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Is it sin to commit suicide when a person is in unbearable pain?

    If a person is in so much pain (unbearable pain) day to day is it a sin to commit suicide??????

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   Suicide is defined as "the act of taking one’s own life voluntarily and intentionally" (Merriam Webster’s Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary).

    Taking a life intentionally with premeditation (having thought about it and plotting how and when to do it), when it is not a time of war, or when it is not a punishment for a crime, is considered in the Bible to be an act of of murder.

    Numbers 35:10-33 says, "Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come over Jordan into the land of Canaan; Then ye shall appoint you cities to be cities of refuge for you; THAT THE SLAYER MAY FLEE THITHER, WHICH KILLETH ANY PERSON AT UNAWARES. And they shall be unto you cities for refuge from the avenger; that the manslayer die not, until he stand before the congregation in judgment. And of these cities which ye shall give six cities shall ye have for refuge. Ye shall give three cities on this side Jordan, and three cities shall ye give in the land of Canaan, which shall be cities of refuge. These six cities shall be a refuge, both for the children of Israel, and for the stranger, and for the sojourner among them: that every one THAT KILLETH ANY PERSON UNAWARES may flee thither. And IF HE SMITE HIM WITH AN INSTRUMENT OF IRON, SO THAT HE DIE, HE IS A MURDERER: THE MURDERER SHALL SURELY BE PUT TO DEATH. And if he smite him with throwing a stone, wherewith he may die, and he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death. Or if he smite him with an hand weapon of wood, wherewith he may die, and he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death. THE REVENGER OF BLOOD HIMSELF SHALL SLAY THE MURDERER: when he meeteth him, he shall slay him. BUT IF HE THRUST HIM OF HATRED, OR HURL AT HIM BY LAYING OF WAIT, that he die; Or in enmity smite him with his hand, that he die: HE THAT SMOTE HIM SHALL SURELY BE PUT TO DEATH; FOR HE IS A MURDERER: the revenger of blood shall slay the murderer, when he meeteth him. BUT IF HE THRUST HIM SUDDENLY WITHOUT ENMITY, or have cast upon him any thing WITHOUT LAYING OF WAIT, Or with any stone, wherewith a man may die, seeing him not, and cast it upon him, that he die, AND WAS NOT HIS ENEMY, NEITHER SOUGHT HIS HARM: Then the congregation shall judge between the slayer and the revenger of blood according to these judgments: And the congregation shall deliver the slayer out of the hand of the revenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to the city of his refuge, whither he was fled: and he shall abide in it unto the death of the high priest, which was anointed with the holy oil. But if the slayer shall at any time come without the border of the city of his refuge, whither he was fled; And the revenger of blood find him without the borders of the city of his refuge, and the revenger of blood kill the slayer; he shall not be guilty of blood: Because he should have remained in the city of his refuge until the death of the high priest: but after the death of the high priest the slayer shall return into the land of his possession. So these things shall be for a statute of judgment unto you throughout your generations in all your dwellings. Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any person to cause him to die. Moreover ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer, which is guilty of death: but he shall be surely put to death. And ye shall take no satisfaction for him that is fled to the city of his refuge, that he should come again to dwell in the land, until the death of the priest. So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are: for blood it defileth the land: and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it."

    The above passage is very clear what murder is — the intentional, premeditated act of seeking to take a person’s life (whether it be a person’s own life, or the life of another), when it is not a time of war, or when it is not for a crime committed.

    When Joab killed Abner, it was considered murder, even though they were generals of opposing armies. II Samuel 3:23-29 says, "When Joab and all the host that was with him were come, they told Joab, saying, Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he hath sent him away, and he is gone in peace. Then Joab came to the king, and said, What hast thou done? behold, Abner came unto thee; why is it that thou hast sent him away, and he is quite gone? Thou knowest Abner the son of Ner, that he came to deceive thee, and to know thy going out and thy coming in, and to know all that thou doest. And when Joab was come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, which brought him again from the well of Sirah: but David knew it not. And WHEN ABNER WAS RETURNED TO HEBRON, JOAB TOOK HIM ASIDE IN THE GATE TO SPEAK WITH HIM QUIETLY, AND SMOTE HIM THERE UNDER THE FIFTH RIB, THAT HE DIED, FOR THE BLOOD OF ASAHEL HIS BROTHER. And afterward when David heard it, he said, I and my kingdom are guiltless before the LORD for ever from the blood of Abner the son of Ner: Let it rest on the head of Joab, and on all his father's house; and let there not fail from the house of Joab one that hath an issue, or that is a leper, or that leaneth on a staff, or that falleth on the sword, or that lacketh bread." I Kings 2:31-34 says, "And the king said unto him, Do as he hath said, and fall upon him, and bury him; THAT THOU MAYEST TAKE AWAY THE INNOCENT BLOOD, WHICH JOAB SHED, FROM ME, AND FROM THE HOUSE OF MY FATHER. And the LORD shall return his blood upon his own head, who fell upon two men more righteous and better than he, and slew them with the sword, my father David not knowing thereof, to wit, Abner the son of Ner, captain of the host of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, captain of the host of Judah. Their blood shall therefore return upon the head of Joab, and upon the head of his seed for ever: but upon David, and upon his seed, and upon his house, and upon his throne, shall there be peace for ever from the LORD. So Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up, and fell upon him, and slew him: and he was buried in his own house in the wilderness." I Kings 2:5 says, "Moreover thou knowest also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, and what he did to the two captains of the hosts of Israel, unto Abner the son of Ner, and unto Amasa the son of Jether, WHOM HE SLEW, AND SHED THE BLOOD OF WAR IN PEACE, and put the blood of war upon his girdle that was about his loins, and in his shoes that were on his feet."

