An AMAZING ANCIENT PRAISE of the WISDOM of GOD

Verse after verse of Job 28 describe the extensive processes of finding and retrieving the precious metals and gems of the earth.  As valuable as they are, and as much work as is necessary to acquire them, he says wisdom is of far greater value and can only come from seeking God.  Imagining the crudeness of the ancient implements and methods for mining only makes the poetic comparison with the value of wisdom all the more impressive.  And throughout the book, Job’s relentless refusal to curse God and forsake faith in Him, though he feels abandoned and even opposed by God, attests to the deep confidence Job had that no matter how things looked or felt, trusting God and fearing Him made the best sense.  May we likewise hold to God no matter what comes.  Scripture tells us elsewhere that such faith is worth far more than all precious stones, and that it will ultimately be rewarded richly.

What is the ultimate fate of a person who commits suicide?

Unquestionably, suicide is not the plan of God for an individual.  Paul emphasized to the Corinthian Christians that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit and we are to take good care of them and use them for His purposes.  So if the question is: “Is suicide sin?”  The answer would have to be “Yes” in most conceivable instances.  Does that mean the person is lost to God for eternity because his last action is outside the will of God?  We can’t say that.  If a Christian gets angry or despondent and gets in his car, drives recklessly and dies as a result of a crash, it could be argued that he was not thinking and acting the way he should have as a Christian when he died.  If the definition of sin is taken from Romans 3:23 as “falling short of the glory of God” then there are many instances one could imagine where a person is not doing God’s will when they die, and perhaps their actions are even causal to their death.

God has built the will to live and even survive horrific circumstances into the human psyche.  It isn’t even a matter of Christianity, but a matter of God’s design.  But it is widely known that depression and suicidal thoughts can be a result of mental illness or chemical imbalances in the body.  Without trying to exhaust all the possible scenarios that could contribute to a person’s decision to end his life, and trying to render a judgment on each, it seems far better to leave those questions unanswered and the victims and their families to the mercies and perfect judgments of God.

Romans 14:4 and Psalm 131 and Isaiah 55:6-9 are examples of texts which speak to the wisdom of trusting such questions to God alone.  We don’t like not knowing everything, and we seem to love rendering judgments whether of guilt or acquittal.  But God has not abdicated His role to grant us that authority.  While we know God to be just, we also know Him to be more merciful and gracious than we can even imagine, considering we are incapable of perceiving the degree of our own depravity.  So let such matters rest in His hands, and let us do our best to show His love and teach His liberating truths to everyone we can.