I was asked to write about suicide from a Biblical perspective because so many are asking about this online because they are so discouraged and feel hopeless, especially in our present circumstances. This is a difficult topic, and I am not an expert, nor a doctor or psychologist. I would suggest, first of all, that you go online to a Bible believing site which has experience in this and professionals who can help you and direct you on how our God can and will help you.

Here are some sites which I think are very good:
1. https.//answersingenesis.org. Look up Christian answers to suicide. This is a very good site that has many other resources.

2. gotquestions.org gives a list of people in the Bible who killed themselves:
Abimelech – Judges 9:54
Saul – I Samuel 31:4
Saul’s armor bearer – I Samuel 32:4-6
Ahithophel – 2 Samuel 17:23
Zimri – I Kings 16:18
Samson – Judges 16:26-33

3. National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-TALK

4. focusonthefamily.com

5. davidjeremiah.org (What Christians must understand about suicide and mental health)

What I do know is that God has all the answers we need in His Word, and He is always there for us to call upon Him for His help. He loves and cares for you. He wants us to experience His love, His mercy, and His peace.

His Word, the Bible, teaches us that each of us is created for a purpose. Jeremiah 29:11 says, “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’ ” It also shows us how we should live. God’s Word is truth (John 17:17) and the truth will set us free (John 8:32). It can help us with all our anxieties. 2 Peter 1:1-4 says, “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us to glory and virtue…Through these He has given us His very good and precious promises, so that through them you might be partakers in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is the world through lust (evil desire).”

God is for life. Jesus said in John 10:10, “I am come that they may have life and they might have it more abundantly.” Ecclesiastes 7:17 says, “Why should you die before your time?” Seek God. Go to God for help. Don’t give up.

We live in a world filled with trouble and evil behavior, not to mention bad circumstances, especially in our present time, and natural catastrophes. John 16:33 says, “I have spoken unto you that in Me you might have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

There are people who are selfish and evil doers and even murderers. When the worlds’ troubles come and cause hopelessness, Scripture says evil and suffering are all the result of sin. Sin is the problem, but God is our hope, our answer and our Savior. We are both the cause and the victims of this. God says all bad stuff is the result of sin and that ALL of us “have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). That means ALL. It is obvious that many are overwhelmed by the world around them and wish to escape due to desperation and discouragement and see no way to escape nor to change the world around them. All of us suffer the results of sin in this world, but God loves us and gives us hope. God loves us so much He has provided a way to take care of sin and to help us in this life. Read about how much God cares for us in Matthew 6:25-34 and Luke chapter 10. Read also Romans 8:25-32. He cares for you. Isaiah 59:2 says, “But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.”

Scripture clearly shows us that the starting point is that God had to take care of the sin problem. God loves us so much that He sent His Son to fix this problem. John 3:16 says this VERY clearly. It says, “For God so loved the world” (all of the persons in it) “that He gave His only begotten Son, THAT WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE.” Galatians 1:4 says, “Who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God our Father.” Romans 5:8 says, “But God commends His love for us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

One of the major causes of suicide is guilt from wrong things we have done, which, as God says, all of us have done, but God has taken care of the penalty and the guilt and forgives us for our sin, through Jesus His Son. Romans 6:23 says, “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Jesus paid the penalty when He died on the cross. I Peter 2:24 says, “Who His own self bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we being dead to sin should live unto righteousness, by whose stripes you were healed.” Read Isaiah 53 again and again. I John 3:2 & 4:16 say He is the propitiation for our sins, which means the just payment for our sins. Read also I Corinthians 15:1-4. This means He forgives our sins, all our sins, and the sins of everyone who believes. Colossians 1:13&14 says, “Who has delivered us from the power of darkness and has transferred us into the Kingdom of His dear Son: in whom we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins.” Psalm 103:3 says, “Who forgives all your iniquities.” See also Ephesians 1:7; Acts 5:31; 13:35; 26:18; Psalm 86:5 and Matthew 26:28. See John 15:5; Romans 4:7; I Corinthians 6:11; Psalm 103:12; Isaiah 43:25 and 44:22. All we need to do is to believe in and accept Jesus and what He did for us on the cross. John 1:12 says, “But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.” Revelation 22:17 says, “and whosoever will let him take of the water of life freely.” John 6:37 says, “him that comes to me I will in no wise cast out…” See John 5:24 and John 10:25. He gives us eternal life. Then we have a new life, and abundant life. He is also always with us (Matthew 28:20).

