Beth-El Baptist Church
9/19/04
Is Cremation Biblical?
A lot of people today choose to be cremated instead of buried and there are some that are concerned about this practice. Today we will look at what the Bible has to say about Cremation.
1. What is cremation?
Cremation is the practice of disposing of the deceased by burning. It could be a burning of all but the bones or complete burning, including the bones.
2. Who in the bible was cremated?
Leviticus 20:14; 21:9
Numbers 11:1; 16:35
Joshua 7:15, 25
Judges 12:1; 14:15; 15:6
1Samuel 31:12
2Samuel 21:13-14
2Kings 1:14
2Kings 23:16-20; 2Chronicles 34:5
Amos 2:1
In all cases, except for possibly Jonathan (1Samuel 31:12) the people in the Bible who were burned, whether already dead or alive, were identified as being wicked individuals. In fact when Josiah (2 Kings 23:16-20) was emptying the graves of the various prophets the prophets of the false gods were to have their bones burned but the one grave of the prophet of the true God were left alone.
In general, a death by fire or having their bones burned is often associated with a judgment of God against the person’s wickedness.
3. What do the scriptures have to say about burial?
Jeremiah 22:18-19
2Kings 13:21
Genesis 15:15; 47:29-31; 49:31-32; 50:6-9
2Samuel 2:4-5; 21:1-14
1Kings 14:11; 16:4; 2Kings 9:37
Jeremiah 8:1
More interesting than what the scriptures have to say about being buried is what they have to say about NOT being buried. Most of the scriptures about burial are indicating that people, who died, good and evil, were buried. Even evil criminals were to be buried the same day they died (Deuteronomy 21:23).
Regarding those who were not buried, the scriptures generally associate their lack of burial as being associated with a curse. The account of the Gibeonites and the sons of Saul (2 Samuel 21) is interesting in that there was a famine in the land which appears to have been cleared up only after the death of Saul’s sons but possibly before their burial.
4. If someone is cremated, how can they be resurrected?
Genesis 3:19
Psa 103:14
Revelation 20:13
Regardless of the mode of death, whether by cremation or by burial, every person will return to the dust from which we are made. Every person will also be resurrected (John 5:28-29) whether or not they are good or evil and whether or not they were cremated or buried.
5. Isn’t cremation a sign of going to hell?
1John 5:11-12
While the scriptures associate not being buried with condemnation, the only condemnation against man has nothing to do with their method of dying but with their relationship to Jesus Christ. Those whose name is not in the “book of life” are cast into hell.
6. Isn’t cremation or “passing through fire” an abomination?
Deuteronomy 12:31; 18:10
2Kings 17:31
2Chronicles 28:3
Jeremiah 7:31; 19:5
2Kings 3:27
All of the scriptures that are associating someone passing through fire, generally one or more of their children, it is not cremation nor judgment from God, but it is a pagan religious act of sacrificing their children to their god. God has not asked for the children of Israel to be sacrificed unto him.
7. What are the uses of “burning with fire”?
Leviticus 4:31; 6:15; 7:19; 8:17; 12:52-55; 19:6-7 – Sweet savour, atonement
Numbers 5:26; 19:17; 31:9; 31:23
Deuteronomy 4:10; 7:5,25; 5:23; 9:15, 21; 12:3; 13:16;
Joshua 8:28; 11:6
2Samuel 5:20
Nahum 1:5
Psalm 12:6; 97:3; 102:1; 106:18; 140:10;
Isaiah 4:4; 9:18-19; 10:16-18; 24:6; 42:25; 43:2; 47:13; 64:2
Jeremiah 4:4; 7:20; 49:2;
Ezekiel 5:2-4;
Daniel 3:15-27
Matthew 3:12;
John 15:6;
Act 19:19
Hebrews 6:8;
Revelation 8:7; 18:8-9; 19:20; 21:8
2Peter 3:10
The majority of scriptures point to something going through fire or being burned as being judged and condemned by God. That which is evil and wicked is burned and destroyed. Even when we are passing through fire (Numbers 31:23, 1 Corinthians 3:15-16) it is done to cleanse us and purify us in order to remove and destroy the impurities.
Although the vast majority of scriptures associates burning and cremation, even the lack of a burial, with the judgment of God and the destruction of the wicked, there is no association of having been cremated, or other forms of not buried, as being an indication of ones eternal state as being in hell. The scriptures seem to clearly indicate that burial is the preferred method of dealing with those who have died but cremation or no cremation has nothing to do with salvation. Salvation has to do with Jesus and not our method of burial.