What Does It All Mean
As I said from the beginning, you can view cremation as the express method of what is going to happen to your physical body after you die. When you look at all the factors and add in what the Bible says about cremation, you can put your mind at ease knowing that you can decide what you want to be done with your body once you die. If you are in Christ you are safe and will be with him forever.
Besides, lets not spend so much time thinking about this corruptible body and what we do with it at death. You should be rejoicing because there is a new incorruptible body that is waiting for you. At the end of it all, that is the body that truly matters most.
Clarence L. Haynes Jr. is a speaker, Bible teacher, and co-founder of The Bible Study Club. He is the author of The Pursuit of Purposewhich will help you understand how God leads you into his will. He has also just released his new bookThe Pursuit of Victory: How To Conquer Your Greatest Challenges and Win In Your Christian Life.Do you want to go deeper in your walk with the Lord but cant seem to overcome the stuff that keeps getting in the way? This book will teach you how to put the pieces together so you can live a victorious Christian life and finally become the man or woman of God that you truly desire to be. To learn more about his ministry please visit clarencehaynes.com.
Can The Remains Of Cremated Jews Be Buried In A Jewish Cemetery
Generally yes. Even in traditional communities, the fact that someone may not have adhered to Jewish law in their lifetime does not constitute grounds for their exclusion from Jewish burial grounds. Individual burial societies or Jewish cemeteries might decline to inter the ashes of a cremated body, in part as a deterrent to others who might also choose cremation. But there is nothing in Jewish law that bars them from burying ashes. Many Jewish cemeteries are known to bury ashes upon request , and the Reform movement has said explicitly that cremated remains of a Jewish person should be buried in a Jewish cemetery.
What Does The Bible Say About Cremation Is It A Sin
What does the Bible say about cremation? There are many topics about the Christian faith that Christians are unsure of, and one of them is the issue of cremation. While some claim that the burning of a dead body is disrespectful to the human body that was created in the image and likeness of God, others argue that there is no specific verse in the Bible prohibiting cremation. Is cremation bad for the soul? Read on to get an answer.
Cremation can be defined as a method of the final disposition of a dead body through burning. Lauded for its cheapness as compared to burials, the process is one that has elicited numerous debates in Christian circles. Here is what we know about cremation in the Bible.
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Jesus Christ Was Entombed In A Sepulchre
When Jesus Christ died he was not buried in a typical manner. He was entombed in a stone sepulchre . By no means does this mean that everyone who is a follower of Christ must also be entombed in a stone sepulcher in the same way at death.
Entombment was just the situation available at the time of Christs death and the tradition of His family.
What The Bible Says About Keeping Ashes
This is another area that I wrote a companion article. Its called What does the bible say about keeping ashes? Is it ok to keep the ashes of your loved ones in your home?. This category centers around the ashes themselves and whether its ok to keep them. The though posed suggests the ashes or cremains makes one unclean. This argument pulls mostly from Leviticus 5:2-5, Number 5:1, and Number 19:9-11.
Ashes making someone unclean is fraught with problems. Namely it seems to take the whole bible out of context and puts cleanliness or legalism ahead of relationship and mercy. As God declares, I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgement of God rather than burnt offerings . Read the article as it goes more in depth.
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What About The Way Weve Always Done It
Many people point to the fact that traditional funerals are just that: traditional. However, the version of funerals and burials that we have today arent all that traditional. For Christians, our faith goes back to the Old Testament and the days of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. In those days, a body was buried on the same day that the person died.
Someone would cut a piece of cloth approximately one foot wide and 60 feet long to wrap the body in from head to toe, essentially mummifying the remains. This cloth would then be anointed with spices and oils that were intended to cut down on the stench that comes with a decaying body. The body would then be placed into a cave or stone sepulcher before the official period of mourning began.
The concept of having wake services and a funeral that culminates in a graveside service where the body is placed in the ground is a relatively new idea that has gained popularity over the last couple centuries. In John 11 when Jesus arrived at the tomb of Lazarus four days after he had died, Lazarus had already been in the ground for four days.
The Faqs: What Christians Should Know About Cremation
For the first time in American history, a majority of Americans have chosen cremation rather than burial after their death. The National Funeral Directors Association expects the trend shifting from burial toward cremation to continue over the next 20 years, with the projected rate of cremation reaching 78.8 percent of deaths by 2035.
Here is what Christians should know about cremation:
What exactly is cremation?
Cremation is a funerary process in which intense heat is used to transform the human body back to its basic elements. Most of the body, such as tissue, is vaporized, leaving only the remains of bone. The remaining bone particles are commonly referred to as cremains or ashes.
