1 Corinthians 6:19,20; Romans 14:7,8
What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.
None of us liveth unto himself, and no man dieth unto himself. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.
EDWARD PAYSON (1783-1827): This evidently implies, waiting till God shall see fit to release us, without voluntarily hastening our death, either in a direct or indirect manner. There have been frequent instances in which persons who were weary of life, but who did not choose to die by their own hands, have thrown themselves in the way of danger, or exposed themselves to infectious disorders, or refused, when ill, to use any means for their recovery, with a view to hasten the approach of death. For all these indirect methods of suicide, as well as to direct acts of violence upon our own lives, the resolution in our text is evidently opposed.
RICHARD ROGERS (1550-1618): As the soldier may not discharge himself or forsake his station, without his Emperor’s permission, who has set him in his place; so neither ought any to destroy his own life and soul by wilful death, but wait the time that God hath appointed.
CHARLES SIMEON (1759-1836): All that is implied either in the precepts or the promises of our text is altogether unknown to those who experience not the power of religion in their hearts. Whatever burdens they have, are borne upon their own shoulders: they know not what it is to cast them upon the Lord. Hence, when oppressed with heavy trials, they faint and sink under them; and for want of the consolations and supports of religion, they not unfrequently meditate, and sometimes also carry into execution, the awful act of suicide.
J. C. RYLE (1816-1900): A believer’s death is intended to glorify God. The Holy Ghost tells us this truth in plain language. He graciously interprets the dark saying, which fell from our Lord’s lips about Peter’s end―He tells us that Jesus spake this, “signifying by what death he should glorify God,” John 21:19…We may glorify God in death, by patiently enduring its pains. The Christian whose spirit has complete victory over the flesh, who quietly feels the pins of his earthly tabernacle being plucked up with great bodily agonies, and yet never murmurs or complains, but silently enjoys inward peace—We may glorify God in death, by testifying to others the comfort and support that we find in the grace of Christ.
JOHN TRAPP (1601-1699): “The God of the Christians is a great God indeed,” said one Calocerius, a heathen, beholding the patient sufferings of the primitive martyrs. Justin Martyr confesseth of himself, that seeing the piety of Christians in their lives and their patience in death, he gathered that indeed that was the truth which they so constantly professed and sealed up with their blood.
J. C. RYLE: It is a great thing, when a mortal man can say with David, “Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me,” Psalm 23:4.
CHARLES SIMEON: Those who have no God to go to, often sink under their troubles, and not unfrequently seek refuge from them in suicide.
GEORGE SWINNOCK (1627-1673): Who ever, unless bereft of his wits and distracted, would murder his own body?
A. W. PINK (1886-1952): Let us put the question in its strongest form—is it possible for a real Christian, under the pressure of sore trial and protracted trouble, for his mind to give way, and in a fit of madness take things into his own hands and make an end of his earthly sufferings?
THOMAS WATSON (1620-1686): The commandment, “Thou shalt not kill,” Exodus 20:13, requires that we should preserve our own life…I can see no ground of hope for such as make away with themselves; for they die in the very act of sin, and cannot have time to repent. They murder their own souls.
ROBERT HAWKER (1753-1827): Is it not probable that Satan had secretly tempted Job to self-murder? His wife had openly recommended it, Job 2:9.
A. W. PINK: But before weighing that, perhaps a word or two should be said upon what the Spirit has chronicled about Jonah, for the nearest approach to a saint actually committing suicide is his, for he distinctly bade the sailors in the ship to “take me up and cast me forth into the sea,” Jonah 1:12. But observe, first, that was designed for their good, “So shall the sea be calm unto you.”―As in the case of Samson, the providence of God had designed that he should be a remarkable type of Christ.
JOHN GILL (1697-1771): Samson said “Let me die with the Philistines,” and did what he did under the direction and influence of the Spirit of God.
MATTHEW HENRY (1662-1714): Samson may very well be justified, and brought in not guilty of any sinful murder either of himself or the Philistines…It was not from a principle of passion or personal revenge, but from a holy zeal for the glory of God and Israel, that he desired to do this, as appears from God’s accepting and answering the prayer―this was done, not by any natural strength of Samson, but by the almighty power of God.
MATTHEW POOLE (1624-1679): Samson’s death is no example nor encouragement to those that wickedly murder themselves―his case was not much unlike theirs, that in the heat of battle run upon the very mouth of the cannon to execute a design upon the enemy.
CHARLES SIMEON: Indeed God’s honour, if we may so speak, required such a signal act of vengeance to be inflicted on His enemies. The Philistines had assembled to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon, their idol god. To him they ascribed praise and honour, as having triumphed over the God of Israel. Thousands of their chief men and women were assembled in the place, and three thousand others on the roof; and Samson was brought forth, to be made an object of profane mirth and triumph. Then it was that Samson offered this prayer, and willingly devoted himself to death, that he might be an instrument of God’s vengeance on them.
RICHARD ROGERS: What was that but a faithful serving of God, though with the loss of his life?
J. C. RYLE: Like Samson, we may do more for God in our death, than ever we did in our lives, Judges 16:30…We may die to the Lord as well as live to the Lord; we may be patient sufferers as well as active workers.
A. W. PINK: When, then, some insist that a real child of God may lay suicidal hands upon himself, we ask, Where is Scripture in support of such a horrible affirmation? And the answer is—there is none.
J. C. RYLE: Let us leave it to God to choose the where, and when, and how, and all the manner of our departing. Let us only ask that it may “glorify God.”
A. W. PINK: And to those Christians who are fearful lest such a terrible ending as suicide should be their lot, we close by reminding them of the sure promises of the preserving hand of the Most High over His saints. “Many are the afflictions of the righteous—but the Lord delivereth him out of them all,” Psalm 34:19, “who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation,” 1 Peter 1:5.
