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The Slow Suicide

Christianity teaches that we’re not merely physical. We have a soul;

we are spiritual. To be human is to be both soul and body. This is a

mystery that even science struggles with. We believe that the actions

we take, the things we do, have a profound effect on our spiritual health. When we do bad things (sin), we spiritually step further away from God, the source of Life. Each step away has deadly consequences.

While the “evil doers” in question may or may not suffer on the physical level for what they do, they will certainly suffer spiritually, step by step with each abuse they commit -- a “slow suicide,” if you will.* The leader who steals from his flock may be very “happy” in his mansions and his private jets until his physical death. The abusive minister may never be brought to civil justice. Yet one truth is always the case: their actions are an active and deliberate step away from God, and in the spiritual world this results in deep suffering. In spiritual terms these people have cancer -- the silent killer -- and they are not seeking treatment.

So, yes, we can look at all the possible social and physical outcomes for those who use God’s name for their own selfish desires; some may even be very “successful” during their life, but they will all arrive at exactly the same place spiritually -- death. This, in the end, is the truest justice. They will suffer the sad consequences for everything they do, and it will be the outcome of their own choice. The more evil and destructive their choices, the further from God they step -- making it harder to return to Life and accept his love. While God is always seeking to heal us, many will simply reject his help.

This reality can’t be over emphasized. It has eternal ramifications. Contrary to the claims that God is uninvolved in the world’s events, he is very much at the center of them. Yet again, nothing is beyond his care, and it is even amazing to point out that the pain and spiritual sadness evil causes in a person can be the very tool God uses to call him or her back to his love. But this is a topic for another post.

In the End

When we stand broken among the tragedies of our lives, don’t we desire justice? Of course we do. What if you knew all the injustices you have faced would one day be set right? Of course, that would be good news! Well, eventually that will happen. Christianity affirms that at the “Final Judgment” everything will be known and accounted for. One day, a period will be placed at the end of each of our personal sentences, and it will be made by an all-seeing judge who will know everyone’s deepest thoughts and desires. Those who love God will receive his forgiveness, while those who claim to love God but do evil things in his name will get what they deserve.

In the end all wrongs will be righted; this is a promise from God. If the leader who twisted the scriptures to steal your grandfather’s pension does not turn back to God before death, she will someday stand before the Creator and bear the punishment for her actions. Christianity says to the weak, the oppressed, the misused and persecuted that justice will prevail, for our good God, who cares enough to die for each of us, will make it so.

“Hey, God! When are you going to do something?” It’s a question everyone asks at some point in life. Perhaps you’ll understand that he has done something -- he became human to experience our pain and suffer with us. Maybe you can see he is doing something -- loving all of us enough to give us time come back to him and be healed. We hope you can believe that God will do something -- he, the perfect and good judge, will set all things right and send those who reject his love away so they can no longer cause others pain and sorrow. Does the God of Christianity care about this issue? You bet he does!

To fully address any question of this magnitude requires more than a simple web page answer. We offer these writings in humility, with the hope they have been of help.

Life has questions. God has answers. Ask God.

*Christianity teaches that separation from God is spiritual death, and that no one can save him or herself, since we are not divine, but require a connection with God to be alive spiritually. So, strictly speaking, apart from God we are all spiritually dead; the suicide we are speaking of here is the slow, self-inflicted death in our growing inability to respond to God’s love as we continue to sin.