Should I Be Cremated?

One of the questions often asked when contemplating end of life decisions is: Is it OK for me to be cremated? The Bible says we were made from the dust and we will return to dust (Gen. 2:7; 3:19; Eccl. 3:20). Cremation then speeds up the natural process of decay. If God made man from dust then He certainly can perform the task once again upon the resurrection. There are many ways in which men have died. They have burned to death, died in ship wrecks and left in oceans to be consumed by fish, mutilated beyond recognition in car accidents, and crushed in situations like the World Trade Center catastrophe. God will redeem and raise all of these bodies to eternal life or eternal punishment (1Corinthians 15:35-55; 1Thes. 4:16). Therefore although I do not believe anything is wrong with cremation there are several things each person should take into consideration when considering this option.

First, there isn't one account in the Bible of this kind of burial. In fact we find in the Old Testament dishonor in not giving a person a proper burial. Although some have suggested that burning to death was an act of punishment I do not see cremation as burning to death rather burning the already dead. I also believe you can give proper honor to a loved one and still cremate.

Second, cremation in many cases is more for selfish reasons than moral or immoral ones. The family cremates because it is less expensive than burial. The person dying wishes to be cremated because they can't think of themselves decaying in a grave.

Third, Living Legacies Inc is dedicated to honoring the elderly and Cremation does not allow for the honoring of that person's life. Where will the grave stone be placed in honor of your loved one? How will the life of your loved one be memorialized for future generations? Therefore the "Legacy" of the Christian should be honored in a very tangible way whether you choose burial or cremation. Cremation makes it possible for the ashes to be spilt, lost or stolen and each of these situations would be dishonorable to the deceased.

Finally, a believer should always be considerate of the living before the dead. It is part of the grieving process and the healing process to have a funeral. It gives the family members an opportunity to look the family member in the face and say their final good-byes. The family member who may have never asked for forgiveness may look into the casket and ask their loved one to forgive them. All of these opportunities may be lost if you choose cremation. Therefore I believe this is the strongest reason for not getting cremated - for the sake of those still living. A funeral is not just for the dead but for the living as well!

The Bible teaches us "For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 6:23). Many lost people ignore the reality of death and funerals make us confront death. A good Christian person's funeral can be the last testimony of a life well lived and it offers a visual for the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I think every true Christian who is concerned about their families salvation would want their life to be used for the salvation of their loved ones. It is why I always give counsel to the believer to consider not being cremated and allow your life to speak from the casket during your memorial service and pray before your death that God will use your death to bring Glory to God one last time. As Paul himself said "as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or death" (Phil. 1:20)