Judges 16:28 “Then Samson called to the Lord and said, “O Lord God, please remember me and please strengthen me only this once, O God, that I may be avenged on the Philistines for my two eyes.””
Hebrews 11:32 “And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets”
Yesterday, before I heard of the suicide of Robin Williams, I was thinking about the suicide of Samson and the faith of Samson. The bible clearly teaches that Samson committed suicide and that he was a man of saving faith. Consider the two passages I quoted above.
In the Judges passage Samson declares his motive behind his request for strength. Certainly God gave him strength for God’s purpose and not for Samson’s purpose, but Samson’s motive is not in question. He wanted revenge. While God used Samson to bring justice and righteous wrath, Samson wanted his God given power for self-centered reasons. Samson committed suicide.
Then look at the passage in Hebrews. There his name is “Samson” just two names away from King David. This long haired strong man with all his problems. Even with his measly little God given faith, there he is. God gave Samson faith so Samson had faith. His faith was imperfect but it was in a perfect God, a God who saves. So it was not faith that saved Samson, rather it was the God in whom his faith rested.
Salvation truly belongs to the Lord! Jesus saves to the uttermost!
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