Description
(3.5″ x 3.5″ booklet, 17 pages)
IF YOU HAVE EVER had suicidal thoughts, you’re not alone. It’s very common. And if you suffer from depression, you don’t have a mental disease. You are sane and you’re normal, because life is depressing. It’s filled with pain and suffering. As you go through life, your beloved dog dies. So does your sweet grandma. Then you realize that no one survives. We are all going to die and it seems that there’s nothing we can do about it. That’s very depressing.
TWO QUESTIONS
What is the world’s best-selling book of all time? It’s the Bible. Are you familiar with its story of the rich young ruler who ran to Jesus, knelt down and asked, “Good Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?” How would you answer that question? Before you answer, let me give you a quick scenario: Imagine you feel a painful lump under your arm. So you go to the doctor. He examines it, looks concerned, does some tests, and comes back with a grim expression and says, “I’m so sorry to tell you this, but you have lymph node cancer. It has metastasized. You have about two weeks to live. I will give you some medication to help ease the pain. I’m so sorry.”
You go home and lie on your bed. You’re too sick to see anyone or go anywhere. All you can think about is that one question: “What should I do to inherit eternal life?” This isn’t a far-fetched scenario. More than 600,000 Americans will die of cancer in the next twelve months, and over 8.2 million will die of the disease worldwide. Put yourself into that frightening scenario and ask yourself, “What should I do to inherit eternal life?” Do you know the answer?
THE CAUSE OF DEPRESSION
According to the world’s best-selling Book, every human being is held in bondage to a haunting fear of death. The Bible says that what Jesus accomplished on the cross was so that . . . [He] might free all those who through [the haunting] fear of death were held in slavery throughout their lives. (Hebrews 2:15, Amplified Bible)
FEAR’S ANTIDOTE
If you were standing on the edge of a plane 10,000 feet up, thinking about how you are going to jump and hit the ground face-first at 120 mph, you would understandably be terrified. But if I gave you a parachute, the minute you put it on, you will be able to control your fears. If you completely trust that parachute, you will now know that you will land gently at 8 mph, on your feet. Your fear will be in direct proportion to your faith. If you have total faith in the parachute, you will have no fear. Your faith will rid you of fear.
Let’s now apply that analogy to faith in Jesus. When He was asked, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He replied: “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Do not defraud,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’ ” (Mark 10:18,19)
Jesus told him that only God is good; only He is morally perfect. Then He gave the man five of the Ten Commandments. This is because we may think that we are good, but the Ten Commandments show us that we’re not. For example, how many lies have you told in your life? Have you ever stolen something (irrespective of its value)? Have you taken God’s name in vain (including “OMG”)? Jesus said that if we look with lust, we commit adultery in the heart (see Matthew 5:27,28). Have you ever looked with lust?
If you answered “Yes” to these questions, you’ve admitted that you are a lying, thieving, blasphemous adulterer at heart. So if God judged you by the Ten Commandments on Judgment Day (we’ve looked at four of them), would you be innocent or guilty? No doubt you (like the rest of us) will be guilty. If you’re guilty on Judgment Day, will you go to Heaven or Hell? If any of us were judged by the Ten Commandments, we would justly end up in Hell. What then should you do to be saved from death and Hell?
Fortunately, there is an answer to the question, “What shall I do to inherit eternal life?” Just over 2,000 years ago, God became a perfect, sinless human being in Jesus of Nazareth. The Bible says: And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh . . . (1 Timothy 3:16) And the reason He became a human being was to suffer and die on the cross. When Jesus was on the cross He took the punishment for the sin of the world. We broke God’s Law (the Ten Commandments are called “the moral Law”) and Jesus paid the fine. That’s what happened on the cross. That’s why He cried out, “It is finished!” just before He died. In other words, the debt has been paid.
If you’re in court and someone pays your fine, the judge can legally let you go even though you’re guilty. God can dismiss our case, and legally let us live forever, because Jesus paid our fine on the cross: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). Then Jesus rose from the dead, defeating death. Today, if you repent and trust in Jesus, God promises to give you eternal life as a free gift.
