Chuck Smith
General Teachings/Activities
Chuck Smith is best known to those outside of the state of California as the teacher on the nationwide radio program, "The Word for Today." The radio programs are edited messages from Smith's sermons at Calvary Chapel in Costa Mesa, California, where he is the senior pastor. [The television version of The Word for Today (taped services from Calvary Chapel) is also seen nationwide on the blasphemous Trinity Broadcasting Network.]
Calvary Chapel also operates a wholly-owned radio station (KWVE); a two-year Bible College (offering an Associate's Degree in Theology, and a Bachelor's in Biblical Studies) on a 47-acre campus in Murietta Hot Springs, California; a castle in Austria; and other properties [Ed. note: A large office building next to the church grounds on MacArthur Blvd.]. In addition, Calvary Chapel's related ministries include, Calvary Chapel Music, Calvary Chapel Satellite
Network International, Calvary Chapel Conference Center, Calvary Chapel Christian Camp, Maranatha Christian Academy, and Calvary Chapel High School.
Born in 1927, Smith started Calvary Chapel in 1965 with only 25 people. Smith's ministry grew out of the Christianized version of the hippie youth movement of the 1960s and 1970s; he was a leader in the "Jesus People Movement,"* a counter-cultural movement which focused heavily on subjective religious experience. Smith reached out to the hippies and spiritual "seekers" looking for enlightenment in ways ranging from Buddhism to LSD.
"Christianity" became an option for some as Calvary Chapel welcomed these young people with long hair, jeans, and bare feet into its worship services. By 1971, Smith was at the forefront of the Jesus People Movement, baptizing hundreds in the Pacific Ocean and erecting a giant circus tent that could hold 1,600 people for Sunday services (12/31/94, Rapid City Journal, p. A7).
Six months from conception, Calvary Chapel's "membership" doubled. Today it has a reported membership of approximately 15,000 and has planted Calvary Chapels all over the globe. More than 850 churches (approximately 700 nationally and 165 more worldwide) have grown out of Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa, some of them with memberships of more than 5,000. Chuck Smith has been touted thusly: "This man, Chuck Smith and his church, Calvary Chapel, has had an amazing influence upon the Christian world." That being the case: What kind of message have they received (and do they receive) from Smith and Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa? We believe that the rest of this report clearly demonstrates that Chuck Smith is highly ecumenical, compromises with psychology, and is, at best, a fringe charismatic. [In addition an excellent web site for a detailed analysis of the Calvary Chapel "issues," see Calvary Chapel Frequently Asked But Unanswered Questions Answered.]
A Subtle Diversion Away From Loving The Truth
It's doubtful that Chuck Smith or the pastors at Calvary Chapel would ever come right out and say they don't love the truth, but this is actually the message that they bring. Larry Taylor, an assisting pastor to Chuck Smith and an administrator of Calvary Chapel Bible College, wrote a booklet in 1994 entitled, "Things I Learned From My Pastor: Biblical Principles of Ministry as Taught by Pastor Chuck Smith." This booklet is sold in the bookstore at Calvary Chapel in Costa Mesa. In the introduction, Taylor states:
"The principles of ministry which follow are not at all original with me. In fact, 100% of what follows I was taught by my pastor, Chuck Smith... Pastor Chuck has been my pastor for over twenty years. Many years ago, he took me, along with many other misplaced young men, under his wing, and taught us by example how to be shepherds of God's people. All that I've done is pull together what he taught us in one outline."
Under point "XIII. Be Balanced Theologically (see 1 Tim. 4:16. II Tim. 2:23-26)," Taylor says, "Pastor Chuck has always sought to avoid those issues which do nothing but divide the Body of Christ, and, as he once said, `when Christ's Body is divided, pray tell, who bleeds?'"
But avoiding controversial issues is not loving the truth. Jesus was very controversial and much division was created because of Him (Luke 12:51-53; John 7:40-43; 9:16; 10:15-21). Some may argue that what Larry Taylor and Chuck Smith mean is that they don't get involved in foolish controversies (like 2 Tim. 2:14,23). But this is not what Smith means.
