By Pastor Bruce Oyen
Bury the dead, or cremate them? A controversial subject.
Cremation is a controversial subject among Bible-believing Christians. Some are for it, some are against it. Good Christians take opposite views on the subject. It is possible that in years past there was a consensus of opinion among Christians that a dead person should be buried, not cremated. It is possible that now that opinion is no longer the predominant one among Christians.
My personal opinion
My personal opinion is that Christians should practice burial of the dead, not cremation. But I must admit we cannot say the Bible specifically says, "You shall not practice cremation, but must bury the dead." If the Bible had such a command, it would help settle the matter, at least for Bible-believing Christians. So, the matter must be approached in a different way. It is somewhat like using tobacco products such as cigarettes and chewing tobacco. The Bible does not say "You can't smoke and you can't chew tobacco." Therefore, we must consider Biblical principles and medical facts in order to make a decision for or against tobacco.
One of the Biblical principles that can help us as we consider burial versus cremation is this: the Bible clearly and often teaches that we are not the result of evolution, but of God's creative power and wisdom. Therefore, since the human body is of miraculous, divine origin, burial of the dead is a way of showing respect for God's handiwork. Read carefully through Psalm 139, verses 13 - 16, and ask yourself if cremation seems compatible with what you read.
One of the Biblical principles that can help us as we consider burial versus cremation is this: the Bible clearly and often teaches that we are not the result of evolution, but of God's creative power and wisdom. Therefore, since the human body is of miraculous, divine origin, burial of the dead is a way of showing respect for God's handiwork. Read carefully through Psalm 139, verses 13 - 16, and ask yourself if cremation seems compatible with what you read.
The opinion of a Jewish Christian Bible scholar
Please open-mindedly consider what a Jewish Christian Bible scholar says about the subject. The scholar is dead, but is still well-known to many students of the Bible, especially students of the Old Testament.
His name is Charles Lee Feinberg. The jacket of his commentary on the Minor Prophets says he "is one of the leading authorities on Jewish history, Old Testament languages and customs, and Biblical prophecy. He grew up in an orthodox Jewish home and studied Hebrew and related subjects for fourteen years preparatory to the rabbinate." The book jacket also tells of his many academic degrees and achievements.
I am currently (April, 2012) reading for the second time Dr. Feinberg's helpful commentary on the Minor Prophets. The book can be described as being somewhere between the simplicity of J. Vernon McGee's commentaries and the complexity of the Pulpit Commentary set.
What Dr. Feinberg wrote about Amos 6:10's reference to the burning of bodies applies to the subject of cremation versus burial. He wrote this: "In ancient Israel, in accordance with the words of Genesis 3:19, burial was the accepted method of disposal of the dead. In this the New Testament doctrine of the body concurs. Hence cremation was considered wrong and not countenanced (see Amos 2:1). But when God's judgment falls upon his people, there will be so many dead that they will not bury them but burn them. The cases here and 1 Samuel 31:12 are exceptional cases. Here (in Amos 6, editor) cremation is resorted to in order to prevent contagion; in 1 Samuel it was done to obviate further dishonor of the bodies of Saul and his sons by the Philistines."
My conclusion on the subject
I hope that this brief posting has given you some reasons to be for burial, and to be against cremation.
My conclusion on the subject
I hope that this brief posting has given you some reasons to be for burial, and to be against cremation.
