A dear friend, John, just did a funeral for a dear friend of theirs. This friend took their own life. It was sudden and unexplained. John is confused, shocked, and in absolute pain. He didn't want to do this service as it hit so close to home. I can't say I blame him. But he did the service. In his preparation he started to, non stop, justify salvation for people who take their own lives. I understand why he did this, after all when we lose people we love our hope lies in salvation. Even more, when we know that people we loved were in such desperate pain we hope even harder and our heart breaks even sharper. I don't pretend to know all the answers and I certainly don't seat myself on God's judgment throne. He's the king and thank GOD I'm not the one to figure out what happens with people who lived complex lives! But here's the truth. Whatever your conviction is, personal loss does not change truth in scripture. Now I don't know what happens with people who love Jesus and take their own life. I know that we were made in God's image. I know that if I went to meet the Lord I would rather do that after having lived a full life of total submission to his mission in the gospel than after having rejected something created in his image. But I also don't know how God weighs out our pain. I know he sees us and has compassion, I also know he holds a high standard of obedience for us. I think at the end of the day the problem is with the certainty. I think the certainty is meant to comfort rather than to be honest. And again, I don't blame him. That being said, it's worth pointing out that our personal pain and circumstances do not change what the bible teaches. You have pain and painful experiences, but Christ decided you were worth dying for. I invite you to bring heaven to earth and carry the spirit of the Lord everywhere you go so that you can live out your purpose.