In Smith's 1994 book, "Why Grace Changes Everything," Smith relates a story of a couple of influential families at Calvary Chapel who bought into the doctrine of the "Jesus Only" Pentecostals. (This cult teaches that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are merely different terms for Jesus.) Since Smith has "always detested arguing Scripture with people," he "let them lay out their faulty positions without trying to tear them apart.... I knew many Scriptures that would clarify the issue, but I didn't bother to argue with these folks." (This in no way is what Paul was talking about in 2 Tim. 2:23-26; i.e., "correcting them"!) Smith had deceived these families so badly by not correcting them, that they believed Smith actually agreed with them, which encouraged them to go about confidently espousing their false doctrine in the church (pp. 174-176). The point is this -- How can you leave someone in false doctrine, as if what they believed was no serious matter, and still claim to love the Truth?!
In another 1994 booklet by Larry Taylor entitled, "The Ministry of An Assisting Pastor: Or, More Things I Learned From My Pastor," Taylor defines gossip "as saying anything negative, whether true or not, to anyone about the pastor or about the ministry" (section 7 "Never Gossip"). He teaches that you should quit the church and be quiet rather than "ever say anything negative about the pastor or the ministry to anyone, even after you've quit. In a situation where something in the church is so completely wrong that the sheep in the body are in spiritual danger, then say nothing to anybody, resign, and move on." (Emphasis added.) This sounds like the teaching of a hireling (John 10:12), not a lover of the truth. (This booklet is also sold in Calvary Chapel's bookstore.)
Chuck Smith Is Ecumenical
In his 1993 book, "Answers For Today," Smith says the following:
"Paul points out that some say, `I'm of Paul,' while others say, `I'm of Apollos.' He asked, `Isn't that carnal?' But what's the difference between saying that or saying, `I'm a Baptist,' `I'm a Presbyterian,' `I'm a Methodist,' 'I'm a Catholic?' I have found that the more spiritual a person becomes, the less denominational he is. We should realize that we're all part of the Body of Christ and that there aren't any real divisions in the Body.
We're all one. What a glorious day when we discover that God loves the Baptists! -- And the Presbyterians, and the Methodists, and the Catholics. We're all His and we all belong to Him. We see the whole Body of Christ, and we begin to strive together rather than striving against one another" (p. 157). (Emphasis added.)
If anything should be clear, it is that Roman Catholicism is a false religious system and is in NO WAY part of the Body of Christ. Yet Chuck Smith views Catholicism as merely another Christian denomination.
III. Smith Denies the Power of Godliness (2 Tim. 3:5): This is exemplified via his teaching on a "carnal Christian." In his 1993 book, Answers For Today, he denies the power of godliness (i.e., the power of a changed life that comes through faith in Christ -- 2 Cor. 5:17):
"The carnal Christian, however, has enough of the Lord to be saved, but not enough of the Lord to rest in that salvation. He has enough of Christ to be miserable in the world, but too much of the world to be happy in Christ" [p. 148]. ... The 'carnal Christian' is the man who has been awakened by the Spirit of God to his need of Jesus Christ and has received Jesus Christ into his life as his Saviour -- but he has never submitted his life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Thus, he is one who believes in Jesus Christ as his Saviour but is still ruled by his flesh" (p. 154).
To begin with, Smith's definition of a "carnal Christian" as a person who is "saved" is seriously flawed. Such a person "ruled by his flesh" is not saved (Rom. 10:9-10; 6:5-7; 8:5-6,13; 1 Jn 2:4). In 1 Cor. 3:1-3, Paul is rebuking and correcting the Corinthians and is in no way saying they could continue on in this "carnal" state and still be saved!
IV. False Teaching On Suicide: In Answers For Today, Smith is asked, "Is a person who commits suicide totally lost for eternity?" Smith answers, "Definitely not! I believe that a person who is driven to the point of committing suicide no longer has full responsibility for the things he's doing. Driven to a point of such mental extremes, he isn't necessarily responsible for the action of taking his own life" (pp. 88-89). That is precisely what psychology teaches! -- Not the Word of God! The very fact that a person is suicidal (and ready and willing to murder himself) proves him to be reprobate, in rebellion (1 Sam. 15:23) against God, and still at odds with Him (Col. 1:21; Rom. 5:1; Gal. 5:19-21). At the very least, if one is talking about premeditated suicide, there is no way such a person knows God! He is a murderer (1 Jn. 3:15)!
