What Does The Scripture Say About Cremation?
The Scripture does not give any specific teaching about cremation. There are occurrences in the Old Testament of people being burned to death (1 Kings 16:18; 2 Kings 21:6) and of human bones being burned (2 Kings 23:16-20), but these are not examples of cremation. It is interesting to note that in 2 Kings 23:16-20, burning human bones on an altar desecrated the altar. At the same time, the Old Testament law nowhere commands that a deceased human body not be burned, nor does it attach any curse or judgment on someone who is cremated.
Cremation was practiced in biblical times, but it was not commonly practiced by the Yisraelites or by New Testament believers. In the cultures of Bible times, burial in a tomb, cave, or in the ground was the common way to dispose of a human body (Genesis 23:19; 35:19; 2 Chronicles 16:14; Matthew 27:60-66). While burial was the common practice, the Scripture nowhere commands burial as the only allowed method of disposing of a body.
Is cremation something a Natsarim can consider? Again, there is no explicit scriptural command against cremation. Some believers object to the practice of cremation on the basis it does not recognize that one day Yahuah will resurrect our bodies and re-unite them with our soul/spirit (1 Corinthians 15:35-58; 1 Thessalonians 4:16). However, the fact that a body has been cremated does not make it any more difficult For YAHUAH to resurrect that body. The bodies of Natsarim who died a thousand years ago have, by now, completely turned into dust. This will in no way prevent Yahuah from being able to resurrect their bodies. He created them in the first place; He will have no difficulty re-creating them. Cremation does nothing but “expedite” the process of turning a body into dust. Yahuah is equally able to raise a person’s remains that have been cremated as He is the remains of a person who was not cremated. The question of burial or cremation is within the realm of Natsarim freedom. A person or a family considering this issue should pray for wisdom (James 1:5) and follow the conviction that results.
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While my personal choice of body disposal is a third method (I guess one could say) I agree with this article. This is a personal choice. Cremation returns the body to the same state as burial. It only gets it there much faster. From dust to dust takes place in both forms. Cremation is much cheaper and this final process should not be so financially draining on anyone. The only benefit I see in embalming is to delay the decaying process (which starts quickly) so the family can put closure to the loss by saying goodbyes at a funeral. And I do believe that process does help with the grieving process. That is just my opinion on this issue.