The Bible is true. It is about how we feel and who we are. It is about God’s promises of eternal life and abundant life, for whoever believes. (John 10:10; 3:16-18&36 and I John 5:13). It is about God who is faithful, who cannot lie (Titus 1:2). Read also Hebrews 6:18&19 and 10:23; I John 2:25 and Deuteronomy 7:9. We have passed from death to life. Romans 8:1 says, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.” We are forgiven, if we believe.

This takes care of the sin problem, forgiveness and the condemnation and guilt. Now God wants us to live for Him (Ephesians 2:2-10). I Peter 2:24 says, “and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness, for by His wounds you were healed.”

There is a but here. Read John chapter 3 again. Verses 18 & 36 tell us that if we do not believe and accept God’s way of salvation, we will perish (suffer punishment). We are condemned and under God’s wrath because we have rejected His provision for us. Hebrews 9:26&37 says man “is destined to die once and after that to face judgment.” If we die without accepting Jesus, we don’t get a second chance. See the account of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16:10-31. John 3:18 says, “but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son,” and verse 36 says, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.” The choice is ours. We have to believe to have life; we have to believe in Jesus and ask Him to save us before this life is over. Romans 10:13 says, “whoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

This is where hope begins. God is for life. He has a purpose for you and a plan. Don’t give up! Remember Jeremiah 29:11 says, “I know the plans (thoughts) that I have for you, plans to prosper you and not harm you, to give you hope and a future.” In our world of trouble and sadness, in God we have hope and nothing can separate us from His love. Read Romans 8:35-39. Read Psalm 146:5 and Psalms 42&43. Psalm 43:5 says, “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.” 2 Corinthians 12:9 and Philippians 4:13 tell us that God will give us strength to carry on and bring glory to God. Ecclesiastes 12:13 says, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.” Read Psalm 37:5&6 Proverbs 3:5&6 and James 4:13-17. Proverbs 16:9 says, “Man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps and makes them sure.”

Our HOPE is also our Provider, Protector, Defender and Deliverer: Check out these verses:
HOPE: Psalm 139; Psalm 33:18-32; Lamentations 3:24; Psalm 42 (“Hope thou in God.”); Jeremiah 17:7; I Timothy 1:1
HELPER: Psalm 30:10; 33:20; 94:17-19
DEFENDER: Psalm 71:4&5
DELIVERER: Colossians 1:13; Psalm 6:4; Psalm 144:2; Psalm 40:17; Psalm 31:13-15
LOVE: Romans 8:38&39
In Philippians 4:6 God tells us, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God.” Come to God and let Him help you with all your needs and cares because I Peter 5:6&7 says, “Casting all your care upon Him for He cares for you.” There are many reasons people contemplate suicide. In Scripture God promises to help you with each and every one of them.

Here is a list of reasons people may contemplate suicide and what God’s Word says He will do to help you:

1. Hopelessness: The world is too evil, it will never change, despair over conditions, it will never get better, overwhelmed, life is not worth it, not successful, failures.

Answer: Jeremiah 29:11, God gives hope; Ephesians 6:10, We should trust in the promise of His power and might (John 10:10). God will win. I Corinthians 15:58&59, We have victory. God is in control.Examples: Moses, Job

2. Guilt: From our own sins, wrongs we have done, shame, remorse, failures
Answer: a. For unbelievers, John 3:16; I Corinthians 15:3&4. God saves us and forgives us through Christ. God is not willing that any should perish.
b. For believers, when they confess their sin to Him, I John 1:9; Jude 24. He keeps us forever. He is merciful. He promises to forgive us.