Chuck Smith disciple Larry Taylor wrote a 1994 booklet entitled Suicide And The Church. In section "V. Suicide In The Bible," he states, "So then, we
see that a born again Christian could commit suicide, and if he did, he
would go to heaven." Taylor then tells the story of his own teenage son's
1986 suicide (section "VII. A Personal Word of Testimony"). His son had
been deeply involved in Dungeons and Dragons and was listening regularly to
hard rock music. Yet Taylor claims this was a Christian home his son grew
up in, and that it was the fault of Dungeons and Dragons that led to his
son's death, not his son's rebellion and lost condition that led him to
Dungeons and Dragons. The truth is too hard to face, so men lie to
themselves, just as Romans 1:18 and John 3:20 say they do.
V. A Hypocritical Stand Against Psychology: Chuck Smith is the editor of a
booklet that Bob Hoekstra has written entitled, The Psychologizing of the
Faith, that exposes the evils and false doctrine that has come into the
church via psychology. This booklet is sold in the book store at Calvary
Chapel of Costa Mesa. Although the Calvary Chapel book store has a
disclaimer at the cash register which says that they can't fully endorse
every book sold, it is absolute hypocrisy to endorse The Psychologizing of
the Faith, and at the same time sell and promote (by selling) books written
by pop psychologist Dr. James C. Dobson, Tim and Beverly LaHaye
(four-temperament gurus), Charles Stanley, Billy Graham, Max Lucado, Kay
Arthur, Bill Bright, etc. In addition, in the 1994 booklet What Calvary
Chapel Teaches: A Brief Explanation of the Doctrine of the Calvary Chapel
Movement, by Larry Taylor, Calvary Chapel admits to approving of "mental
health professionals" and says, "we thank God for them." (Taylor has a
Ph.D. in psychologically-oriented counseling and has held previous private
employment as a consultant to psychiatric hospitals and social service
departments; he claims most of the booklet was written by Chuck Smith.)
Along the lines of hypocritically standing against the psychologizing of
the faith while denying the power of godliness, Calvary Chapel sponsors
"DISCIPLESHIP SUPPORT GROUPS" every Friday evening at 7:20 P.M. in Room MCA
202 (from a flyer distributed in the early-1990s by Calvary Chapel of Costa
Mesa). The flier describes who should attend these support group meetings:
"For ... (a) People Pleasers -- For those who painfully depend on
approval from others in an attempt to find safety, value and
identity; (b) Sexually Abused -- For women whose lives have been
impacted by sexual abuse in some form; (c) Bereavement -- For
those who have lost a spouse or other loved one, whether recently
or in the past; (d) Separated/Divorced -- For those who have
suffered the break-up of a marriage; (e) Men Impacted by Sexual
Abuse -- For men who have been sexually abused or have a loved
one who has been abused; and (f) Overeaters -- For those who
compulsively eat."
This all follows the pattern of a psychological approach -- as does Calvary
Chapel's "Tuesday School of the Bible." Of the 34 course offerings listed
in a School of the Bible catalog, over a quarter are blatantly
psychologized, with such titles as: (a) Preparation for Marriage (using a
book written by pastor turned psychologist H. Norman Wright); (b) Choosing
to Love (teaches codependency concepts); (c) The Step to Sobriety
(codependency course using The Serenity Bible for the text); (d) Children
With Chemically Dependent Parents (taught to 7 to 12 year-olds who have
parents who are drunks or are on drugs); and (e) Biblical Strategies For
Recovery From Abuse (with a course description that reads like a course on
Inner Healing).
Smith teaches psychological concepts in many other places. For example, in
his 1982 book Charisma vs. Charismania, Smith teaches Freud's concept of
the superego as a picture of our ideal self (p. 47); that God prizes and
values us (p. 63); that Maslow's concept of a hierarchy of needs is valid
for Christians (pp. 99-100); that what the Bible calls sins are actually
"overt escapes" (plus such psychological terminology as "I hate myself" and
"a subconscious desire for punishment") (pp. 102-103); etc. More
psychological concepts can be found in Smith's 1977/1980 booklet titled
Family Relationships, wherein he speaks of the "ego" and "superego" (p. 9)
(also found in his 1995 book, Why Grace Changes Everything, [pp. 32-33]);
the "emotional spectrum" of women and men (p. 12); "emotional needs" and
the "male ego" (pp. 32-33); and "psychological problems" (p. 54).
