So In Summary What Does The Bible Say About Cremation
Therefore, cremation is an acceptable means of dealing with the dead. Cremation does not conflict with the Bible nor does it interfere with Gods ability to resurrect the dead.
Those who are considering cremation should also consider the impact of their decision on their survivors. For many people, a funeral and the ensuing interment is an opportunity to show one final act of love and respect for the deceased. Would cremation provide them with the sense of loving closure they need? Prior to making a decision to have ones remains cremated, we recommend that people discuss these matters with family members to be sure they are also comfortable with this decision.
If you are dealing with the death of a loved one, our article How to Deal With Grief may help.
Removing From History/desecrating/purging Evil
2 Kings 23:16
Jacques-Joseph Tissot, 1899, Jewish Museum New York
then Josiah looked around, and when he saw the tombs that were there on the hillside, he had the bones removed from them and burned on the altar to defile it, in accordance with the word of the Lord proclaimed by the man of God who foretold these things.
2 Kings 23:20 Josiah slaughtered all the priests of those high places on the altars and burned human bones on them. Then he went back to Jerusalem.
Joshua 7:25 Joshua said, Why have you brought this trouble on us? The Lord will bring trouble on you today. Then all Israel stoned him, and after they had stoned the rest, they burned them.
Amos 2:1 For three sins of Moab, even for four, I will not relent. Because he burned to ashes the bones of Edoms king,
Couple of thoughts here. There is certainly the purging of evil prescribed in Deuteronomy 13 that is carried out by Josiah in 2 Kings and Joshua in Joshua 7 over Jericho. Amos 2 recalls the account of the Moabite King that is presumed to capture the King of Edoms son and burned him on the city wall either as a burnt offering to Chemosh or revenge, probably both.
Desecrating seems to fall more in line with the burning of bones on the various altars by King Josiah as he purges Judah of all high places, Asherah pole, etc. That desecration may be how evil is purged, not sure.
Can God Resurrect A Cremated Body
Some people may be concerned about a cremated body and how it will be resurrected in the future.
Well, this should not be a source of concern for Christians.
Why?
Because God can resurrect a cremated body. God is the Almighty who is not limited to resurrecting buried bodies. He can do whatever He pleases and certainly, He can resurrect bodies that have been burned.
We must also remember how some saints were burned at the stake. Some were fed to the lions while others were sawn in two. Some were decapitated and impaled. Some were not even given a proper burial.
Would you say that these saints have lost their chance of being part of Gods kingdom simply because of the manner of their death? Does this mean that God will not resurrect them simply because they were not buried properly?
Of course, the answer is no.
Moreover, even if you bury a dead body, the body would still decay and decompose, eventually, leaving bones and other hard materials. This is the same thing that happens to some extent with cremation. Cremation simply hastens the process of decomposition.
Moreover, even the bodies of the saints in the past would have already been dust after thousands of years being on the ground. So, in the final analysis, theres really no difference between burial and cremation in terms of what would become of the corpse.
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Resurrection Of The Body
In the New Testament of the Bible found in 1 Corinthians 15:35-55, Paul the Apostle describes the resurrection of the dead. He writes, “It is the same way with the resurrection of the dead. Our earthly bodies are planted in the ground when we die, but they will be raised to live forever.” Further in the passage he writes, “They are buried as natural human bodies, but they will be raised as spiritual bodies. For just as there are natural bodies, there are also spiritual bodies.”
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The Bible Does Not Forbid Cremation
First, it is important to recognize that the Bible does not forbid cremation.
The Gospel Coalition explains, The consensus among most Christian traditionsincluding evangelicalsis that because the Bible does not directly forbid cremation, it is not a sin.
However, cremation is mentioned much less often in the Bible than burial.
In 1 Samuel 31, Saul and his sons were burned, and their bones were buried, likely because their bodies were decomposed past the point of traditional burial when they were found.
Why Do Some People Believe Cremation Is Prohibited In The Bible
Even though the Bible remains neutral on the point of cremation, many still believe that cremation is unacceptable as a method of disposition for followers of Christ. They believe that cremating a body renders the body ineligible for Resurrection since its effectively destroyed.
Most people believe this isnt a sound conclusion, however, since even bodies that are buried intact will eventually decompose and become unrecognizable. Bodies are destroyed in various ways every single day and its doubtful many Christians feel as though those people are excluded from Resurrection, especially if their deaths were beyond their control.