What is the cremation process?
The cremation process occurs in the cremation chamber , a masonry-lined enclosure that can produce and withstand temperatures in the range of 1800°F to 2000°F.
The deceased body is placed in a casket made of wood or cardboard and placed in the chamber. Within a few hours the body is vaporized and reduced to bone fragments. These fragments are removed from the cremation chamber and placed on a table where the crematory operator removes, by hand or with a magnet, all metal debris such as screws, nails, surgical pins or titanium limbs/joints.
Does the Bible mention cremation?
The first mention of cremation in the Bible is 1 Samuel 31, where Saul and his sons are burned and then their bones buried:
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First Person Cremated In The Bible
The Bibles first mention of this method of the final disposition of a dead body comes in the book of 1st Samuel chapter 31. In this passage, which is titled Saul takes his life, Christians read about King Saul and his death while at battle with the Philistines.
The passage talks about the Israelites and the Philistines who were in battle. As it turned out, the Israelites were subdued, and many of them died at Mount Gilboa. The Philistines were in hot pursuit of King Saul and his sons – Jonathan, Abinadab and Malki-Shua.
The Philistine archers critically wounded King Saul, and upon noticing this, Saul asked his armor-bearer to kill him before the Philistines could do so and subsequently, disgrace him.
His armor-bearer could not gather the guts to do this, and Saul had to take matters into his own hands – he fell on his sword and died.
Upon seeing this, the armor-bearer did the same, taking his life as well. On that day, Saul, his armor-bearer, his sons, and all his men died.
The next day, the Philistines went to strip the dead and found Saul and his sons dead at Mount Gilboa. They proceeded to cut off Sauls head, and they then stripped him off his armor.
The people of Jabesh Gilead, upon hearing what the Philistines had done to King Saul, sent all their valiant men to retrieve their bodies. The men then burned the bodies at Jabesh.
Is Cremation Cheaper Than Burial
Yes. According to a study from the National Funeral Directors Association, the median cost of a funeral in the United States in 2014 was $7,181, while cremation cost $6,078 and could easily be far lower if certain services were foregone. However, given the importance traditionally accorded to Jewish burial, many Jewish communities have resources, such as free burial societies, to subsidize a traditional burial in cases where the family lacks sufficient financial resources. In addition, it is traditional Jewish practice to bury someone in a simple pine casket, rather than the more expensive types of caskets that funeral homes often market.
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Are You Concerned About Whether To Cremate And Wonder What Does The Bible Say About Cremation
In Uncategorized by Jason Van DuynJuly 25, 2019
Wondering what does the bible say about cremation? I admit I have been turning custom cremation vessels for many years now and I havent been solid on where the bible stands on cremation till now. Seems a bit funny right? This article covers all the verses that I came across regarding cremation and several of the leading concerns about cremation and the bible.
My experience is, not surprisingly, most know very little about cremation until they have to face it. Looks like the same is true for me. So, if your at this point and want to be clear on what the bible says about cremation, this article will be helpful.
As an aside, if youre now educating yourself on the cremation logistics feel free to take a look at my urn information page after you have read this article. I also invite you to take a look at my cremation vessels found on my cremation urns artistry page.
I looked specifically into verses about ashes, dust, burning, fire, etc some more relevant to cremation than others. Of the approximately three dozen areas I find no explicit verses in the bible that promote or denounce the act of cremation. Therefor much of what the bible says has some level of interpretation attached to it by man. In case you want some more clout, here is what Billy Graham has to say about it.
What Does The Bible Say About Keeping Ashes Is It Ok To Keep The Ashes Of Your Loved Ones In Your Home
In Uncategorized by Jason Van DuynJuly 15, 2019
Are you considering cremation and are wondering what does the bible say about keeping ashes? I have been turning custom cremation vessels for many years now. I thought it was time to get really clear on what the bible has to say about cremation. Specifically, what does the bible say about keeping ashes? Are you educating yourself on the logistics of cremation? I am glad that you made it here. I hope that the information that I have found will help you answer some of your questions.
If not, by all means contact meif you have other questions. Likewise, feel free to take a look at my urn informationpage after you have read this article, it may be some help to you. I also invite you to take a look at my cremation vessels found on my cremation urn artistry page, if you are looking for a vessel.
Until they have to face it, its not surprising that most people know little about cremation. Are you here because you are interested in getting really clear on where the bible stands on cremation? So, for this article I am focusing on what does the bible says about keeping ashes.