3. Unloved: rejection, no one cares, unwanted.
Answer: Romans 8:38&39 God loves you. He cares about you: Matthew 6:25-34; Luke 12:7; I Peter 5:7; Philippians 4:6; Matthew 10:29-31; Galatians 1:4; God never leaves you. Hebrews 13:5; Matthew 28:20

4. Anxiety: Worry, cares of the world, Covid, home, what people think, money.
Answer: Philippians 4:6; Matthew 6:25-34; 10:29-31. He cares for you. I Peter 5:7 He is our Provider. He will supply all we need. “All these things will be added unto you.” Matthew 6:33

5. Unworthy: No value or purpose, not good enough, useless, worthless, can’t do anything, failure.
Answer: God has a purpose and plan for each of us (Jeremiah 29:11). Matthew 6:25-34 and chapter 10, We are valuable to Him. Ephesians 2:8- 10. Jesus gives us life and abundant life (John 10:10). He guides us to His plan for us (Proverbs 16:9); He wants to restore us if we fail (Psalm 51:12). In Him we are a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). He gives us everything we need
(2 Peter 1:1-4). Everything is new every morning, especially God’s mercy (Lamentations 3:22&23; Psalm 139:16). He is our Helper, Isaiah 41:10; Psalm 121:1&2; Psalm 20:1&2; Psalm 46:1.
Examples: Paul, David, Moses, Esther, Joseph, everyone

6. Enemies: People against us, bullies, no one likes us.
Answer: Romans 8:31&32 says, “If God is for us, who can be against us.” See also verses 38&39. God is our Defender, Deliverer (Romans 4:2; Galatians 1:4; Psalm 25:22; 18:2&3; 2 Corinthians 1:3-10) and He vindicates us. James 1:2-4 says we need perseverance. Read Psalm 20:1&2
Example: David, He was pursued by Saul, but God was his Defender and Deliverer (Psalm 31:15; 50:15; Psalm 4).

7. Loss: Grief, bad events, loss of home, job, etc.
Answer: Job chapter 1, “God gives and takes away.” We need to give God thanks in all things (I Thessalonians 5:18). Romans 8:28&29 says, “God works all things together for good.”
Example: Job

8. Illness and Pain: John 16:33 “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”
Answer: I Thessalonians 5:18, “In everything give thanks,” Ephesians 5:20. He will sustain you. Romans 8:28, “God works all things together for good.” Job 1:21
Example: Job. God gave Job blessings in the end.

9. Mental Health: emotional pain, depression, a burden to others, sadness, people don’t understand.
Answer: God knows all our thoughts; He understands; He cares, I Peter 5:8. Seek help from Christian, Bible-believing counselors. God can meet all our needs.
Examples: He met the needs of all His children in Scripture.

10. Anger: Vengeance, getting even with those who hurt us. Sometimes people who contemplate suicide imagine that it is a way to get even with those who they think are mistreating them. But ultimately although the people mistreating you may feel guilt, the person who is most hurt is the one who commits suicide. He loses his life and God’s purpose and intended blessings.
Answer: God judges rightly. He tells us to “love our enemies…and to pray for those who despitefully use us” (Matthew chapter 5). God says in Romans 12:19, “Vengeance is mine.” God wants all to be saved.

11. Elderly: want to quit, give up
Answer: James 1:2-4 says we need to persevere. Hebrews 12:1 says we need to run with patience the race set before us. 2 Timothy 4:7 says, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”
Life And Death (God vs. Satan)

We have seen that God is all about love and life and hope. Satan is the one who wants to destroy life and God’s work. John 10:10 says Satan comes to “steal, kill and destroy,” to prevent people from receiving God’s blessing, forgiveness and love. God wants us to come to Him for life and He wants to help us. Satan wants you to quit, to give up. God wants us to serve Him. Remember Ecclesiastes 12:13 says, “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind.” Satan wants us to die; God wants us to live. Throughout Scripture God shows that His plan for us is to love others, to love our neighbor and help them. If a person ends his or her life, they give up their ability to fulfill God’s plan, to change the lives of others; to bless and change and love others through them, according to His plan. This is for each and every person He has created. When we fail to follow this plan or quit, others will suffer because we have not helped them. Answers in Genesis gives a list of people in the Bible who killed themselves, all of whom were people who turned away from God, sinned against Him and failed to achieve the plan God had for them. Here is the list: Judges 9:54 – Abimelech; Judges 16:30 – Samson; I Samuel 31:4 – Saul; 2 Samuel 17:23 – Ahithophel; I Kings 16:18 – Zimri; Matthew 27:5 – Judas. Guilt is one of the primary reasons people commit suicide.

