the that the writings or the cat to theme they were referred to and then you also had the prophets, the never be the start of the three major divisions of the Old Testament and then in the New Testament. You have the Gospels you have that the epistles you have pastoral epistles that we divide them up in different ways but let me tell you one thing that that is so important for us to understand what we think about these divisions. Those those divisions in the threefold division of the Old Testament is is a lot more ancient than the chapter divisions that we have stated that she something that I think Jesus referred to himself in Luke chapter 24, after Jesus's resurrection from the dead he's he's on the road with a couple of his disciples and he said to them, these are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you that everything written about me in the law of Moses, you have the Torah that the first five books of the Old Testament and the prophets that never the team and the Psalms which would've been a part of the cat doing the writings.

All of those those divisions, there must be fulfilled. He says that he open their minds to understand the Scriptures, that which Jesus says the entire Bible with the way that it's divided all the Scripture points to me to my salvation to my gospel. That's why Jesus could say that in John chapter 52 that religious leaders if you believed Moses, you would have believed me. So we think about all of these divisions in the Bible how it's broken up that the overarching theme is Jesus Christ and his redemption.

And that's I think the main take away. Thank you for your call. Thanks for listening to core Christianity to request your copy of today's special offer. Visit us at core, Christianity.com and click on offers in the menu bar or call us at 1-833-843-2673. That's 833 when you contact us. Please let us know how you been encouraged by this program and be sure to join us next time. As we explore the truth of God's word together