On page 1484 of Ray Comfort's EVIDENCE BIBLE (ISBN:
978-0-88270-970-3), under the section titled, "Does someone go to hell for
committing suicide," Ray Comfort states:
Those who are adamant that a person who takes his life is committing a mortal sin, and will go to hell, are basing their belief on church doctrine rather than on the Bible. Scripture is silent on the subject ... It would be wise to follow the Biblical example and not come to any verdict in the case of suicide. [emphasis added]
SOURCE: THE EVIDENCE BIBLE, by Ray Comfort, pg. 1484; 2003, Bridge-Logos Publishers, Orlando, Florida
Is Scripture silent on the matter of suicide? Not at all. Suicide is a sin like any other sin. When a person comes to Jesus Christ by faith alone, as a guilty sinner seeking forgiveness of one's sins—all sins... past, present and future... are forgiven at the time of salvation. John 3:18 proclaims... "He that believeth on him is not condemned..." Romans 4:5 states: "But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness." This is the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ, i.e., CHRIST'S RIGHTEOUSNESS charged to our record (2nd Corinthians 5:21). No Christian who commits suicide can ever go to Hell.
Ray Comfort is doctrinally flawed and shouldn't teach that "Scripture is silent on the subject" of suicide. The Bible assures each believer that they have eternal security (Romans 10:13; John 3:16). Jesus states in John 10:28, "And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand." Not surprisingly, Ray Comfort avoids the subject of Eternal Security entirely in his "evidence bible."
Ray Comfort is teaching heresy. A believer who commits suicide DOES go to Heaven, guaranteed! Why? ... Because they died in the Lord (Revelation 14:13). One's salvation is not based upon self-righteousness; but rather, upon the righteousness of Jesus Christ (2nd Corinthians 5:21). Thus, a believer who commits ANY SIN, including suicide, is eternally secure in Christ's imputed righteousness.
Mr. Comfort doesn't feel strongly enough about eternal security to make it part of his statement of faith. A correctly understood gospel—salvation by grace alone through faith alone on the basis of Christ's finished work alone—mandates eternal security. On the other hand, if one is trusting in one's works or a "commitment" to perform works or to live a certain way to be saved, then salvation cannot be assured, and the doctrine of eternal security is either negotiable or is denied.
The question Ray Comfort asks in THE EVIDENCE BIBLE is... "Does someone go to hell for committing suicide?" His answer is... It would be wise to follow the Biblical example and not come to any verdict in the case of suicide. This clearly implies that a believer who commits suicide may be in danger of going to Hell. The fact that THE EVIDENCE BIBLE fails to address the issue of the believer's eternal security is utterly disturbing, and is a clear warning that Ray Comfort is unsure of his beliefs (or is hiding them).
It is noteworthy to mention that John MacArthur, who errantly teaches that salvation CAN BE lost, is quoted numerous times by Ray Comfort in THE EVIDENCE BIBLE. Salvation CANNOT be lost, even if a believer commits deliberate murder (as king David did in the Bible). The Word of God teaches ONCE SAVED, ALWAYS SAVED. Although Ray Comfort is wishy-washy concerning the subject of the eternal security of the believer; the Bible is not... salvation is of God; not mankind. Salvation is receiving; not giving. The only sin which a person needs to literally forsake to be saved is UNBELIEF.
Please read,
Dr. John R. Rice Refutes
Lordship Salvation.
Conclusion
The Bible warns us in 2nd Peter 2:1 that false prophets would attempt to infiltrate the New Testament church, and that their method of attack would be one of subtlety. Carefully notice that the word "privily" is the Greek word pareisago, which means to lead in aside, i.e., introduce surreptitiously. The word "surreptitiously" means: Marked by quiet and caution and secrecy; taking pains to avoid being observed. This is so important for us to comprehend today. God is warning us that Satan inspires false prophets to carefully, quietly and secretly deceive us without ever being noticed.
This fully explains how an unsaved modernist like John MacArthur, who denies the efficacy of Jesus' physical blood, can be honored year-after-year by Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. They have been deceived by Satan. John MacArthur treads under foot the precious literal blood of Jesus Christ. There is no doctrine any more fundamental to Christianity than the literal, physical, redeeming, precious blood of Jesus Christ (1st Peter 1:18,19; Hebrews 9:12). John MacArthur is the rot of the pseudo-Christian world today. Kirk Cameron, who is Ray's Comfort's sidekick, promotes the John MacArthur Study Bible on his website; and as mentioned, Mr. Comfort quotes John MacArthur numerous times in THE EVIDENCE BIBLE. Things are not as they appear folks.
Martin Luther is the biggest religious conman who's ever lived; yet ignorant people today, such as Ray Comfort, praise him as a hero of the Christian faith.
I am unalterably against the damnable heresy of Lordship Salvation, i.e., the false teaching that a lost sinner cannot be saved unless he or she is willing to literally forsake sin as a prerequisite to be saved. That is not what the Bible teaches; but it's what Ray Comfort and John MacArthur teach. The Biblical Gospel is simple—we are guilty sinners and Jesus is the Redeeming Savior. One who realizes his guilt of sin and justly deserved punishment in hellfire, and turns to Jesus Christ by faith, trusting the Lord to forgive his sins, will be saved. This is the promise made by God in Romans 10:13... "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Salvation is not hard.
Ladies and gentleman, someone's got to be on the firing line for God. Satan is alive and well, working relentlessly to corrupt the remaining bastions of Biblical Christianity in the world today. If we as believers fail to defend the Christian faith, then who will?
"But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies..." —2nd Peter 2:1