Another reason some people believe burial is preferable to cremation is because burial is explicitly mentioned in the Bible as a form of disposition. Jesus himself was buried in a tomb, after his crucifixion. Many disciples who followed Jesus were also buried and there are phrases that reference burial directly in the Bible. Additionally, it wasn’t until 1963 that the Catholic church lifted the restriction on cremations as an acceptable form of disposition for Catholics, so the stigma in the community can still exist, even today:
Daniel 12:2 – Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.
Genesis 23:4 – I a stranger and a sojourner with you: give me a possession of a buryingplace with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.
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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.
Burning The Body Is Not The Usual Practice For Burial
Throughout the scripture, we see that the usual practice of Gods people is to bury the dead. Even Jesus Christ said in Luke 9:60, Let the dead bury their dead.
So, burning corpses is something done unusually. That was the case in the body of King Saul.
Lets read again I Samuel 31:11-13:
11 Now when the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, 12 all the valiant men arose and traveled all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth Shan and they came to Jabesh and burned them there. 13 Then they took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree at Jabesh, and fasted seven days.
In the case of King Saul, we read that he was decapitated . Aside from that, it could be that he was also mutilated, and by the time he was found by the valiant men of Israel, his body could already be rotting or decaying.
Thus, instead of trying to put together the body of King Saul, they chose to burn the body and not go through the usual way of putting to rest the kings of Israel.
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Asking The More Important Question
I believe it is not really whether cremation is right or wrong.
We must not be all too focused on the question, Is cremation a sin? or What does the Bible say about cremation?
What we must ask ourselves is, Did I live a life worth living for? Did I serve God and fulfill His purpose for me?
The main concern that we must all have as Christians, followers of the great God, is whether we have lived a life that is pleasing to our Father or not.
King Solomon, as he approached the final years of his life, made this conclusion:
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:
Fear God and keep His commandments,For this is mans all.
14 For God will bring every work into judgment,Including every secret thing,Whether good or evil.
In the final analysis, what the Bible says about cremation isnt the main concern of every Christian. Our main concern is to do the work of God, follow His commandments, and fulfill His will and purpose in our lives.
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Cremation In The Bible
So, what does the Bible say about cremation? It may surprise you that the Bible contains no specific direction on the practice of cremation. However, there are instances where cremation is mentioned.
Having a proper burial for your recently departed was held with great importance during Biblical times. Most of us are aware of the great lengths ancient Egyptians went through to preserve the dead for their eternal journey, but the ancient Hebrews also took great care in preparing their dead for burial, as evident in John 19:39. In most cases, Jewish families buried their dead in caves and tombs when possible.
The practice of cremation is found throughout the Bible. The first time cremation is referenced as a burial practice is Samuel 1:31:
âWhen the people of Jabesh Gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, 12 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. 13 Then they took their bones and buried them under a tamarisk tree at Jabesh, and they fasted seven days.â
Saul and his sons were cremated because burial was not possible. While ancient Hebrews and Egyptians traditionally buried their dead in tombs of some form, cremation was also an option when necessary.
What Do Catholics Have To Say About Cremation
According to The Code of Canon Law, 1985, the Roman Catholic church does not prohibit cremation unless it is for reasons that go against Christian teaching.
However, the Code strongly recommends burial as was done for Jesus Christ.
The Code further insists that the cremated remains be treated with the same respect as corporal remains. This means that the final disposition of the cremated remains should include interment or entombment in a columbarium or a burial plot in a cemetery or mausoleum.
As such, scattering the ashes in the air, floating them on the sea, or keeping the ashes at home is taken to be disrespectful and should not be done by Catholics.
The Code further states that it would be preferred if funeral rites are performed in the presence of the body of the deceased before it is cremated.
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The Bible And What It Says About Cremation
Publicado en January 20, 2022
Cremation is the disposition of a dead body through burning. The process takes place in a chamber specifically designed for cremation purposes. About 50 % of the deaths in the United States are cremated. There are reasons why most people prefer to cremate their loved ones when they die. They include:
- Almost all religions have accepted cremation.
- The cost of cremation is a bit lower compared to the cost of a traditional burial.
- The process of arranging cremation has proven to be much simpler for the consumer.
- The consumers do not want to take unique space in their land with a cemetery. With them having to wake up every day and seeing the tombs is something that they would not want to experience. It would make them be sad.
Slaughter Of Priests Who Defiled God
King Josiah also tore down all forms of idols and altars. He destroyed the hollow bronze torture statue of Moloch where a fire generated tremendous heat inside the statue. Children were thrown into the hellish oven as sacrifices to the pagan deity Moloch. King Josiah then executed the priests of these high places throughout the cities of Samaria and burned their bones. He intentionally committed this most egregious act of defilement against those who had defiled God as punishment to their eternal souls.
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