Suicide and the Sovereignty of God
Question
If God is sovereign and has ordained all things, why should I attempt to stop someone from committing suicide?
Answer
Suicides are self-murder. As a former homicide detective, I have worked many. None of them are pretty and all of them leave others asking, "Why?" All of them are actions of desperation. All of them are cries for help!
God does know all that HAS happened, IS happening, and WILL happen (1 John 3:20). Likewise, He has ordained those things (though He is not the so-called author of sin). He even knows all the "what-ifs" that could have happened — but never will (Matt. 11:23). He knows how all time works together. God's knowledge is infinite (Ps. 147:5); eternal (Acts 15:18; Is. 46:10); universal, extending to all persons, times, places and things (Heb. 4:13); and perfect, relating to what is past, present and to come. He knows all, infallibly and perpetually (Jer. 10:6-7; Rom. 11:33).
All time belongs to God, though He is not limited by it. The secret things belong to the Lord (Deut. 29:29). However, our knowledge is limited. We DO NOT know the day of God's appointment of death for a person (Heb. 9:27). Therefore, the question above needs to be understood from "our" perspective, because we do NOT know God's mind on the matter yet. God will handle His end of things, but we are responsible for handling our end of things — biblically. Our actions will not interfere with God's sovereignty in the issue — how could they — it would deny God being sovereign if they did.
What are some of these secret things? We do not know if God has ordained our individual efforts (as secondary causes) to bring about His primary cause of saving a person from killing himself. God uses prayer, our actions, our speech or lack thereof; He uses everything as secondary causes. God ordains the means and the ends. Secondary causes become causes only because of God's primary cause. The effectiveness of secondary causes is not cancelled by the primary cause, but requires God's primary cause. The Westminster Confession of Faith wisely says that God's decree does not cancel the reality and efficacy of secondary causes, but "establishes them." It is ALL worked into God's express purpose and will ALWAYS bring about His express decreed will. So, the question is not "if" we should do anything, but "what" we SHOULD DO.
Therefore, if someone is threatening to commit suicide, Christians are responsible to TAKE ACTIONS, such as, but not limited to contacting: (1) the police, (2) a person's family and pastor, etc. (3) a suicide hotline and/or mental health professionals, etc. and (4) doing it all while they PRAY. Do not panic, but pray and act! At times just saying some gentle heart-felt words will deter a suicide (consider all of Paul's actions (prayer, praise, remaining to minister, speech, etc.) in Acts 16:16-34). While there may be several other things a person may do to intervene in a suicide it would be wise to be trained in the area — as there are several "don'ts" (fear, etc. - 1 Sam. 31:1-5; 1 Chron. 10:1-5) that one needs to be familiar with as well.
Suicide intervention and God's sovereignty do not negate one another — rather they compliment each other.
Answer by: Joseph R. Nally, Theological Editor, on behalf of the staff at IIIM. The opinions expressed by the author are not necessarily the "official position" of Third Millennium Ministries.