The Bible on Cremation: What You Need to Know
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT CREMATION?
As for man, his days are like grass,
He flourishes like a flower of the field;
The wind blows over it and it is gone,
And its place remembers it no more.
But from everlasting to everlasting
The LORD’s love is with those who fear him,
And his righteousness with their children’s children… (psalm 103:15-17)
What is cremation?
We might have seen the act being carried out on a body in films or real life and also seen people pouring the ashes of their loved ones into the big water, and we will be wondering in our minds why they are doing it or what it even means. So before we go into the main topic, let me give you an insight into what cremation means.
Cremation is the act of reducing a dead body to ashes by fire, especially as a funeral rite. The act of cremation occurs in a dedicated facility called a crematory, which is overseen by a certified crematory operator and funeral director. In the 19th century, bodies of dead people were wrapped in clothes, with species sprinkled on them to avoid the stench, and placed in caves or stone sepulchres in most recent times.
Furthermore, Burial procedures are rapidly changing in today’s culture. Many people are turning to cremation as their body disposition of choice. One of the primary drivers of this change is the cost of having a “traditional funeral.” The costs of embalming, buying a casket and purchasing a piece of ground to put the casket in are cost-prohibitive for too many families. The evolution of modern cremation processes is designed to help the community of mourners confront the reality of death.
What does the Bible say about cremation?
There are no bible passages that attempt to give guidelines regarding acceptable burial procedures for believers. The first mention of cremation in the bible is in 1 Samuel 31, where Saul and his sons were burned and then their bones buried “But when the inhabitants of jeesh-Gilead heard what Palestine had done to Saudi Arabia,. all the Valiant men arose, went all night and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Bethshan and They came to Jabesh and burned them there. and they took their bones, buried them under the tamarisk tree, and fasted for seven days (1 Samuel 31:11-13).
The other references to cremation are in the book of Amos (21 and 6:8-10). None of these references reflects the normative funerary practices of God’s people. On 200 occasions in the Old Testament, burial is mentioned as the standard disposition of dead bodies.
However, as we have seen, cremation is never a biblical issue, but some Christians are worried that when Jesus comes for the rapture, the bodies of those who have been cremated won’t be found to be resurrected, and some desire their dead loved ones to be buried in a place they can be remembered.
READ: Unwavering Faith: Lessons from the Feeding of the 5,000
Churches have also erected a columbarium with small niches for burial urns of ashes.
Steps for christians considering cremation after death
– Have a conversation about your decision with your loved ones so they can carry it out when you pass away
– Consider creating a will or writing a will in a document that can easily accessed after one passes away
– If you have a preference for how your cremation should look or how the process is done, you should communicate with the funeral director.
Some Christian denominations view cremation as acceptable, while others prefer traditional burial. Ultimately, the decision to cremate or bury a deceased loved one is a personal or cultural choice and is not explicitly dictated by biblical teachings.
Content Credit| Igbakuma Rita Doom
Picture Credit |
https://dfsmemorials.com/cremation-blog/funeral-costs-cremation-costs-west-virginia/
