International Gospel Hour

Guest (Male): The tragedy of suicide, the danger of self-righteousness. What does the Bible say about these matters? Let’s seek godly answers today from the International Gospel Hour. Stay with us.

Jay Webb: Hi, this is Jay Webb from International Gospel Hour. Welcome to our broadcast today. For over 90 years, Churches of Christ have proclaimed God’s word through our broadcasts. Just ahead is another Bible-based lesson with Jeff Archey of International Gospel Hour. Let’s begin.

Jeff Archey: Well, thank you to our Jay Webb and greetings to all of you. It’s great having you today for our studies here from the International Gospel Hour. We’ve been on the air or online or on an app since 1934 and we’re grateful to serve in every way that we can.

Second Timothy 3:16 says, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." Friends, we take Bible study very seriously, and we like to seek what the Bible says of the answers of life.

Before we look at a couple of questions today that we want to consider, I want to pause at this point, speaking of the Bible, and allow our Jay Webb to tell you about our free Bible course that we send by mail. That’s right, the old-fashioned way and it still works. You can get it absolutely free. Here is our Jay Webb with those details.

Jay Webb: Our long-time free Bible study course by mail is always available. Have you tried it yet? Just call us toll-free at 855-444-6988 and leave your name, address, and just say home study. That’s it.

You may also go to our website at internationalgospelhour.com, click on the contact tab and leave us the same information: name, address, and type home study in the message box. Study the Bible at your own pace. Again, it’s free from your friends here at International Gospel Hour.

Jeff Archey: After his resurrection, the scripture tells the following from Luke 24:15: "So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus himself drew near and went with them." Here are two individuals discussing and questioning the resurrection of Christ, and they were asking things that were reasonable.

There are times I have engaged questions about matters in light of scriptures that were reasonable and some not so reasonable, to be very honest with you. Today, I’d like to entertain a couple of important questions that were submitted to me a number of years ago while I was in local preaching.

I would take one Sunday night of the month and we would do what we would call a Q&A. Friends, I find them worthy for all of us to study them. Let’s begin with question one: Give us a godly answer, where in the Bible does it say if one commits suicide, one will be lost eternally?

From the very outset, I used to believe that based on a couple of scriptures from First Corinthians 6:18-20: "Flee fornication. Every sin that a man does is without the body, but he that commits fornication sins against his own body. What? Know you not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which you have of God, and you are not your own? For you are bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's."

Another text was First Corinthians 3:16 and 17: "Know you not that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If any man defiles the temple of God, him shall God destroy, for the temple of God is holy, which temple you are." When you look at these verses, both of these texts, these contexts are dealing with ungodly living, not the taking of one’s life.

As we consider this question concerning suicide, we know that life is a gift from God. We note that from Acts 17:25. We know murder is condemned in Exodus 20:13 and Romans 13:9, and suicide has been called self-murder when committed by a person who is accountable.

At one time, it was estimated that more than 90% of suicide victims are considered to be normal, sane persons. I credit the late Wayne Jackson with these figures. A sane person that would take his or her life when Christ is the answer, they will answer to God.

We also know of circumstances of those not in a right mind and they are unaware. For example, I’m reminded of some men that I’ve known in the past. One man came to and they asked him why he tried to take his life and he was absolutely stunned. He had a situation where a chemical imbalance caused him to make decisions of which he was not even aware.

I’m reminded of another man whose total personality had changed to where he took his life. An autopsy showed a growth upon his brain that affected his reasoning. So there are things that do arise that sometimes we just don’t know the circumstances.

We must also be reminded that judgment lies in the hands of God, and many times there are things of which we are simply not aware. I think of another story I heard of a young lady at her daddy’s funeral. He had taken his life and the preacher was trying to comfort and do the best he could.

At the end, this man’s daughter stood up and said, "May I say something? We don’t know everything that went on with daddy, but here’s what we do know. He loved us and we loved him. This we know." Friends, with this question, let us be proactive.

If you are contemplating suicide or you’re aware of anyone doing so, talk with them and encourage them to a doctor. Help is available. You can simply call or text 988 if you’re struggling. If you’re thinking of this, do it now. 988, you can call or text 988.

The website is 988lifeline.org. Call or text 988 and they will work with you and help you. Then let’s think about the following text of Psalm 34:12: "What man is he that desires life and loves many days that he may see good?" In First Peter 3:10: "For he that will love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil and his lips that they speak no guile."

Let’s embrace the words of Christ of John 10:10: "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." We hope we are able to address this question and we hope that this will be of help to you.

Give us a godly answer, what does self-righteous mean and what does the Bible say about self-righteousness? Defined, it is confident of one’s own righteousness, especially when smugly moralistic and intolerant of the opinions and behavior of others. Note that: confident of one’s own righteousness.

We’re warned of this behavior in Isaiah 65:5: "Which say, stand by thyself, come not near to me for I am holier than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day." We think about the Pharisee and the publican in Luke 18:9-14 when the Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, he talked about everything that he did to God.

The simple publican said, "God be merciful to me a sinner." Jesus told us which one went down to his house justified more than the other. It was the publican who would not so much as lift his eyes to heaven that God would prefer over that Pharisee. Jesus said everyone that exalts himself shall be abased, he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

Self-righteousness is a righteousness formed by one’s self. It is not a righteousness formed by God and his gospel wherein the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith (Romans 1:17). We need not trust in ourselves but trust in God. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Friends, we hope that these two questions and our study have been of help to you. The Bible does not say that one is lost eternally if one commits suicide. There are so many variables there of that individual and things we simply do not know. Judgment would be better left in the hands of God.

Let us be proactive and help others that may be struggling with that. Again, we mentioned earlier of the suicide number, call or text the numbers 988 or 988lifeline.org. They will help direct and speak to someone that will help you.

Friends, also, let’s be more righteous within God than ourselves, for he is the one that will make us righteous. We’re going to pause for a few words from our Jay Webb. We have some material we’d like to send to you absolutely free from our friends at Apologetics Press. Here is Jay Webb with those details.

Jay Webb: You can receive absolutely free a copy of Discovery: Scripture and Science for Kids, courtesy of our friends at apologeticspress.org. This great publication helps families of all ages understand the truth concerning such teachings as creation, evolution, dinosaurs, and other biblical subjects written on a child’s level.

You can get your free copy today by calling toll-free at 855-444-6988. Leave your name and address and just say Discovery. You can also send your request through our website at internationalgospelhour.com. Click on the contact tab and leave us your name and address and put "reason" in the message box. Ask for your free copy of Discovery today.

Jeff Archey: Friends, we hope that this Q&A has been of interest to you as we discuss we need godly answers. We need to seek the word of God to find our answers for life. We hope that we’ve done well today with these questions.

If not, we would love to hear from you again. That toll-free number is 855-444-6988 and we’ll do the best we can in our study of the word of God. Thank you for joining me today on the International Gospel Hour. I’m Jeff Archey and, friends, keep listening.

Jay Webb: Thank you for listening to our broadcast today and we hope you continue onward with your search and study of God’s word. Please join us next time and visit our website at internationalgospelhour.com.