VI. Smith is a Charismatic: Though Smith cannot be classified as a
hyper-charismatic (i.e., one who holds physical healing and/or demon
deliverance services in open church), his theology is definitely
charismatic. (Former Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa members also tell us that
some of the more radical charismatic practices are allowed and even
encouraged in home Bible studies and prayer groups. Yet, Smith himself has
a very personable aspect, his speaking approach is low-key, and he is
careful to avoid any untoward Charismatic characteristics. Hence, his
ministry is especially dangerous, in that most Christians today tend to
evaluate a leader by his personality and appearance, rather than by his
doctrine. But this is a fatal practice, especially concerning false
teachers.) Nevertheless, in his 1996 book Living Water: The Power of the
Holy Spirit in Your Life, Smith writes:
"In exercising the ministry of pastor-teacher, I believe there
are three spiritual gifts that operate, especially when we are
teaching the word of God: prophecy, the word of knowledge ["the
Lord told me"], and the word of wisdom [p. 19]. ... How is the
gift of tongues to be used in the life of the believer? Tongues
are exciting! It builds you up in your walk with God, and
invigorates your relationship with Him" (p. 178).
In his 1982 book Charisma vs. Charismania, Smith teaches that the "abuse of
tongues" (i.e., blurting out gibberish in a formal church service) makes
one a "charismaniac," but speaking in tongues as a private prayer language
is not only acceptable, but encouraged (p. 113) and to be an enjoyable
"experience" (p. 110). Smith's experience-oriented theology probably comes
from the fact that he is strongly Arminian (i.e., easy-believism/decisional
regeneration), so strongly Arminian that he, in effect, has rendered
meaningless the Biblical doctrine of God's sovereignty in salvation (Word
for Today tape#1849 and Calvinism vs. Arminianism, by Larry Taylor).
Chuck Smith's charismatic leanings are also evident from the conferences in
which he participates or endorses; e.g., Bill Bright's Fasting & Prayer
Conferences. Campus Crusade founder Bill Bright fasted 40 days during the
summer of 1994, during which he claims to have received a "prophecy from
God" that a mighty revival is coming. He then issued a call for hundreds of
liberals, charismatics, and new-evangelicals to gather in Orlando
12/5/94-12/7/94 to fast and pray for revival. An Invitation Committee made
up of a hodgepodge of 72 liberals, new evangelicals, and charismatics was
formed. Included were: Robert Schuller, Charles Colson, E.V. Hill, Jack
Hayford, James Dobson, W.A. Criswell, Charles Stanley, Paul Crouch, Luis
Palau, Bill Gothard, Pat Robertson, Kay Arthur, and Larry Burkett. CCC's
Bill Bright cites "a great sense of urgency to link arms and unitedly call
upon God for help in the spirit of King Jehoshaphat (2 Chr. 20)." This
ecumenical "linking" is in the "spirit of Jehoshaphat" indeed, but the
Jehoshaphat of 2 Chr. 18 (instead of 2 Chr. 20) where he "linked" with
wicked King Ahab and incurred the wrath of God. (Reported in the 11/15/94,
Calvary Contender.) [Another three-day "Fasting & Prayer" conference was
held in 11/95 in Los Angeles; it attracted 3,500 "evangelicals" and
charismatics. The Invitation/Host Committee for this event included most of
those listed above, plus Dick Eastman, Chuck Smith, Bill McCartney (Promise
Keepers), Tim and Beverly LaHaye, Shirley Dobson, Paul Cedar (E-Free), Ted
Engstrom (World Vision), Joseph Stowell (Moody), and Joseph Aldrich
(Multnomah). A third conference was held 11/14/96-11/16/96 in St. Louis.
New additions to the Host Committee included Max Lucado, Henry Blackaby,
Loren Cunningham (YWAM), Greg Laurie, Dennis Rainey, Randy Phillips
(Promise Keepers), Josh McDowell, D. James Kennedy, Howard Hendricks, and
Neil Anderson. (Conferences have been held every year now, but there is an
uncertain future with Bill Bright's August 2001 retirement from Campus
Crusade.)]
VII. Worldly Evangelism: Perhaps a result of Smith's early days in the
counter-cultural "Jesus People Movement,"* he seems to have a particular
fondness for using the world's methods to aid in teaching and/or
evangelism. For example, drama and soft-rock musicals have always been a
staple in Calvary Chapel's youth ministries. However, "Christianizing" the
things of the world in order to reach the lost seems to have gone
considerably further at Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa. The 6/13/94 NIRR and
the 11/16/94 Christian Century report that Calvary Chapel has begun a
ministry at all-night "rave" parties. Rave is a dance movement from Europe
in which teens take designer drugs, use virtual-reality devices, and dance
(usually alone) away the night and early mornings hours to repetitive
techno-pop dance music. Often, there is no lighting except for strobes and
lasers.
