Is Cremation Biblical?

(By Pastor Mark Fontecchio)

Question: Is Cremation Biblical?

Answer: I remember my first funeral as a pastor. The casket of my friend Jim was suspended in the air above the grave. After the funeral, the cemetery workers would lower the casket into the burial vault and complete the burial after everyone had left. It was a strange feeling to leave the casket by itself in the hot afternoon sun. My mind raced thinking about the decomposition of the human body. Our minds shudder at the thought of the body of a loved one being harmed in any way. I suspect this is part of what bothers many Christians about cremation.

We know that at death a believer in Christ is now with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8). No matter what happens after death to the human body, the believer is safe with Christ. The Bible is also quite clear that when Christ returns for the Church, He will resurrect our bodies (1 Corinthians 15:35-58; 1 Thessalonians 4:16). Since Christ is the Creator, we cannot conclude that anything would make it too difficult for Him to resurrect our bodies (Colossians 1:16). Unfortunately, many believers have suffered horrible deaths (fires, car accidents, or even lost at sea). Christ is more than capable of resurrecting their bodies.

There are a few references in the Bible to cremation. In 1 Samuel 31, we learn that the bodies of Saul and his sons were burned. The Scriptures teach:

Now when the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, 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. Then they took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree at Jabesh, and fasted seven days (1 Samuel 31:11-13).

Saul’s head had already been cut off by the Philistines (vs. 9). No doubt their bodies were already decomposing by the time the Israelites showed up. The typical Jewish burial ceremonies would have been difficult to complete at this late stage.

Leviticus 20:14 also indirectly mentions cremation, since it deals with capital punishment and the guilty person is to be burned with fire. Nevertheless, the overwhelming evidence does show us that the typical practice was to dispose of the dead body of a loved one by burial. This has been the tradition in the Christian faith. An argument is also sometimes made that a burial service is the most loving way to care for the body of a deceased loved one. It can be a tremendous opportunity to share the Gospel of Christ and to give a testimony of the hope we have in Christ. Some of the grave markers of famous heroes in the Christian faith are still visited today to reflect on the testimony of those who have gone before.

There will be times when a human body is lost in a manner where burial is not practical (Saul and his sons are an example of this). It cannot be said from the Bible that it is a sin for a Christian to be cremated. It is an area of Christian freedom. Still, I would urge Christians to think about choosing the path that most honors and cares for the body of the person we love, while giving the greatest testimony possible for Jesus Christ.