DOES SUICIDE DISQUALIFY PEOPLE FROM HEAVEN?
The act of suicide itself is not an unforgiveable sin that prevents people from going to heaven. God does not want you to murder yourself.
Suicide is murder of oneself.
Since suicide is the murder of oneself, suicide is a direct violation of the sixth commandment, “you shall not murder” (Exodus 20:13 NIV). God prohibits murder because God made humans in God’s own image (Genesis 9:6). Since God is the creator of human life, only God has the right to decide when human life ends (Deuteronomy 32:39). We need to remember that during life’s troubles, God will work out his plan for our lives and not abandon us. As King David wrote, “Though I am surrounded by troubles, you will protect me from the anger of my enemies. You reach out your hand,
and the power of your right hand saves me. The LORD will work out his plans for my life- for your faithful love, O LORD, endures forever. Don’t abandon me, for you made me” (Psalm 138:8 NLT).
No single action or inaction is unforgiveable.
Generally, no single action or inaction is unforgiveable by God, including but limited to, suicide. The unforgivable sin is a continuous ongoing willful rejection of God with no regrets. Sometimes unforgivable sin is referred to as “blasphemy against the Holy Spirit” (see Matthew 12:31-32; Mark 3:29-30; Luke 12:10; Hebrews 6:4-6, 10:26-27).
This describes people who continue in their evil ways and also approve of others who do the same (Romans 1:32). If you are worried about committing the unforgivable sin, your worry is proof that you have not rejected God, because you still fear or have a healthy respect for God. Those people who spend eternity separated from God in hell do so because they willingly, knowingly, and continuously rejected God during their lifetime. The apostle John referred to this as the “sin that leads to death” (1 John 5:16 NIV). John then distinguished this sin from “sin that does not lead to death, you should pray and God will give them life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is sin that leads to death. I am not saying you should pray about that. All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death. We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the One who was born of God (Jesus) keeps them safe, and the evil one cannot harm them” (1 John 5:16-18 NIV). Therefore, those who refuse forgiveness through belief and trust in Jesus Christ will spend eternity separated from God’s grace and love. Those who genuinely repent of their sin and desire and seek God’s forgiveness, can be absolutely certain that God will never reject and banish them from his presence for eternity.The apostle Peter denied knowing Jesus three times (Matthew 26:31-35, Mark 14:27-31, 66-72, Luke 22:31-38, 54-63; John 13:31-38, 18:15-17, 25-27), but Peter repented and told Jesus he loved Jesus, and Jesus forgave him and told Peter to follow him (John 21:1-19). In addition, Jesus’ prophecy, that Peter would be the cornerstone and rock that Jesus would build the church on, was fulfilled (Matthew 16:16).
Therefore, although Christians should never contemplate and carry out suicide, the act of suicide is not an unforgivable sin that prevents a person from going to heaven, unless the person’s state of mind at the time of suicide was a continuous ongoing willful rejection of God with no regrets.
Hank Hanegraaff, After Life: What You Need to Know About Heaven, the Hereafter & Near-Death Experiences (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing, 2013), 148-150; Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1994, Appendix 6 and glossary copyright 2000), 506-509.