What Does the Bible Say About Drugs?

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My mentally ill older brother has schizophrenia and it's only getting worse for now more than 20 years. He has nightmares of demons wanting him to die and sometimes he hears them loud and clear. I know Jesus Christ was able to remove demons from people but obviously, it will not happen in this lifetime. Will my brother be free when he dies? Will the demons leave his body when he dies? Will he ever find peace when it is all over? --Marie-Claire

Actually, if the source of your brother's illness is demonic, it can be removed in this lifetime. If the problem is mental illness, as you suggest, the healing may require both medication and prayer. Demonic possession and mental illness are two very different things, with different symptoms. But in regard to his state beyond death, we are assured that for those who believe in Christ, there will be no more suffering, sorrow, persecution, or the like in the afterlife.

What happens when a person commits suicide? I lost a brother and a son and they both believed in God and I know one of them had once been saved. But where in the Bible do we look for answers? --Hihillracing

There is no teaching in the Bible that condemns people to outer darkness for having taken their own life in despair. The case of Judas is sometimes thought to suggest otherwise, but he was condemned for other reasons, namely the betrayal of Jesus.

The Bible certainly does not encourage anyone to take their life in their own hands, for life is a gift from God. It is not a possession, or the mere property of the individual child of God. None of us are free to do with our lives as we please; we are called to live as God pleases.

Even during points of deep depression and despair, we are called to leave matters in God's hands. In 1 Kings 19:4-6, a despondent Elijah prayed for God to take away his life, but he did not lay violent hands on himself. We too should leave matters in God's hands; this includes leaving the fate of those who commit suicide in the gracious and merciful hands of the Lord.

Continued on page 3: 'How can Christians accept homosexuals who say they are believers in Christ?' »