Christians and Cremation
January 24th, 2008
(By John MacArthur)
This is an article we ran back in 2006. We are running it again in response to a question posted yesterday on the Shepherds’ Fellowship discussion forums.
Does the Bible Prohibit Cremation?
Scripture says nothing about a required mode of burial for either believers or non-believers. However, burying the body was the standard practice among the Israelites in the Old Testament and Christians in the New.
There were some exceptions: the people decided to cremate Saul and Jonathan and then bury their ashes because their bodies had been mutilated by the Philistines (1 Sam. 31:8-13). In another instance, Achan and his family were cremated after being executed for sinning against Israel (Josh. 7:25).
Obviously any buried body will eventually decompose (Eccles. 12:7). So cremation isn’t a strange or wrong practice — it merely accelerates the natural process of oxidation. The believer will one day receive a new body (1 Cor. 15:42-49; 1 Thess. 4:13-18; Job 19:25-26), thus the state of what remains of the old body is unimportant.
The imagery of Christ’s resurrection pictures burial and then a raising up from the dead (Rom. 6:3-5; 1 Cor. 15:3-4). Because of that, many Christians prefer burial to cremation to maintain a likeness to Christ’s burial (although literally He was laid in state in a cave, not buried in the ground).
What we need to focus on as Christians is not how to dispose of our earthly bodies, but that one day new bodies will be fashioned for us like our Lord’s glorious resurrection body (see Phil. 3:21; cf. Luke 24:30-40; John 20:19, 26; 21:1-14; and Acts 1:1-9 to get an idea of what to look forward to). That transformation will be eternal!
Was burial practiced by the Jews in the Old Testament period because it was instructed in the Law?
You have to remember that some haved died in fires. Some have been destroyed in explosions. And then there are those who have been lost at sea , etc. What is important is always be ready to die, make sure you are declared righteous and in a saved state. God will raise the dead. The whole teaching of the resurrection is incredible and will be a miracle of God.
Just a thought someone pointed out to me one time. When God took care of Moses body He buried it. Almost always in the scripture burial is a mark of honoring our dead while burning the bodies was usually reserved for those they wanted to dishonor. I would agree that the important matter is that one be ready to die but that doesn’t seem to me to be the question that they are asking you. Once again, this is not a matter to divide the body of Christ over but I think good counsel would be that one should honor his dead and therefore should probably pursue burial. I have always slept better know that I buried my parents and didn’t cremate them.
Wow. God really does DIRECTLY answer questions sometimes. Got up at midnight to look up answers to this question from Christian sources I respected. Never been to this site, I just knew and admired John MacArthur’s teaching and point-of-view. This answered my question (or, more to the point, confirmed what I believed to be true) with good Biblical support. I am hoping these references will comfort my recently widowed mother-in-law whose Catholic faith is causing her conflict over the burial method of her husband this next week. Hoping it will also open a door for discussion of her faith and beliefs. Thank you God (and John MacArthur!) for this extra insight.
One question for which I’ve been unable to find an answer - were any of the Jewish burial practices (such and wrapping in linen and oils/herbs) the result of what they observed in the Egyptian culture? Or had these methods of preserving the bodies existed before the time of their enslavement? Thanks.
I am a pastor in France.
Burning bodies and specially fire destroyings was the result of judgment from God. The Believer in Jesus Christ is baptizised in water (death with Christ and living with Christ) The body is immerged in the water and the signification is : I am saved from eternal judgment. Can this believer ask for fire destroying from his body ? Biblical signification for fire destroying is eternal judgment and condamnation ? Of course, persecuted martyrs was burned and it can not make a difference in eternity. They are resurected in new bodies in the perfection and new and eternal creation (Hebr.12v.22-24 - I Cor.15v.49 - II Cor.5v.1) The biblical “last day” is the day of eternity - they is no more “time”. It’s our mistake to calculate with our earthly wiews. Resurrection is immediatly in the eternity, in Gods new Creation (Heaven). Moses and Eliah are resurrected in Matt.17