I know this is a hypothetical question, but is suicide possible if you were going to save more lives than your own (e.g. in the new Star Trek movie, the dad dies so that 800 people are saved). Is this biblically correct?I would not classify your example as suicide. Suicide is the self-destruction of the human body. It is a result of despair and depression, or a mental disorder such as bipolar disorder. Financial stress and bad interpersonal relationships are often causes as well. Conversely, when someone deliberately sacrifices their life for the sake of others, that is an act of heroism of the highest order. The character of George Kirk in the latest Star Trek installment sacrificed his life for his shipmates and family. He did not want to die; but he was willing to do so for a greater good, namely the survival of others. Jesus Christ himself was an example of sacrificial death. He told his disciples: "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13). Jesus did not die because he was depressed or in despair; he did it so that others may live (John 3:16-17). In summary, suicide and the sacrificial death of a hero are two completely different things in terms of motivation and outcome.
[Answered by Pastor HM]