Other Examples
As we have said in the Old Testament and also throughout the New Testament, God gives examples of His plans for us. Abraham was chosen as the Father of the nation of Israel through whom God would bless and provide salvation to the world. Joseph was sent to Egypt and there he saved his family. David was chosen to be king and then became the ancestor of Jesus. Moses led Israel from Egypt. Esther saves her people (Esther 4:14).

In the New Testament, Mary became Jesus’ mother. Paul spread the Gospel (Acts 26:16&17; 22:14&15). What if he had given up? Peter was chosen to preach to the Jews (Galatians 2:7). John was chosen to write Revelation, God’s message to us about the future.
This is also for all of us, for each person in their generation, each different from another’s. I Corinthians 10:11 says, “Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.” Read Romans 12:1&2; Hebrews 12:1.

We all face trials (James 1:2-5) but God will be with us and enable us when we persevere. Read Romans 8:28. He will bring our purpose to pass. Read Psalm 37:5&6 and Proverbs 3:5&6 and Psalm 23. He will see us through and Hebrews 13:5 says, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Gifts

In the New Testament God has given special spiritual gifts to each believer: an ability to be used to help and build up others and to help believers to become mature, and to fulfill God’s purpose for them. Read Romans 12; I Corinthians 12 and Ephesians 4.
This is just one more way God demonstrates that there is a purpose and plan for each person.
Psalm 139:16 says, “the days that were fashioned for me” and Hebrews 12:1&2 tells us “to run with perseverance the race that is marked out for us.” This surely means we shouldn’t quit.

Our gifts are given to us by God. There are about 18 specific gifts, differing from others, specifically chosen according to God’s will (I Corinthians 12:4-11 and 28, Romans 12:6-8 and Ephesians 4:11&12). We should not quit but love God and serve Him. I Corinthians 6:19&20 says, “You are not your own, you were bought with a price” (when Christ died for you) “…therefore glorify God.” Galatians 1:15&16 and Ephesians 3:7-9 both say that Paul was chosen for a purpose from the time of his birth. Similar statements are said of many others in Scripture, such as David and Moses. When we quit, we not only hurt ourselves but others.

God Is Sovereign – It Is His Choice – He Is in ControlEcclesiastes 3:1 says, “For everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under heaven: a time to be born; a time to die.” Psalm 31:15 says, “My times are in Your hands.” Ecclesiastes 7:17b says, “Why should you die before your time?” Job 1:26 says, “God gives and God takes away.” He is our Creator and Sovereign. It is God’s choice, not ours. In Romans 8:28 He who has all knowledge wants what is good for us. He says, “all things work together for good.” Psalm 37:5&6 says, “Commit your way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. And he shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your judgment as the noonday.” So we should commit our ways to Him.

He will take us to be with Him at the right time and sustain us and give us grace and strength for our journey while we are here on earth. As with Job, Satan cannot touch us unless God allows it. Read I Peter 5:7-11. John 4:4 says, “Greater is He that is in you, that he that is in the world.” I John 5:4 says, “This is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith.” See also Hebrews 4:16.
Conclusion

2 Timothy 4:6&7 says we should finish the course (purpose) God has given us. Ecclesiastes 12:13 tells us our purpose is to love and glorify God. Deuteronomy 10:12 says, “What does the LORD require of you…but to fear the LORD your God…to love Him and to
serve the LORD your God with all your heart. Matthew 22:37-40 tells us to, “Love the Lord your God…and your neighbor as yourself.”