DEATH IS EVIDENCE
Do you know what “death” is? It’s our wages. The Bible says, “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). We earn the sentence of death by our sin. It’s like a judge saying to a mass murderer, “You have earned the death penalty.” Death is evidence that God is serious about sin. In His morally perfect eyes, our sin is deadly serious. Today, right now, please confess and forsake your sins and put your trust in Jesus Christ (like you’d trust a parachute). Do that, and God will not only save you from death, but He will save you from the fear of death. Remember the analogy of how fearful it would be to jump 10,000 feet without a parachute? And how, if you were given a parachute, you could control your fears? Put on the Lord Jesus Christ and trust in Him with all of your heart, and you will rid yourself of that haunting fear that causes depression.
Millions of human beings suffer from depression because they live without faith in Jesus. They have no hope in their death. But in Christ, you now have a living hope, both in this life and in your death. You need never fear as long as you trust in Jesus. Look at the promises of Scripture: What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:31–39)
To grow in your faith, make a habit of reading your Bible daily. Without fail. And make sure that you obey what you read. God will never let you down. Visit Living Waters.com where you will find many helpful resources, as well as our advertising-free YouTube channel (which is seen by millions): YouTube.com/LivingWaters. Condensed from The Final Curtain by Ray Comfort (available at Amazon.com or LivingWaters.com).
Tim –
I generally love tracts from Living Waters but I agree this tract was written by someone who hasn’t had to deal with actual long term depression/mental issues. It appears this tract is essentially saying if you struggle with feeling inexplicably sad or low mentally, as I have for many years (beyond the temporary sadness of losing a loved one, a pet or a job) you are not or cannot be saved. Not sound doctrine according to Acts 16:31 and other scriptures assuring one of their salvation.
Jenn G (verified owner) –
Wow…after reading the above reviews, I feel I must chime in here. I love this tract. It has opened many, many doors in conversation! But that is how I use it. I don’t expect this little tract to be a full on counseling session, though.
C. –
Not all suicides are the result of depression and a way out of life. Before I got saved, I was tormented by voices in my head trying to convince me to jump and since I was a “Christian”, God will save me. Yet the Holy Spirit miraculously been holding me back and I’ve never attempted although mentally tormented for decades. Recently, the Holy Spirit provided me with the wisdom to understand one of the temptations of Jesus where He defeated the Devil who tried to tempt Him to jump off from a high point. His reply made more sense to me that by jumping meant that I would have obeyed the Devil (idolatry) when I should only obey God. Before I got saved I loved dares and this was the open door to the underworld through which demons come. I’m sure Jesus’ encounter was recorded in Scripture for good reason, and thought it would appear as suicide, it could have been a spiritual dare instead. My parents attended church but didn’t understand what it takes to be born again and therefore never imparted that knowledge to me.
Autumn Harris (verified owner) –
I agree with the other reviews. You guys have got to re write this tract. “If you suffer from depression, this will help alleviate some of your struggles. Though it isn’t a miracle cure for the sorrows and stresses we experience in life, it is the answer to the age old question of what happens after this life. Keep reading…” something like that. Use my words! Free of charge.
Susan –
Just a comment: When I was suicidal, I was not afraid of dying, I was afraid of suffering with no end: i.e. living. I had hope that my suicide would finally END the pain. I think the message for me that helps the most is that 1) This is NOT the end and 2) hard as this is, the truth is, we can’t even IMAGINE the suffering waiting for us … if we die in our sins!
Will attempt to contact Living Waters and have a brief discussion about this. In the meantime, I still am grateful there is SOMETHING written for this very large and growing problem. For me, as a saved Christian, I have MUCH to look forward to. Also, I was lucky/blessed enough to be healed of my depression through 3 years on one medication for it. I was told that is very rare.
