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NASB | Ephesians 5:29 for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Ephesians 5:29 For no one ever hated his own body, but [instead] he nourishes and protects and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, |
Subject: how can suicide be the same |
Bible Note: Hello Bows44, Let me jump in and attempt to give additional insight. I was interested in reading the exchange between you and Doc as you each seem to have an understanding of this issue from different ends of the spectrum. My views are my "personal" understanding of this issue as both a christian and a liscensed professional practicing in the "realm" of mental health. Eph. 5:29 can not possibly be anything other than a generalization (foucsing on the norm) used to make the point of the passage which is that a man is called to love his wife in the way a "normal" or "typical" man would love himself in that he tends to all of his personal needs be they emotinal or physical. Remember context. Job 9:21 says "Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life." (KJV) Job, while not saying that he in fact did despise his life, certainly had the understanding that it is possible that one might despise his life. Jude 1:8 says "Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities." (KJV) Now the obvious rebuttle to my argument here will include that the "defiling" of the flesh in this verse actually speaks to the sinful behavior resulting from the sinful loving of the flesh. This argument is missing the point so I "point" it out here. The real focus of the verse in this arguement is "despise dominion". Here, in my opinion, is where the issue of loving verses hating oneself (or despising oneself) might involve the issue of suicide. Before christ, dominion rests in the flesh. To the unsaved person he/she is lord of their own life and choses those things "fitting" as demanded by the flesh. Upon being saved, lordship (that is dominion/authority) is given over to God. The fight cointinues with the flesh however, and we might find ourselves "despising" the flesh. that is, we become unhappy and unsatisfied with our behavior when it is sinful and self-serving. We confess to the authority (God) in our lives and receive forgiveness and hope. But what about the unsaved. He/she too can become unhappy and unsatisfied with his behavior and more specifically the psychosocial stressors resulting. The problem is that he is his own authority and finds himself hopelessly incapable of managing the circumstances by his own devices. He doesn't know the Lord, he has no hope. If relief is not found, the sense of hopelessness can become overwhelming. Depression is a "real" thing. A person who truly feels no hope may see suicide as the "only" hope of escaping their persistant condition. This is the point that people might argue that they "love" themselves so much that they will kill themselves in order to escape the misery. This isn't good logic and certainly doesn't reflect what is really going on regarding the persons thought process and behavior. It is fair to say, (again in my opinion) that suicide is certainly a "selfish" act in that the person, even in their hopeless state, continues to look within themselves for the answer; thus they continue to refuse to acknowledge the God that created them and the only one that is able to save them. But, I would argue that this "selfishness" is a direct feflection of their lost and hopeless condition without the Lord rather than "self love". Hope this helps, Jeff |