Q: Suicide to save lives?

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]

Q: Is suicide a sin?

Yes. Please read this previous post regarding suicide. In addition, read this article which states:

Suicide is still a serious sin against God. According to the Bible, suicide is murder; it is always wrong. Serious doubts should be raised about the genuineness of faith of anyone who claimed to be a Christian yet committed suicide. There is no circumstance that can justify someone, especially a Christian, taking his/her own life. Christians are called to live their lives for God, and the decision on when to die is God’s and God’s alone.

[Answered by Pastor HM]

Q: What is the biblical stance on euthanasia, assisted suicide, and mercy killing?

This is a very sensitive and difficult question. The fine folks at GotQuestions have an answer here that will help. Also read this article by Kerby Anderson, who wrote Christian Ethics in Plain Language (2005). Both of these sources argue the following:

1. God is sovereign over life. Moses was told by God “I put to death and I bring to life … no one can deliver out of my hand” (Deut 32:39).


2. It is Against the Sanctity of Human Life. Human life is sacred. We are made in God’s image Gen 1:27. For this reason it is even wrong to curse another human being (James 3:9) let alone kill them. Unlike animals, human beings are rational (Col 3:10, Jude 10) moral beings. They resemble God and are morally responsible to him (Gen 2:16-17). The can be holy as he is holy and are exhorted to moral perfection.


3. It is a form of suicide or murder. You shall not murder (Ex 20:13). Killing one self is both a rejection of God’s sovereignty over life and an attack upon the sanctity of life. It matters not whether the human life is our own or another’s; it is still in God’s image, and he is sovereign over it. Even the most desperate believer in the Bible who wished to die never contemplated taking his own life but prayed, like Jonah, “O Lord, please take my life from me, for death is better to me than life” (Jonah 4:3). Suicide fails to take responsibility for the life God has entrusted to us. It fails to show the basic self-respect of which Paul spoke about “No one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it” (Eph 5:29).

To be clear, we must also distinguish between active euthanasia (which is morally wrong) and passive euthanasia (which can be wrong depending on whether it is natural or unnatural):

Active Euthanasia: Taking life to avoid suffering. This is morally wrong.

Passive Euthanasia: Allowing death to occur in order to avoid suffering. Within this category, there are two sub-categories:

• Natural: By withdrawing artificial or unnatural means of life support (respirators, artificial organs, machines) in order to allow death.
• Unnatural: By withdrawing natural means of life support (food, air, water) in order to allow death. This is morally wrong.

It is never right to take a life (active euthanasia) or to withhold ordinary life sustaining means such as food, water and air. But for the cases of withdrawing unnatural life (see chart above) saving mechanisms for irreversible, terminal sickness a death can be justified. This is when extraordinary human efforts are really prolonging death rather than prolonging life. When artificial life supports are interfering with the natural process of death, rather than enriching the person’s natural life, then their use is wrong. It is resisting the hand of God involved in the process of death. There is a difference between repairing life to function naturally and sustaining life artificially.

Summarily, to allow death...

1. Has to be artificial means to keep alive not natural means

2. The disease must be irreversible and terminal: No one should be allowed to die if we have the means at hand to save his life. Even if we have artificial means.

3. The patient has veto power: If the patient is conscious and rational, then he has veto power over any decision not to extend his life by artificial means. If he is not conscious and no expressed will was made previously, then others responsible for him must make the decision.

4. A collective decision: Family members, with doctor, pastor, lawyer. But even before this pray and consult God.

[Answered by Pastor HM and Pastor Quang]