The raves are usually held in abandoned warehouses or on Indian
reservations. The youth members from Calvary Chapel dress like the ravers.
The males wear leather jackets, T-shirts, parachute pants or shorts, and
shoes similar to army boots. The females usually wear T-shirts, cutoff
shorts, and the same style boots. Calvary outreach assistant Tracy Herman
claims that the Calvary Chapel evangelists hand out "really hip tracts" at
the raves, and the response to the gospel is "almost always positive." Even
if that were true, is it not a sin for a church to expose its young people
to such a wicked environment (1 Cor. 15:33)?
VIII. Smith "Ordained" a Man Who Admitted to Sexual Sin: Dr. David Hocking
(born 1941) was best known as the host of the "Solid Rock Radio" ministry,
which had been broadcast over 170 stations nationwide, and for many years
was the host of the "BIOLA HOUR," a nationwide psychologically-oriented
radio program affiliated with the liberal (apostate?) Biola
University/Talbot Seminary/Rosemead School of Psychology institutions. He
was also the senior pastor of the 6,000-member Calvary Church of Santa Ana,
California, located just a few miles from Chuck Smith's Calvary Chapel
Costa Mesa. (Despite the "Calvary" in both names, these two churches are
not affiliated in any way.) Hocking resigned from the pastorate and from
Solid Rock Radio on 10/7/92 after confessing to "sexual sin" with a married
woman in his congregation. Yet only three days later, Hocking stated that
he wanted to return to the pulpit!
To the credit of the elders at Calvary Church Santa Ana, Hocking was
permanently expelled (i.e., "ex-communicated") after a dispute over his
desired "restoration" after his "moral failure"; i.e., Hocking refused to
accept the three-year restoration plan of the elders. (It should be noted
that Hocking never admitted to committing adultery, but only "sexual sin,
short of sexual intercourse" and to "fondling.") But, to the rescue came
Chuck Smith and Calvary Chapel. Smith pre-empted the discipline process of
Calvary Santa Ana by immediately hiring Hocking as a Calvary Chapel pastor.
Smith then declared, "If he [Hocking] doesn't resume his teaching, I'm
afraid he'll be literally and totally destroyed." Thanks to Chuck Smith and
the leadership at Calvary Chapel, a statement was made that, in effect,
it's okay to "ordain" a man to teach and preach even though he had admitted
to sexual immorality. (Reported in the March-April 1993, Bible For Today
Newsreport; the 4/5/93, Christian News; and the 2/8/93 & 3/15/93, Calvary
Contender.)
This then turned into a simple sheep-stealing exercise, as Calvary Church
emptied out and Calvary Chapel further filled-up, due entirely to the
presence of David Hocking. Calvary Church went into a financial downspin,
and having Hocking preaching less than ten miles away on Wednesday nights
made the situation much worse. The 5/2/93 Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa Sunday
Church bulletin showed that Hocking had been fully incorporated into
Calvary Chapel's teaching ministry. Hocking was listed as teaching the
Wednesday night Bible Study held in Calvary Chapel's "sanctuary," and was
scheduled to speak at the 5/22/93 Southern California Men's Business
Conference (along with Chuck Smith). Though no longer affiliated with
Calvary Chapel (he left in 1995), while there Hocking maintained a wide
range of teaching duties, including the Wednesday night Bible Study, a
2-hour class at Calvary Chapel Bible College, and a nightly radio program
on Calvary Chapel's KWVE radio station ("Hope for Today," heard in 21
markets).
IX. Smith Soft On Promise Keepers: Promise Keepers is the gigantic new
(1991) "men's movement" among professing evangelical Christians. Its roots
are Catholic and charismatic to the core. PK's contradictory stand on
homosexuality; its promotion of secular psychology; its unscriptural
feminizing of men; its depiction of Jesus as a "phallic messiah" tempted to
perform homosexual acts; and its ecumenical and unbiblical teachings should
dissuade any true Christian from participating. Promise Keepers is proving
to be one of the most ungodly and misleading movements in the annals of
Christian history. Nevertheless, Chuck Smith is a promoter of this
ecumenical, charismatic, psychologized men's movement.