If God allows suffering it is for our good (Romans 8:28; James 1:1-4). He wants us to trust in Him, to trust in His love. I Corinthians 15:58 says, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.” Job is our example that shows us that when God allows troubles, He does it to test us and make us stronger and in the end, He blesses us and forgives us even when we don’t always trust Him, and we fail and question and challenge Him. He forgives us when we confess our sin to Him (I John 1:9). Remember I Corinthians 10:11 which says, “These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come.” God allowed Job to be tested and it made him understand God more and trust God more, and God restored and blessed him.

The Psalmist said, “The dead do not praise the LORD.” Isaiah 38:18 says, “The living man, he shall praise you.” Psalm 88:10 says, “Will you work wonders for the dead? Shall the dead arise and praise you?” Psalm 18:30 also says, “As for God, His way is perfect,” and Psalm 84:11 says, “He will give grace and glory.” Choose life and choose God. Give Him control. Remember, we do not understand God’s plans, but He promises to be with us, and He wants us to trust Him as Job did. So be steadfast (I Corinthians 15:58) and finish the race “marked out for you,” and let God choose the times and path of your life (Job 1; Hebrews 12:1). Don’t give up (Ephesians 3:20)!

Jesus taught us in the Scriptures (the Bible) in John 14:6 that He is the way to heaven. He said, “I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me.” The Bible teaches us that Jesus died for our sins. It teaches us that we must believe in Him to have eternal life.

I Peter 2:24 says, “Who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree,” and John 3:14-18 (NASB) says, “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up (verse14), so that whoever believes may in Him have eternal life (verse 15).

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life (verse 16).

For God did not send the Son into the world to judge (condemn) the world; but that the world should be saved through Him (verse 17).

He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the only begotten Son of God (verse 18).”

See also verse 36, “He who believes in the Son has eternal life…”

This is our blessed promise.

Romans 10:9-13 ends by saying, “whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Acts 16:30&31 says, “He then brought them out and asked, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’

They replied, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved – you and your household.’”

If your loved one believed he or she is in heaven.

There is very little in Scripture which talks about what occurs in heaven before the Lord’s return, except that we will be with Jesus.

Jesus told the thief on the cross in Luke 23:43, “Today you shall be with me in Paradise.”

Scripture says in 2 Corinthians 5:8 that, “if we are absent from the body we are present with the Lord.”

The only clues I see which indicate that our loved ones in heaven are able to see us are in Hebrews and Luke.

The first is Hebrews 12:1 which says, “Therefore since we have so great a cloud of witnesses” (the author is speaking of those who died before us – past believers) “surrounding us, let us lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.” This would indicate they can see us. They witness what we are doing.

The second is in Luke 16:19-31, the account of the rich man and Lazarus.

They could see each other and the rich man was aware of his relatives on earth. (Read the entire account.) This passage also shows us God’s response to sending “one from the dead to speak to them.”

God strictly forbids us from trying to contact the dead as in going to mediums or going to séances.
One should stay away from such things and trust in God’s Word, given to us in the Scriptures.

Deuteronomy 18:9-12 says, “When you enter the land the LORD your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there.

Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead.

Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD, and because of these detestable practices the LORD your God will drive out these nations before you.”

The whole Bible is about Jesus, about His coming to die for us, so that we might have forgiveness of sins and have eternal life in heaven by believing in Him.

Acts 10:48 says, “Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His Name everyone who believes in Him has received forgiveness of sins.”

Acts 13:38 says, “Therefore, my brothers, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you.”

Colossians 1:14 says, “For He delivered us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the Kingdom of His Beloved Son, in Whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

Read Hebrews chapter 9. Verse 22 says, “without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”

In Romans 4:5-8 it says the one who “believes, his faith is reckoned as righteousness,” and in verse 7 it says, “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds have been forgiven and whose sins have been covered.”

Romans 10:13&14 says,” Whoever will call upon the Name of the Lord wills be saved.

How shall they call upon Him in Whom they have not believed?”

In John 10:28 Jesus says of His believers, “and I give eternal life to them and they shall never perish.”

I hope you have believed.

Many people believe that if a person commits suicide that they automatically go to Hell.

This idea is usually based on the fact that killing yourself is murder, an extremely serious sin, and that when a person kills himself there obviously is not time after the event to repent and ask God to forgive him.