Sam –
I came looking for this booklet while watching Ray’s videos on YouTube, but am left a bit lukewarm about the content. I appreciate that the message of the Gospel is emphasized, but I don’t think that the “fear of death” message caters to all of us who are struggling with depression and suicidal thoughts. I’ve been feeling suicidal for almost a year already. I have repented and put my trust in the Lord and He has changed me, but there are still burdens that are too much for me to handle; and the more I try to have the Lord lighten the weight, oh my, how they are crushing me to dust. Inside I am broken. I cry out to the Lord daily and put my hope in the Word, which I read daily. But I still struggle… I struggle with people, jobs and, worse, a total lack of direction. The more I cry out for help, the more I feel hopeless–stuck in a prison called Earth. I do not have this “fear of death,” I am actually numb about it. That’s why I think of ending it. Daily. Maybe I am doing it wrong, I am at a loss. Please pray for me if you are reading this. Thanks…
Margaret –
I have just made my account here to add my opinion and review. I also like this ministry and appreciate it very much but to add what God revealed to me during my own struggle I need to share that depression and suicidal thoughts are purely demonic. This is Not a mental illness nor it’s fear of death. Most people do not fear or think of death as most of us think we are going to live for ever, especially when we are young. Depression is a very cruel and sadistic demonic attack to torment human beings and by attacking people with voices telling them to kill themselves demons try to take people to hell. It’s a shame that most Churches and christians totally ignore this truth revealed in the gospel and the fact that Jesus did cast out demons and was attacked Himself by the devil and tempted by him. Apostles spoke about satanic devices boldly as well. Jesus cast out demons of sick and mentally ill people if you use today’s term. I was tormented by demonic powers for two years and that’s how I know it to be true. Jesus Christ delivered me Himself. People with depression and suicidal thoughts need to repent and get born again, pray a lot and read the bible first of all and they need deliverance from evil spirits. Especially if they had been involved in any kind of occult, witchcraft, yoga, meditation, drugs and so on. All kinds of activity which is forbidden by God opens the door for demonic oppression so this is just to clarify the topic. I know most people, even Chritians don’t want to hear about demons but Jesus Christ gave us authority and power to deal with it. We are at war against powers and kingdom of darkness and this war is fierce. Mostly just reading the bible is not enough. One must be desperate to be set free. There is a testimony of Derek Prince about his deliverance as well. Praise God for sending His son to rescue us. Praise the Lord Jesus for his love and the cross.
Laurie –
I am Christian that believes the truth of the bible. I love these resources and I have been so inspired by Ray and his ministry. That being said, I agree with everything in this tract except that the cure for depression is reading and obeying the word. I do read the word daily and I obey it. When I don’t obey, I repent and trust that Christ’s punishment on the cross paid the price for my sins. But, I struggle with severe depression and anxiety. I have to be medicated. Without medicine, I literally cannot function- work, serve, sleep. God provided this medication just as He provided medication and treatment for other serious illnesses like diabetes and cancer. When you present these types of tracts, you heap condemnation on believers that struggle with depression. I know it isn’t intentional but the message is ” if you really believed in Jesus, you wouldn’t struggle with depression.” I love this ministry so much and I am grateful that God used Ray as a major part in bringing about my salvation. But, I think this tract is giving the wrong impression. It’s evidence of the church’s vast misunderstanding of mental illness. We really need to pray for wisdom to truly help those who struggle with this disease. Thanks for all you do, Ray, I really appreciate it.
Joshua (verified owner) –
I love this Tract, I love the parachute analogy, and the encouraging verses for a Born-Again Jh.3:3 Christian, amen!!! etc.
Matt –
It’s a bit naive to think that Depression can be summarized into “fear of death”. It is an affliction much more complex. I know Christians who suffer from Depression, not fearing their death, but battling a melancholy like any addiction or remaining my sin that will haunt them untill the day they die, even though the knowledge and joy of their salvation is equally a reality. Maybe I misread the tract, but Depression is hard to put in a box.