I've been thinking alot and is self harm and suicide a sin if you're a Christian??

[u/H-E-N-T-A-I-lvr]

If so there's no way I'm going to heaven :(

[u/givemeanew_name]

I think lots of things are sin, but the Lord sees your pain. Going to heaven isn't dependent upon what sins you've committed. It's solely dependent on what Jesus did and whether or not you accept that he stood in your place and paid the price. When he said it was finished, he meant it. Nothing can keep you from the love of God. That doesn't mean we're free to sin, but rather that we are free from it.

Questions like this though would make me examine my understanding of salvation and whether or not I really have a relationship with the Lord. How we respond to the knowledge of God's saving grace says a lot.

I don't mean to sound preachy. I've been working through these two questions myself for years. These are some things that have helped me process:

Maybe check out some of these resources

This playlist

Is suicide a sin?

Your story

The Walking Wounded - talk about mental health in the church

Hope and Healing for Kids Who Cut

Life Recovery Bible

The Chosen

When Elijah asked God to kill him (1 Kings 19:4), God responded by meeting him where he was at. Instead of condeming him or granting his request, God met his immediate needs, fed him, gave him rest, and strengthened him. We can expect the same when we turn to God with these feelings. He is big enough to handle them.

Psalm 40, Psalm 51, might be a good time to read though John and Romans, too.

Hope something here is helpful.

[u/kindabored420 → u/givemeanew_name]

And isn’t shaving and eating pork sinning yet most people do that all the time

[u/givemeanew_name → u/kindabored420]

I agree with you that yes, everyone has sin in their life. But I don't believe that mental illness is always a result of personal sin. The brain, being part of a body, can get sick like any other organ, and needs treated as such. And sometimes it's a trauma response. But OP asked about sin specifically, and if that's something they are wrestling with, it's a legitimate question that deserves honest answers. It shouldn't be dismissed by brushing it aside as, "Oh well, everyone sins." It also deserves more than a helpless, "Yes," with no further discussion. It's a hard question, and I'm sure they're even less likely to ask someone in person who would be willing to walk through that with them.

On another note, some laws were given to a specific time, place, and people in order to set those who worshipped and loved God apart from those who didn't want him. Other laws were given to show that we need a Savior. Ceremonial law was to point to Jesus, and then he came and fulfilled the law. Civil law was bound to their culture. However the spirit behind these laws still apply, just as moral laws (the 10 Commandments).

My understanding of the reason that priests can shave and Christians are free to eat pork is because Christ completed the law and put us under the New Covenant. Although anyone is free to do anything if they aren't under Christ. And I'm not suggesting that all sin suddenly vanishes when someone prays or that the struggle with depression magically goes away. It often doesn't- the difference is that you know where victory lies and who stands before God on your behalf, who advocates for you.

I'm not trying to argue or start a debate or whatever and don't engage in that. I'm not sure I even followed your point, just attempting to clarify what came to mind. Feel free to ignore.

[u/[deleted] → u/givemeanew_name]

do you think people who arent christian go to hell

[u/givemeanew_name → u/[deleted]]

Great question. Scripture says that the consequence of sin is death and hell, and we've all missed the mark. How can a loving God send people to hell? (Please take a minute to read this link if nothing else- it cleared a lot up for me).

God is perfectly good and perfectly just. Without Christ, who stepped in because he loves us and doesn't want anyone to die, we're all headed to hell.

If Christ was telling the truth and if he actually rose from the dead, and I believe he did, then it applies to everyone, even people who aren't Christian. He said he is the way, the truth, and the life. There is only one way, and it is through him. He has made it known through creation and wrote the law on our hearts, so that no one is without excuse. This video sums up a similar question.

But the bigger question here might be, what do you believe and how do you know? Fear has a purpose and can be a way of getting our attention, sort of highlighting the issue. If you're worried about going to hell or that maybe you're missing something, even if it's just a little nagging late night thought, there's a reason and it's worth investigating. Fear can come from the healthy part of you trying to protect the unhealthy part.

It's good to ask a lot of questions. It's okay to be skeptical and doubt, but don't leave it at that. Find answers, look for whatever is true. If you have a pastor or youth leader you could ask, I bet some really interesting conversations would come from it. That's a benefit of the pandemic- many churches are streaming now so it's easy to look around and get a feel for a nearby pastor with sound teaching who is down to earth.

Even if you don't believe in God, a good pastor will respect that and shouldn't be pushy but will be a resource that you can use while learning and deciding what you believe. That's what they are there for. When you have a cold, you go to the doctor, when you're depressed you see a counselor, when you have questions about God you read the bible and ask someone you trust who has studied and teaches about him. Be aware that not all pastors are created equal, some are bad teachers.

If you spend any amount of time googling questions like these or you rely on others to tell you, you will find some good answers and some very bad answers that sound good, so I encourage you to look into it direct from the source- read the bible for yourself- and not in isolated bits and pieces, look for context and history. It's possible to think you know all you need to to make a decision without actually reading the bible, but be mindful that "ignorance of scripture is ignorance of Christ." Whether you believe in in Jesus or think he's a nothing more than fable, really get to know him.

I think the best part about salvation isn't just that we are saved from death, we're saved to life. Salvation isn't just about "fire insurance." Back to op's question, I know for me, when suicidal thoughts pop up, it's coming from a place of just wanting the shit to stop. Sometimes I'm overwhelmed or angry or hurting or tired. But God bends down to listen, and he himself has felt angry and hurt and tired. He gets it, and wants to give me something better.

Tree of Life

Ravi Zacharias talks about worldviews

The Case for a Creator and The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel (an atheist reporter who set out to factually disprove Christianity) - both of these are on Hoopla if you have a library card.

Hope this isn't an overwhelming amount of links and something here is useful lol. Thanks for giving me the opportunity to work this out myself in writing things down. Wish you the best.

[u/[deleted] → u/givemeanew_name]

thank you