There are several problems with this idea. The first is that there is absolutely no indication in the Bible that if a person commits suicide that they go to Hell.

The second problem is that it makes salvation be by faith plus not doing something. Once you start down that road, what other conditions are you going to add to faith alone?

Romans 4:5 says, “However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness.”

The third issue is that it almost puts murder into a separate category and makes it far worse than any other sin.

Murder is extremely serious, but so are many other sins. A final problem is that it assumes that the individual did not change his mind and cry out to God after it was too late.

According to people who have survived a suicide attempt, at least some of them regretted whatever they did to take their life almost as soon as they did it.

None of what I have just said should be taken to mean that suicide is not sin, and a very serious one at that.

People who take their own life often feel their friends and family would be better off without them, but that is almost never so. Suicide is a tragedy, not only because an individual dies, but also because of the emotional pain that all who knew the individual will feel, often for an entire lifetime.

Suicide is the ultimate rejection of all the people who cared about the one who took their own life, and often leads to all sorts of emotional problems in those affected by it, including others taking their own life also.

To sum up, suicide is an extremely serious sin, but it will not automatically send someone to Hell.

Any sin is serious enough to send a person to Hell if that person does not ask the Lord Jesus Christ to be his Savior and forgive all his sins.

 There are some things that the Bible teaches that I absolutely love, such as how much God loves us.  There are other things that I actually wish were not there, but my study of Scripture has convinced me that, If I am going to be completely honest in how I handle Scripture, I have to believe it teaches that the lost will suffer eternal torment in Hell.

Those who would question the idea of eternal torment in Hell will often say that the words used to describe the duration of the torment do not exactly mean eternal.  And while this is true, that the Greek of New Testament times did not have and use a word exactly equivalent to our word eternal, the writers of the New Testament used the words available to them to describe both how long we will live with God and how long the ungodly will suffer in Hell.  Matthew 25:46 says, “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”  The same words translated eternal are used to describe God in Romans 16:26 and the Holy Spirit in Hebrews 9:14.  2 Corinthians 4:17&18 helps us understand what the Greek words translated “eternal” really mean.  It says, “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.  So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

Mark 9:48b “It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out.”  Jude 13c “For whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever.”  Revelation 14:10b&11 “They will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb.  And the smoke of their torment will rise for ever and ever.  There will be no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image, or for anyone who receives the mark of its name.”  All these passages indicate something that does not end.

Perhaps the strongest indication that punishment in Hell is eternal is found in Revelation chapters 19&20.  In Revelation 19:20 we read that the beast and the false prophet (both human beings) “were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur.”  After that it says in Revelation 20:1-6 that Christ reigns for a thousand years.  During those thousand years Satan is locked up in the Abyss but Revelation 20:7 says, “When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison.”  After he makes a final attempt to defeat God we read in Revelation 20:10, “And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown.  They will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”  The word “they” includes the beast and the false prophet who have already been there for a thousand years.

In answer to your question, people who believe in Jesus Christ, in His provision for our salvation go to heaven to be with God and unbelievers are condemned to eternal punishment.  John 3:36 says, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him,”

When you die your soul and spirit leave your body.  Genesis 35:18 shows us this when it tells of Rachel dying, saying, “as her soul was departing (for she died).”  When the body dies, the soul and spirit depart but they don’t cease to exist. It is very clear in Matthew 25:46 what occurs after death, when, in speaking of the unrighteous, it says, “these shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous unto eternal life.”

Paul, when teaching believers, said that the moment we are “absent from the body we are present with the Lord” (I Corinthians 5:8).  When Jesus was risen from the dead, He went to be with God the Father (John 20:17). When He promises the same life for us, we know that it will be and that we will be with Him.

In Luke 16:22-31 we see the account of the rich man and Lazarus.  The righteous poor man was at “Abraham’s side” but the rich man went to Hades and was in agony.  In verse 26 we see that there was a great gulf fixed between them so that once there the unrighteous man could not pass over to heaven.  In verse 28 it refers to Hades as a place of torment.