Smith spoke at one of the Promise Keepers 1994 regional conferences,
indicating his support for the concept and goals of PK. Since then, Smith
has found it necessary to "clarify" his position towards PK. In a 4/5/95
letter "To all Calvary Chapel Pastors," Smith voiced concern about PK's
"excessive costs for attendance and materials" and with "the psychological
emphasis demonstrated in the use of the book [by Robert Hicks], The
Masculine Journey ." Being aware of the blasphemous, psychosexual teachings
in Hicks' book, one would think that Chuck Smith would strongly recommend
that no Calvary Chapel pastor or church member attend a Promise Keepers
function. Instead, Smith merely "discourage[s] men from attending Promise
Keepers events" and "encourages the use of discernment as to your
involvement with Promise Keepers."
* Note on the Jesus People Movement: The 9/93 issue of Charisma magazine
had a section of articles discussing the legacy of the "Jesus People
Movement" of the late 1960s. Some key words/phrases characterizing this
movement were: Sexual revolution, acid generation, long hair, hippies,
rock/folk music, rebellion, anti-war protest, peace, love, "Jesus freaks,"
flower children, communes, and coffeehouse ministries. Chuck Smith and
Calvary Chapel were prominently discussed. The "Jesus People Movement"
helped fuel the wildfire spread of the Charismatic Movement along with its
so-called Contemporary Christian Music. It gave vitality to such
ecumenical/neo-evangelical organizations as Campus Crusade, Youth With A
Mission, The Navigators, and Jews for Jesus. Cornerstone magazine (Jesus
People USA) (indirectly) and Greg Laurie (an early Calvary Chapel convert)
are also products of the Jesus People Movement. (Reported in the 9/15/93,
Calvary Contender.)
A Jesus People Reunion concert was held at Anaheim's Arrowhead Pond on
4/24/99. The 4/25/99 Orange County Register reported that over 10,000
people gathered to celebrate the birth of the Jesus People Movement, a
movement of hippies in the late '60s and early '70s who, under the
leadership of Calvary Chapel's Chuck Smith, professed to come to Christ but
continued to indulge in the music, dress, and commune-style living of the
hippie generation. The article noted that scholars today "credit them with
spearheading a casual style of worship that is the norm among many
congregations worldwide." One reunion attendee told the Register, "Jesus
resembled the flower children in many ways. He probably sported long hair.
He hung out with the poor and the outcasts. He shook up the establishment.
And if he understands English, he's grooving along with us right now."
Chuck Smith spoke at the reunion and reminisced about the hippie years. The
Register article noted, "More than anything else, music defined the hippie
experience at Smith's sanctuary. Some of the top draws reunited Saturday
afternoon." Those in attendance listened to several bands perform,
including Mustard Seed Faith, Parable, and Love Song. (Reported in the
May-June 1999, Foundation magazine.)
* Note on Suicide: We hold that the Biblical position on suicide is that it
is the sin of "Self-Murder," and by its very nature (versus "other-murder")
cannot be repented of (unless one takes the Roman Catholic way of repenting
in advance for the intentional commission of a future sin). Some will
argue, however, that Samson's "suicide" (Judg. 16:28-30) is proof that a
person who commits suicide can still be a believer. But in the true sense
of the term, there are problems with classifying Samson's death as a
"suicide." The verses in question read:
28 And Samson called unto the LORD, and said, O Lord GOD,
remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only
this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the
Philistines for my two eyes.
29 And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars upon which the
house stood, and on which it was borne up, of the one with his
right hand, and of the other with his left.
30 And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed
himself with [all his] might; and the house fell upon the lords,
and upon all the people that [were] therein. So the dead which he
slew at his death were more than [they] which he slew in his
life.
A typical suicide does not require God's special power and permission to
commit. The only way Samson could "kill himself" is if God granted him the
"strength" ("I pray thee, and strengthen me") and if He gave permission
therein to die ("Let me die with the Philistines"). There is no other
"suicide" like this anywhere else in the Bible. -- No strength, no
"suicide." No permission, no "suicide." -- This is more a case of God
killing Samson (in order to answer Samson's prayer to be "avenged of the
Philistines"), than of Samson killing himself. If it is true that a person
who commits suicide can still be a believer, the example of Samson cannot
be used as a proof-text.
Biblical Discernment Ministries - Revised 1/2002