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NASB | John 10:18 "No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father." |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | John 10:18 "No one takes it away from Me, but I lay it down voluntarily. I am authorized and have power to lay it down and to give it up, and I am authorized and have power to take it back. This command I have received from My Father." |
Bible Question: Many famous Japanese author commit suicide at the highest point in their life to show that (1) They believe a better life after death. (2) This world is not their perfect home (3) They defeat death. These are quite similar to Christian faith. Shall Christian also commit suicide at the highest point in our life to show our faith? Even Jesus choose to kill himself (John 10:18). |
Bible Answer: There are any number of ways to demonstrate belief in a better life after death besides committing suicide. In fact I would ask, How does suicide testify to any belief other than that life has become so unbearable that it is no longer considered worth living? ... You draw an interesting conclusion in reference to "many famous Japanese authors" who commit suicide "at the highest point of their life"; namely, "They defeat death. These are quite similiar to the Christian faith." In the first place, how is it possible to "defeat death" by bringing it on? And in the second place, no true Christian has ever claimed that he has the power to defeat death by suicide or any other means. Rather, it is the Christian's affirmation that Jesus Christ defeated death, and because He defeated death -- because Christ lives eternally, we too, those who believe in Him, have eternal life. Suicide missions have absolutely no kinship with Christian beliefs. To equate Jesus' death on the cross to human suicides is not worthy of serious comment. Jesus did not commit suicide. He was slain on a cross. He could have prevented it. He could have miraculously struck His enemies down in an instant. But He did not. He suffered and died willingly for the sins of the world. The miracle of the cross is that, by God's design, there was no miracle. No miracle was performed to prevent it, although there clearly could have been. It certainly was within God's power to prevent His Son's agony and death, yet God gave His only Son, suffered Him to die on the cross, because He so loved the world. [John 3:16] And the Son, Jesus Christ, in perfect obedience, willingly gave himself to die on the cross .... To conclude, I ask you to study Hebrews 11 within the context of your question, "Shall Christians also commit suicide at the highest point in their lives to show their faith?" ... Is suicide mentioned or commended as an heroic act of faith performed by any of the persons referred to in this chapter? Consider Judas Iscariot. He committed suicide in the wake of his betrayal of Christ, but is he commended for his faith in having hanged himself? Is Judas someone whom you'd cite as a paragon of faith? James (see James 2:18) had something to say about how the believer ought to show his faith, but you will find that he did not suggest suicide as one of the ways! --Hank |
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Questions and/or Subjects for John 10:18 | Author | ||
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Ivory313 | ||
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Emmaus | ||
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Hank | ||
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jlpangilinan | ||
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skccab |