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Bible Question:
I am wondering if Samson went to heaven even though he killed
himself? I know that God wanted him to destroy the Philistines,
but did Samson commit suicide?
Bible Answer:
The passage you refer to is found in the book of Judges.
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And Samson grasped the two middle pillars on which the
house rested, and braced himself against them, the
one with his right hand and the other with his left.
And Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines!” And
he bent with all his might so that the house fell on
the lords and all the people who were in it. So the
dead whom he killed at his death were more than those
whom he killed in his life. (NASB) Judges 16:29-30
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What Did Samson Do?
Yes, in a sense Samson killed himself. The Philistines had
captured him and then placed him between two pillars. A large
crowd had gathered to see Samson. About 3,000 men and women
were on the roof above him (Judges 16:27). So when he pushed
the pillars apart in order to destroy them, the building
came down and many were killed, including himself. But Samson
did not commit suicide. His goal was to kill not himself
but the Philistines.
Going To Heaven.
Some believe that when a person commits suicide he or she will
not go to heaven because suicide
is serious sin
. The Roman Catholic Church teaches that one who commits suicide
cannot go to heaven; but the Bible does not teach this. In
fact, God tells us that any sin is serious enough to send anyone
to hell.
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Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality,
impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities,
strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions,
factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things
like these, of which I forewarn you just as I have
forewarned you that those who practice such things
shall not inherit the kingdom of God.(NASB) Gal. 5:19-21
Or do you not know that the unrighteous shall not
inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither
fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate,
nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards,
nor revilers, nor swindlers, shall inherit the kingdom
of God. (NASB) 1 Cor. 6:9-10
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Both of these passages include sins that we have all committed
at some time in our life. We all deserve to go to hell. God
does not call these "moral failures" or "mistakes." He
calls them sins, and Jesus came to forgive those sins. When
He forgives us, He does not forgive one or two. He forgives
all of our sins - past and future ones. There is no sin too
great that God will not and cannot forgive.
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If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous
to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.(NASB)
1 John 1:9
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Conclusion:
Suicide is a violation of God's command to not murder (Exodus
20:13). We can murder ourselves! But when Jesus forgives,
He forgives all of our
past sins, present sins, and future sins
. Jesus will forgive all of the sins of a person who believes
Him
and Jesus will forgive all of them at one time - the moment
you believe and trust Him to forgive your sins. His forgiveness
is so complete that it includes even those sins that we might
not have time to confess before we die.
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