Although theologians concur that cremation is permissible for the majority of Christians, some churches and denominations continue to maintain a rigid resistance to the procedure.
As far as the practice of cremation is concerned, there are no basic objections found in the Scriptures.
It will not matter whether a person’s body has been buried or cremated when he or she is raised from the dead. The Lord knows how to raise a body, whether it’s through the resurrection of life or through the resurrection of condemnation (see John 5:28-29).
The Bible Doesn’t Have a Preference.
The Bible doesn’t have a preference for either cremation or burial. In the Old Testament, you can find passages that support both sides of this argument. Some people argue that since the word “cremate” is not found in the Bible, it should be avoided because it goes against God’s wishes. Others argue that since no specific mention of burial or cremation is made in Scripture, Christians should be able to choose whichever method they prefer without offending God.
Some Christians believe that if they are cremated, their bodies will not go through the same process as those of non-Christians and therefore won’t experience resurrection when Jesus comes back on Judgment Day. However, others argue that their bodies will still be subject to decomposition after death—either through natural processes or through artificial means like cremation—and so any difference between being buried or being burned would ultimately be negligible.
The Early Church Cremated Their Dead.
In the early church, there is little evidence of how Christians disposed of their dead. It’s not clear whether they practiced inhumation or cremation. However, there is some evidence that the early church did practice cremation.
- Clement of Rome wrote that “we are always bearing about in our body” the “witnesses of Christ,” which could refer to ashes from a funeral pyre (1 Cor 6:19-20).
- Tertullian observed that many Christians were being burned alive rather than dying of natural deaths and argued that this was a result of persecution by Roman authorities (Apology 46). If he is correct, then it seems likely that some Christians chose to be burned intentionally as a way to avoid execution by authorities because they believed it would allow them immediate entry into heaven upon death (see John 3:16). This suggests they may have believed in resurrection after death but also wanted their bodies to be destroyed completely so nothing remained except dust or ash—a process similar to what takes place during cremation today!
Cremation Isn’t an Unforgivable Sin.
- Stay within the bounds of local laws and customs.
- Focus on the soul, not the form of the body.
- Don’t spend time thinking about what will happen to your physical body, but rather focus on what will happen to your soul when you die and go to heaven or hell.
- Don’t let what other people think to distract you from doing what’s right for you as a Christian, or even as an individual person with beliefs or opinions that may differ from theirs (and vice versa).
There Is No One Right Thing to Do when It Comes to Disposing of The Body.
While there is no one right way to dispose of a loved one’s body, the Bible does not have a preference. The early church used both burials and cremations, and neither method seemed to be held in higher regard than the other. Rather than focusing on what you should do with your loved one’s body after death, it may be more helpful to focus on why you are doing it. If you love God and want to honor him through this decision, then it will be good no matter what you choose.
Cremation is not an unforgivable sin; however, if someone did choose cremation because they thought it was somehow better or holier than burial—and especially if they were trying not to upset family members who prefer burial—then that would be wrong because it is selfishness masquerading as piety (1 Corinthians 13:5).
Conclusion
There are many opportunities for Christians today to show love and respect for their deceased loved ones. If you have questions about how your church practices these traditions, don’t be afraid to talk with your pastor or other church members.