Editorial

 •  3 min. read  •  grade level: 8
A request has come to us to write something on cremation. What is God's mind on this subject?
Burial was the custom among the Israelites and there was even a provision in the law for the burial of a criminal (Deut. 21:2323His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance. (Deuteronomy 21:23)). The importance of burial is stressed in Ecc. 6:3. "If a man beget a hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years be many, and his soul be not filled with good, and also that he have no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he.”
In the New Testament we see that when Herod beheaded John, the disciples of John "came, and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus." Matt. 14:1212And his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus. (Matthew 14:12). Prophetically, it was written of the Lord Jesus that He was "with the rich in His death." Isa. 53:99And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. (Isaiah 53:9). This we see lovingly fulfilled by Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus. "Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury. Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulcher, wherein was never man yet laid. There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews' preparation day; for the sepulcher was nigh at hand." John 19:40-4240Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury. 41Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid. 42There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews' preparation day; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand. (John 19:40‑42).
Beginning with the Christian period in the book of The Acts, we notice that the first three people who died were buried. The first two were Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:6,106And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him. (Acts 5:6)
10Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband. (Acts 5:10)). Then in Acts 8:22And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him. (Acts 8:2) it says, “devout men carried Stephen to his burial." So we see that burial is the Christian practice, not cremation.
In sharp contrast to this we call attention to a verse in Amos 2:11Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of Moab, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because he burned the bones of the king of Edom into lime: (Amos 2:1), "Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of Moab, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because he burned the bones of the king of Edom into lime." This supreme expression of hatred of one against another brought forth God's punishment.
Every believer belongs to God, for the Word says, "Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's." 1 Cor. 6:19, 2019What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. (1 Corinthians 6:19‑20).
The believers' hope is the Lord's coming for us while we are yet alive. All believers who have died will be raised and we all shall be changed as it says in Philippians 3:20,2120For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: 21Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. (Philippians 3:20‑21) (JND), "The Lord Jesus Christ as Savior, who shall transform our body of humiliation into conformity to His body of glory, according to the working of the power which He has even to subdue all things to Himself.”
We learn, then, that these bodies God has given us to live in are precious to God-belong to Him-and we should treat them carefully and respectfully while we live, and also in death.
Infidels have frequently tried to hide from God and the coming judgment by commanding their bodies to be cremated and the dust scattered upon the ocean. All this is futile. Our Savior as Son of man is presented as Judge in Rev. 1. In verse 18 He says, “I am He that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell [hades, the place of departed spirits] and of death [the place where the body is]." He will use those keys first at the resurrection of the just and then later at the resurrection of the unjust (Acts 24:1515And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust. (Acts 24:15)).
We are not under law, but grace. God has graciously revealed to us His mind in both the Old and New Testament. Burial, not cremation, is the proper way to treat the dead body.
Ed.