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Given Below Are A Few Bible Verses About Cremation
Genesis 3:19By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.1 Corinthians 13:3And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.1 Samuel 31, verses 11-13And when the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead heard of that which the Philistines had done to Saul All the valiant men arose, and went all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Bethshan, and came to Jabesh, and burnt them there. And they took their bones, and buried them under a tree at Jabesh, and fasted seven days.
Joshua 7:25And Joshua said, Why have you troubled us? The Lord will trouble you this day. And all Israel stoned them with stones and they burned them with fire after they had stoned them with stones.
Billy Grahams Perspective On Cremation
The well-known religious leader Billy Graham agrees that there is no mention in the Bible that prohibits cremation. However, the Bible does teach that God has the ability to bring together whatever has been scattered according to scripture,
And He will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens.
This is another excellent argument against the assumption that a cremated body cannot be resurrected.
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What Does The Bible Say About Scattering A Loved Ones Ashes
If youre wondering what religions cremate the dead, you might be surprised to learn that the Bible neither explicitly prohibits nor encourages the practice either way. However, Christian funerals are most often guided by the direction of scripture so its important to understand what the Bible does say about the practice.
Biblical Perspective On Cremation
You may do well to investigate why your family doesn’t approve of your cremation choice. Perhaps they consider cremation as not Biblical. However, as we have seen, cremation is never a Biblical issue. Here are some other concerns of Christians about cremation.
1. Perhaps they are worried that when Jesus returns at the Rapture and the bodies of long-dead Christians are resurrected and transformed into spiritual bodies that you wont have a body to resurrect. Frankly, since the first century, most bodies are now dust anyway. Since God is big enough to produce a world-wide resurrection, He certainly can make a spiritual body from only a speck of dust — or less.
2. Perhaps your family wants you in a casket-filled grave so they can have a place for remembering you and your lives together. This desire is natural and normal.
Recently, I’ve observed families foregoing the expensive caskets and burial plots by choosing cremation. They then purchase a small cemetery plot in which to bury the ashes. Others scatter the ashes over a prearranged place meaningful to the deceased. Some save a few ashes in a small locket as a token reminder of their loved one. Some ashes reside in burial urns over fireplace mantles.
With all that being said, remember that your body is still your body. Discuss openly with your family that you want to dispose of your body in the way most comfortable to you. In your case, that is cremation.
Well, B, I hope this helps. Have a great talk with your family.
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Burning Bodies Is Part Of Capital Punishment
In some instances, burning bodies isnt actually a burial rite, but rather a capital punishment. This was the case in Leviticus 20:14:
14 If a man marries a woman and her mother, it is wickedness. They shall be burned with fire, both he and they, that there may be no wickedness among you.
In Joshua 7:25, we read:
25 And Joshua said, Why have you troubled us? The LORD will trouble you this day. So all Israel stoned him with stones and they burned them with fire after they had stoned them with stones.
You might have heard about Achan, the man who hid treasures in his tent after God forbade the Israelites not to do so.
As a result, Joshua and His men were defeated by the soldiers of Ai. Eventually, Joshua knew Achan caused the defeat of Israel by taking the accursed things.
Yahweh, Himself, commanded that the culprit, along with all that he has, would be burned .
We also read Jeremiah 49:2 :
Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will cause an alarm of war to be heard in Rabbah of the Ammonites and it shall be a desolate heap, and her daughters shall be burned with fire: then shall Israel be heir unto them that were his heirs, saith the LORD.
In some translations, the daughters in this verse are translated as villages. Whether this refers to actual people or the village, we can see that burning bodies is part of Gods punishment.
These are the three things the Bible says about cremation. Now, lets go to another important question.
Was Anyone Ever Cremated In The Bible
We do find in Scripture an instance where a dead body was cremated. After Saul and his sons died on Mount Gilboa, the Philistines found their bodies. They cut off Sauls head and hung the bodies of Saul and his sons on the wall of the city of Beth-shan. Here is what happened in response.
1 Samuel 31:11-13 When the people of Jabesh Gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, all their valiant men marched through the night to Beth Shan. They took down the bodies of Saul and his sons from the wall of Beth Shan and went to Jabesh, where they burned them. Then they took their bones and buried them under a tamarisk tree at Jabesh, and they fasted seven days.
While we cant draw specific conclusions as to why the decision was made to burn the bodies, what we can glean from this is that cremation is not considered sinful. Its quite possible the men who did this were actually honoring the bodies of Saul and his son which had been desecrated by the Philistines. I am not saying cremation is honorable or not, but in this case, that could have been the motivation.
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