Suicide, Do Not Do It

Suicide; don't do it, because it is written, "Thou shalt not kill" (Exodus 20:13).

Since the June blog, I've been hearing about someone who thought of taking his own life. I prayed for him, and left it at that. Then when I asked our Heavenly Father what to write for my July blog, He answered, write about the sin that is called suicide.

Why is suicide a sin? Because it is written, "Thou shalt not kill." "Thou shalt not kill," has a new meaning in the New Testament. In the New Testament, "Thou shalt not kill," means, you shall not hate you brother, or be angry with him without a cause (Matthew 5: 21-22, 1 John 3:15). Whoever hates, or is angry with his brother without a cause is guilty of breaking God's commandment that says, "Thou shalt not kill."

Don't hate yourself either. If you have sinned, and feel ashamed and sorry for what you've done. I mean, if you are sorry for breaking God's commands, then that is a good start. But you have to do more than just feel sorry and ashamed. You have to go the next step and repent.

The Bible which is written in Hebrew and Greek uses the Hebrew word Shuwb for repent, and it means to turn away and return (The Doctrine of the Atonement, 253). Mentanoeo is a Greek word for repent as well, and it means to think differently (The Doctrine of the Atonement, 253). And of course, when you think differently, you act differently.

So after breaking God's commands, we should feel sorry, and stop it. God forbids us to continue in sin (Romans 6:15).

Let's talk about Judas a little, Jesus unfaithful disciple, who betrayed, and sold his Friend for thirty pieces of silver. The Bible says that Judas felt sorry afterwards, and returned the money; but rather than go to the Lord and beg forgiveness, he went and took his own life (Mat. 27: 1-5). Judas should have gone to Jesus, his Friend, and apologized for betraying and selling Him. He should have then ventured never to do it again. Judas should have repented, and moved on with his life, not repent then take his own life.

Now the Corinthians; one of them committed fornication, and one of the worse kinds; with his father's wife, which dishonored his father, and is what I call incest (New International Version, Leviticus 18: 6-8, 1 Corinthians 5). Then he had the nerve to refuse to repent. What's more is that the church, who should have corrected him, were putting up with him. So Paul writes, with inspiration from God, a sharp letter to him, and the church that he was attending, and says to put him out of the church until he stops fornicating. When he stops fornicating, then welcome him again.

Well surely enough, after they put him out, he stopped fornicating. It was then that Paul wrote, with inspiration from God, this letter to them from 2 Corinthians 7:9-11:

⁹Yet I am glad now, not because you were pained, but because you were pained into repentance [that turned you to God]; for you felt a grief such as God meant you to feel, so that in nothing you might suffer loss through us or harm for what we did.

¹⁰For Godly grief and pain God is permitted to direct, produce a repentance that leads and contributes to salvation and deliverance from evil, and it never brings regret; but worldly grief (the hopeless sorrow that is characteristic of the pagan world) is deadly [breeding and ending in death].

¹¹For [you can look back now and] observe what this same [Godly] sorrow has done for you and has produced in you: what eagerness and earnest care to explain and clear yourselves [of all complicity in the condoning of incest], what indignation [at the sin], what alarm, what yearning, what zeal [to do justice to all concerned], what readiness to mete out punishment [to the offender]! At every point you have proved yourselves cleared and guiltless in the matter.

The difference between the Corinthian, Peter (Jesus other disciple, and friend who lied, and denied knowing Him three times) and Judas is that Peter and the Corinthian didn't commit suicide. They repented, and ventured never to do it again. Peter went on to become one of the pillars of our Faith in God through Christ Jesus, His Son, and builder of the Church. To God be the Glory!

Yours in Christ's Love,

Denise

PS Have you been filled with the Holy Ghost?

The Big Picture

Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ,

I dislike using parables, but sometimes it is the only way...

In a world that is a sea of uncertainty, I find that my only point of reference is not always in focus. Readjusting the lens a few times help me to do three things: get a clear picture, see very important scenes, and of course, see the big picture.

Sometimes changing positions help me to get a better perspective. Have you ever searched for something real that you can believe in? Recently I have. After praying about it several times, the Lord gave me a song. God does, from time to time, place a song on my heart, which I wasn't even thinking of before, to help me see things properly. Sometimes the song is secular, but usually Alternative. Violence or other offensive nature sometimes frequent the lyrics. Other times the song is simply just romantic.

After listening to it, I get it--the big picture, or I go to the Lord in prayer to find out why He gave me that song. Rarely do I find myself waiting long for the Lord to give me clarification. And when I see a clear picture, with all the right images, I am satisfied, but most important I know how to act in a way that will glorify my Heavenly Father, through His Son, Jesus Christ!

Yours in Christ's Love,
Denise

PS When were you filled with the Holy Spirit?