“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.”(1 Corinthians 6:19–20,NIV)
Perspectives on suicide differ across nations, cultures, and philosophies. Yet as Christians, we must understand suicide through the lens of biblical truth. First, our bodies are not our own; they are created by God. To take one’s own life, therefore, is sin against Him. Suicide also disregards the sanctity of life, for God so valued life that He gave His only Son for our salvation. Thus, suicide is an act rooted in unbelief toward God. Human beings are called to live with the bodies God has given us for His glory.
According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s 2021 White Paper on Suicide Prevention, the number of suicides in Korea in 2019 was 13,799—an increase of 129 cases (0.9%) from the previous year. The suicide rate rose to 26.9 per 100,000 people, up 0.2 (0.9%) from 2018. By gender, men accounted for 9,730 deaths (70.5%) and women 4,069 (29.5%), with the male suicide rate (38.0 per 100,000) 2.4 times higher than the female rate (15.8). In the 1980s and 1990s, Korea’s suicide rate was relatively low among OECD countries. However, after 2000, the rate rose sharply. Between 2001 and 2011, it more than doubled: from 14.4 per 100,000 people (6,911 deaths) in 2001 to 31.7 per 100,000 (15,906 deaths) in 2011.
Today, Korea’s suicide rate remains extremely high compared to that of other nations. While most countries have seen declines, Korea ranked first among OECD countries for 13 consecutive years starting in 2005, and has continued to regain the top spot with only a few exceptions. According to OECD data published in 2020, Korea’s suicide rate stood at 24.6 per 100,000 people—more than double the organization’s average of 11.3. By comparison, Japan reported 14.9, the United States 14.5, Sweden 11.4, Denmark 9.5, and Turkey 2.6.
Even more alarming is the rise of suicide among Korean youth. Suicide is the leading cause of death among teenagers (ages 10–19), with rates three times higher than deaths caused by traffic accidents. It is also the number one cause of death among those in their twenties and thirties, and the second leading cause among people in their forties and fifties.
》Prayer Points
1. God is the Lord of life. He not only gives life to every person but also, through Christ, has purchased us at the price of His blood. Let us pray against Satan’s lies that drive people to rebellion by following emotions rather than truth, proclaiming victory in the name of Jesus Christ. Let us pray that people facing the temptation of suicide in times of hardship and despair may encounter Christ and be led to the path of life.
》Scripture Prayer
John 10:7–18(NIV)
7 Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. 9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. 11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. 17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”
》Pray that the Word may become the Conclusion.
1. Jesus Christ came into the world so that we might have life, and have it abundantly. This is possible only through Him—the Gate for the sheep—who brings us to the Father. Let us pray that the nations would turn to Jesus, the one true Savior and the source of life for all.
2. The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep, whereas a hired hand, loving his own life more than theirs, abandons the flock. Let us pray that the Church would follow Christ’s example, laying down its life to care for sinners and faithfully leading them to the Good Shepherd.
3. God alone is the Sovereign and Lord of life. Satan, who seeks to tempt, destroy, and lead people into the irreversible choice of taking their own lives, must be resisted. Let us pray that the gospel of Jesus Christ—who laid down His life for the sheep—would shine into the darkness, so that sinners may turn back in reverence of God and receive salvation.
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