    Abner had killed Joab’s brother in the time of war — that was not considered to be murder. But when Joab decided to get revenge and kill Abner, when it was not during a time of war — that was considered to be murder, and he was eventually put to death for it.

    So once again, taking a life intentionally with premeditation (having thought about it and plotting how and when to do it), when it is not a time of war, or when it is not a punishment for a crime, is considered in the Bible to be an act of of murder.

    You asked, "If a person is in so much pain (unbearable pain) day to day is it a sin to commit suicide??????" Having just seen what the Bible considers to be murder, yes, it would be sin for a person to take his/her own life. James 4:17 says, "Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin."

    What about the matter of "unbearable pain?" God tells us that He will not put upon us more than we can bear in this life. I Corinthians 10:13 says, "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."

    What do some people do when they suffer severe pain? They swear and use vile language. Does that help the pain? Not in the least.

    We do not always know at the time how long our pain will last, nor why we are experiencing it. Job did not know why he was experiencing such pain and anguish for months. He thought that this sickness was going to bring about his death, because he seemed so hopelessly sick. Job 6:30-7:-15 says, "Is there iniquity in my tongue? cannot my taste discern perverse things? Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? are not his days also like the days of an hireling? As a servant earnestly desireth the shadow, and as an hireling looketh for the reward of his work: SO AM I MADE TO POSSESS MONTHS OF VANITY, and wearisome nights are appointed to me. When I lie down, I say, When shall I arise, and the night be gone? and I AM FULL OF TOSSINGS TO AND FRO UNTO THE DAWNING IF THE DAY. My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust; my skin is broken, and become loathsome. MY DAYS are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and ARE SPENT WITHOUT HOPE. O remember that my life is wind: MINE EYE SHALL NO MORE SEE GOOD. THE EYE OF HIM THAT HATH SEEN ME SHALL SEE ME NO MORE: thine eyes are upon me, and I am not. As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more. He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more. Therefore I will not refrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul. Am I a sea, or a whale, that thou settest a watch over me? When I say, My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my complaint; Then thou scarest me with dreams, and terrifiest me through visions: SO THAT MY SOUL CHOOSETH STRANGLING, AND DEATH RATHER THAN MY LIFE."

    Job had no idea that he was ever going to recover from that sickness. He just wanted to die. He was tired of hurting all of the time and unable to ever get a good night’s rest. But if he would have taken his own life, he would have missed out on what God had in store for him. God intended to heal him and give him 10 more children, and double his previous wealth. Job 42:12-17 says, "SO THE LORD BLESSED THE LATTER END OF JOB MORE THAN HIS BEGINNING: for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses. He had also seven sons and three daughters. And he called the name of the first, Jemima; and the name of the second, Kezia; and the name of the third, Kerenhappuch. And in all the land were no women found so fair as the daughters of Job: and their father gave them inheritance among their brethren. After this lived Job an hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons' sons, even four generations. So Job died, being old and full of days."

    God can heal any sickness, no matter how certain death may seem. Our lives are to be in God’s hands — not our own.

    There are also many pain-killers to help ease a person’s severe pain. But, sadly, so many people today die under such strong doses of pain medication, that we are losing the thrilling testimonies of yesteryear when the saints died. People are so duped with medication today before death, that they cannot even speak. In days gone by, there were tremendous testimonies given of assurance and God’s grace just before a person quietly went into the presence of the Savior. May the Lord give us the grace and wisdom that we need in such an hour to glorify Him, whether it be in life or in death. But whether we die or live, is to be His decision — something not to be taken into our own hands.

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