There has been a recent push to legalize assisted suicide in the Illinois state legislature. Thankfully, at the time of this writing, it has not yet succeeded, but given the advocacy on the part of the political leadership of Illinois, it seems that assisted suicide will soon (very sadly) become a reality here.

What should the Christian response be to this?

Should we support or vehemently oppose such legislation? I believe that we must do the latter.

Many in today’s society advocate for the so-called “right to die” under the guise of compassion. Proponents argue that individuals suffering from terminal illnesses or “unbearable pain” should have the autonomy to end their lives with medical assistance.

However, from a biblical and historical Christian perspective, suicide – whether self-inflicted or assisted – is wholly against God’s will. The Bible affirms the sanctity of human life and teaches that our suffering has a divine purpose. In addition, Scripture condemns murder, including of oneself.

The doctrine of the sanctity of life is central to the Christian’s rejection of assisted suicide. Scripture consistently affirms that all human life is sacred because we are created in the image of God. Let’s look at several passages that state this:

Genesis 1:27, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”

This verse establishes that every human being possesses intrinsic value because we all bear the imago Dei (image of God). To take one’s own life, or to assist another in doing so, is to reject this divine image. It is to say, in essence, “I am the captain of my fate, not God. And I determine my outcome, not God.”

Exodus 20:13, “You shall not murder.”

This is the 6th Commandment that God wrote with His own finger on Mount Sinai. Suicide is self-murder, and to assist in it is to be complicit in breaking this commandment. The deliberate ending of one’s own life is an affront to the God who gives and sustains life. Since we are made in God’s image, and since He commands us not to murder, we do not have the right to deliberately take our own lives.

Job 1:21, “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”

Consider Job. He went through excruciating pain. He lost his home, his possessions, his dear children, and later even his health. If anyone would consider suicide, we might suspect it would be him. But Job, despite his immense suffering, acknowledged that life and death are in the hands of God alone. He knew that suicide was not an option, and he left his life in God’s hands.

Psalm 139:13-16, “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb… in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.”

The psalmist affirms God’s sovereignty over life and death, as well as the fact that from before the foundation of the world, God had written down all the days of his life, from his conception to the moment of his death. Therefore, since God has ordained the number of our days, cutting life short through suicide or assisted suicide is a direct rebellion against His will.

Other texts in the Bible describe instances of suicide, and in each case, the act is portrayed as evil.

There are no examples of God blessing or condoning suicide.

But here are three that show us the tragedy of the act.

First, there is the first king of Israel, Saul (1 Samuel 31:4-5): King Saul, after being wounded in battle, took his own life by falling on his sword, rather than face capture. His armor-bearer followed suit. Saul’s suicide is presented in the context of his tragic downfall, marked by disobedience and separation from God.

Second, Ahithophel (2 Samuel 17:23): After Absalom rejected his counsel, Ahithophel went home and hanged himself. His suicide is portrayed as a despairing act of one who was devoid of hope and alienated from God’s will.

Finally, of course, the most ignominious example of suicide in the Bible is that of Judas Iscariot (Matthew 27:5): After betraying Christ, Judas was overwhelmed with guilt and hanged himself. His suicide was certainly related to regret but not to repentance. We may contrast Judas with Peter, who also sinned by denying Christ, but sought forgiveness instead of self-destruction.

Each of these cases in the Bible underscores that suicide is linked to despair, separation from God, and a tragic lack of faith. The Scripture presents no example where suicide is honored, justified, or encouraged.

A primary argument many use for assisted suicide is the alleviation of suffering. However, the Bible teaches that our suffering has a purpose in God’s plan. It is through our “losses and crosses” that the Lord does His greatest sanctifying work in us. Romans 5:3-5 tells us,

“Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame.”

Suffering in this fallen world is not meaningless; it refines our faith and produces spiritual growth.

Paul also writes in 2 Corinthians 12, after asking God to remove a “thorn” in his side, that God replies,

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

Despite suffering greatly, the Apostle Paul understood then that God’s grace sustains us as believers through our trials and that He works in all of them for our good. Suffering, therefore, should not be a justification for ending life. Instead, even though it is hard (and I am certainly not minimizing the pain that many go through), it should be seen as an opportunity to grow in faith and reliance on God.

Therefore, while rejecting assisted suicide, Christians must also respond with compassion to those who suffer. Believers should remind those struggling with despair of God’s love and purpose (Jeremiah 29:11). The church must also be a source of comfort and care, offering spiritual support to those facing terminal illness.

Instead of embracing euthanasia and assisted suicide, Christians must rescue the perishing and care for the dying, trusting that Jesus is merciful and that He has a real purpose for all our trials.

Assisted suicide is incompatible with biblical teaching. Human life is sacred, and suffering has a divine purpose. While believers must be compassionate toward those who suffer, we must also stand firm against assisted suicide as an affront to God’s sovereignty.

Instead of endorsing death, the Christian response should be to offer hope, care, and the truth that life belongs to God alone.

“…Choose life, that you and your offspring may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days…” (Deuteronomy 30:19-20).

Take ACTION: Click HERE to send a message to your state lawmakers. Ask them to vigorously oppose pro-suicide legislation.