What About Suicide?
Welcome to the fourth post in our blog series on The Sanctity of Life. Having examined the distinction between killing and murder, abortion at the beginning of life, and euthanasia at life’s end, we now address a topic that touches countless lives with profound sorrow: suicide, self-harm, and the valuation of self under the Sixth Commandment ("You shall not murder," Exodus 20:13, NKJV).
Is Suicide a Violation of the Sixth Commandment?
Historically and modernly, Christian theology has recognized suicide as a violation of the Sixth Commandment directed inward. The commandment does not say "You shall not murder others"; it prohibits the unlawful, deliberate taking of human life in general. Because our lives do not belong solely to us, we lack the moral authority to destroy what God created and sustains.
The Apostle Paul highlights the true owner of human existence when he writes:
"Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s." (I Corinthians 6:19–20, NKJV)
Because human life is made in the image of God (Imago Dei), every person possesses intrinsic value. Ending one's own life cuts short the life God entrusted to us, severing our earthly vocation and relationships.
Historical Shifts: From Moral Crime to Public Health Crisis
Society’s perception of suicide has evolved significantly throughout history. In ancient and medieval times, suicide was largely viewed through a civic or legal lens—as a crime against the state or community, often carrying harsh post-mortem social penalties.
Over the past century, a crucial shift occurred. Today, medical science and sociology rightly recognize suicide primarily as a public health crisis and a crisis of mental health. Rather than viewing self-destruction solely as an intentional act of rebellion, modern medicine understands that severe depression, psychiatric illness, intense trauma, and neurological chemical imbalances drastically impair a person's rational agency and cognitive judgment.
Tragic Despair, Mental Illness & Divine Grace
To address suicide biblically and compassionately, we must distinguish between deliberate self-termination and the overwhelming agony caused by mental illness. When acute despair or psychiatric disease clouds a person's mind, their capacity for choice is severely compromised. One might argue that wrestling with mental illness, reacting (or overreacting) in a split second emergency, or making an impaired decision, could hinder one's ability to choose what is rational, ethical and spiritually mature.
The Bible records instances of God's servants experiencing intense emotional distress, burnout, and profound despair like David and Job. The prophet Elijah, fleeing for his life and overwhelmed by exhaustion, sat under a broom tree and asked to die:
"It is enough! Now, Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!" (I Kings 19:4, NKJV)
God did not condemn Elijah for his anguish. Instead, He sent an angel to provide food, rest, physical refreshment, and gentle encouragement. God meets us in our deepest psychological pain with grace, not condemnation.
Conclusion: Reaffirming the Worth of Every Life
The Sixth Commandment calls us to value self-preservation and recognize that our lives have immense worth to God, even in our darkest moments. Viewing suicide through a biblical lens mandates that the Church be a place of refuge—actively removing stigma around mental health, offering compassionate support, and reminding every suffering soul that their life is sacred and worth living.
You are loved.
Ray
This blog is partially sponsored by Peachtree Press LLC, Reclaiming Hope Ministry, Getting To Know Your Bible, the Summerdale Church of Christ, and the Didasko Bible Institute.
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