What Does The Bible Say About Cremation?

As more and more people begin to lean toward cremation, Christians all over are asking, “What does the Bible say about Cremation?”

The Process Of Cremation

The process of cremation involves the burning of the deceased human body with fire in order to reduce it to its basest elements. The deceased body is placed inside a cremation chamber and the heat is increased to temperatures as high as 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit. For reference, lava flowing from volcanoes on the island of Hawaii has been measured between 1,600 and 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. Because nearly ⅔ of the human body is composed of water, the process leaves behind little more than bones. Once the body has been reduced to this point, the remaining bones are sifted to remove any metal fragments such as medical pins or screws. They are then processed by a machine into a fine powder, sealed in a bag, and placed into a decorative urn. 

According to the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA), cremation is slowly becoming more popular than traditional burials in the United States. In recent years, slightly more than 50% of Americans have chosen cremation rather than a burial. Cremation is expected to continue trending up, and by 2035, is expected to be the choice for nearly 80% of Americans. 

Why is it trending upward?

There are a whole host of reasons why someone would choose cremation over burial, such as the ability to keep the loved one’s remains at home or scatter them at a memorial service. However, overall costs are probably the largest determining factor for most families. Again, the NFDA has determined that the national average cost of a burial with funeral and viewing in 2021 was just under $10,000. The national average cost of cremation with funeral and viewing in 2021 was just over $5,000. That’s a difference of almost $5,000! However, the cost of cremation can come closer to that of a traditional burial with various options and upgrades.

What Does The Bible Say About Cremation?

The short answer is that the Bible does not specifically say anything about cremation. It would appear that the Lord is neither for nor against the process. There is one verse in Leviticus 20:14 involving capital punishment in which the Lord says the offender is to be “burned with fire.” That does not directly apply to the concept of cremation, however. In all the laws of scripture, there is no reference to the blessing or cursing of anyone whose body is reduced to ashes through the process of cremation.

When King Saul and his sons were killed in battle by the Philistine army, the people of Jabesh Gilead burned their remains with fire and buried them under a tree. We read that the Philistines fastened the bodies of the king and his sons to the wall as trophies of war. The men at Jabesh Gilead, an ancient Israelite town northwest of Jordan, were outraged and removed the bodies as quickly as possible. 

“When the people of Jabesh Gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, all their valiant men marched through the night to Beth Shan. They took down the bodies of Saul and his sons from the wall of Beth Shan and went to Jabesh, where they burned them. Then they took their bones and buried them under a tamarisk tree at Jabesh, and they fasted seven days.”
1 Samuel 31:11-13

The scriptures are not clear as to why they chose to burn the bodies with fire. Most believe the most logical reason is that it would be difficult to transport multiple decaying bodies out of the enemy territory and back into Israel. The most honorable and respectable option would have been to dispose of the bodies as cleanly and humanely as possible using fire. Outside those few scriptures, the Bible has nothing else to say about the subject.

What Happens To The Body Does Not Affect The Soul

You were created by God as a 3-part being. You have a body, a soul, and a spirit. The body is nothing more than an earth suit in which your spirit and soul reside for the present time. Your soul is what makes you – you! It is your mind, will, and emotions. Your soul lives inside your body, and the spirit lives inside the soul. The spirit is the part of you that connects to God! Your body will inevitably grow old and die, but the soul and spirit will never die. 

At the end of the day, the only thing that matters is that your soul belongs to Jesus Christ. God is less concerned with the condition of your physical body and more concerned with the condition of your soul! If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you can have full confidence that when you step out of this world you will step immediately into His presence (2 Corinthians 5:8).

The promise that you will spend eternity with Him has no conditions tied to your earthen body. Ultimately, the human body was created out of the dust in the beginning and will return to its most basic elements once again. The cremation process definitely speeds up the process! But even those who opt for a traditional burial will eventually decay and return to dust.

Will Cremation Affect My Resurrected Body?

Although we have determined that cremation does not have any effect on your soul, you may wonder if the process has any negative connotations with your resurrected body. The popular question is, “If I choose cremation, how can God resurrect my ashes?” 

This is an understandable question! The Bible does promise that our souls will be reunited with our bodies at the end of the age. “Behold, I am telling you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed (1 Corinthians 15:51-52).”  He goes on to explain in 1 Thessalonians 4:16 that the dead in Christ will rise first, before those who are still alive on the earth. 

You may wonder, “How is that possible?” or “What will this body be like?” Again, those are great questions! Questions that we do not yet have all the answers to. The apostle John says, “We do not yet know what we shall be, but we know that when He returns we will be as He is (1 John 3:2).”

Think of it this way, people have died in incredible and unthinkable ways – ways that are uncomfortable to even think about! Burned at the stake, eaten by wild animals, drowned in the ocean… As far as we are concerned as humans, their remains are gone. They will never be seen again. They are decomposed in such a way that they will never be regathered. Consider how the bodies of those who were buried thousands of years ago have certainly decayed and returned to the dust from which they were created. 

And then remember that nothing is too hard for God. He is able to do exceedingly and abundantly more than we could ever ask or think (Ephesians 3:20). God created the entire world with nothing more than His spoken word! He created the human body out of the dust of the earth. It is not too difficult for Him to resurrect anybody He chooses, regardless of how, or where, their body is awaiting the sound of that glorious trumpet blast!

Which Should You Choose?

The decision of burial or cremation should not be forced upon anyone. It is a very personal decision that potentially affects the entire family. As with all decisions, this one should be made prayerfully. Death is certain and will ultimately touch every one of us, but its certainty does not make the process any easier. Thankfully we do not grieve over those who have passed in the same way as those who have no hope! But we have this promise, that we will see them again in that glorious meeting in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17).

What does the Bible say about cremation? In the eyes of the Lord, the decision between a traditional burial and cremation is trivial. Rest easy knowing that no matter which option you chose, you have not sinned or broken the commands of the Lord. He is more concerned with the decision you have made to preserve your soul than your physical body. Instead of spending time worrying over your corruptible body, focus your attention on eternity! Besides, you have an incorruptible body waiting for you in glory!