In Romans 3:23 it says, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”  Ezekiel 18:4 and 20 say, “the soul (and note the use of the word soul for person) who sins shall die…the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.”  (Death in this sense in Scripture, as in Revelation 20:10,14&15, is not physical death but separation from God forever and eternal punishment as seen in Luke 16.  Romans 6:23 says, “the wages of sin is death,” and Matthew 10:28 says, “fear Him Who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”

So then, who can possibly enter heaven and be with God forever since we all are unrighteous sinners.  How can we be rescued or ransomed from the penalty of death.  Romans 6:23 also gives the answer. God comes to our rescue, for it says, “the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”  Read I Peter 1:1-9.  Here we have Peter discussing how the believers have received an inheritance “that can never perish, spoil or fade away – kept forever in heaven” (Verse 4 NIV).  Peter speaks of how believing in Jesus results in “obtaining the outcome of the faith, the saving of your soul” (verse 9).  (See also Matthew 26:28.)  Philippians 2:8&9 tells us that everyone must confess that Jesus, who claimed equality with God, is “Lord” and must believe that He died for them (John 3:16; Matthew 27:50).

Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way, the Truth and the Life; no man can come to the Father, except through Me.”  Psalms 2:12 says, “Kiss the Son, lest He be angry and you perish in the way.”

Many passages in the New Testament phrase our faith in Jesus as “obeying the truth” or “obeying the gospel,” which means to “believe in the Lord Jesus.”  I Peter 1:22 says, “you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit.”  Ephesians 1:13 says, “In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, in Whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.”  (Read also Romans 10:15 and Hebrews 4:2.)

The Gospel (meaning good news) is declared in I Corinthians 15:1-3.  It says, “Brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received…that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried and that He rose again the third day…”  Jesus said in Matthew 26:28, “For this is My blood of the new covenant which is shed for many for the remission of sins.”  I Peter 2:24 (NASB) says, “He Himself bore our sins in His  own body on the cross .”  I Timothy 2:6 says, “He gave His life a ransom for all.”  Job 33:24 says, “spare him from going down to the pit, I have found a ransom for him.”  (Read Isaiah 53:5, 6, 8, 10.)

John 1:12 tells us what we must do, “but as many as received Him to them He gave the right to become the children of God, even to those who believe in His name.”  Romans 10:13 says, “Whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”  John 3:16 says whoever believes on Him has “everlasting life.”  John 10:28 says, “I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish.”  In Acts 16:36 the question is asked, “What must I do to be saved?” and answered, “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.”  John 20:31 says, “these are written that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ and that believing you may have life in His name.”

Scripture shows evidence that the souls of those who believe will be in Heaven with Jesus.  In Revelation 6:9 and 20:4 the souls of righteous martyrs were seen by John in heaven.  We also see in Matthew 17:2 and Mark 9:2 where Jesus took Peter, James and John and led them up a high mountain where Jesus was transfigured before them and Moses and Elijah appeared to them and they were talking with Jesus.  They were more than just spirits, for the disciples recognized them and they were alive.  In Philippians 1:20-25 Paul writes, “to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better.”  Hebrews 12:22 speaks of heaven when it says, “you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to myriads of angels, to the general assembly and the church (the name given to all believers) of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven.”

Ephesians 1:7 says, “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace.”

In answer to the question of remembering “past” life, it depends on what you mean by the question.

1).        If you are referring to re-incarnation the Bible does not teach it.  There is no mention of coming back in another form or as another person in Scripture.  Hebrews 9:27 says that, “It is appointed unto man once to die and after this the judgment.”

2).        If you are asking whether we will remember our lives after we die, we will be reminded of all our deeds when we are judged for what we did during our lives.

God knows all – past, present and future and God will judge unbelievers for their sinful deeds and they will receive everlasting punishment and believers will be rewarded for their works done for the kingdom of God.  (Read John chapter 3 and Matthew 12:36&37.)  God remembers everything.

Considering that every sound wave is out there somewhere and considering that we now have “clouds” to store our memories, science is barely starting to catch up to what God can do.  No word or deed is undetectable to God.