What does the Bible say about burial vs. cremation, vis a vis entry into Heaven?

Question

A Christian friend is very concerned that if her body is cremated, her soul will not be admitted to Heaven. She is more concerned with what Scripture has to say about this than in the teachings of her particular Protestant denomination. If you know of specific references to this situation in the New or Old Testament, please answer with Version, Book, Chapter, and Verse number(s).

Critical comments from non-believers will not be appreciated.

Or anything specific about the appropriate (or inappropriate) treatment of a body after death. e.g., cremation, direct burial, burial in a shroud, burial in a coffin, burial in a crypt, etc. I'm not looking for interpretations here, just specific verses that deal with the matter.

That last "detail" means that I want verses about those things.

Answer 1

The Bible makes a distinction between the "physical" and "spiritual" body.

"But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come? Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die: And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain; But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body. ... So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power; It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body" 1 Cor. 15:35-44

The Bible states that the soul of a saved person goes to be with Christ immediately upon death (Phil. 1:23; 2 Cor. 5:8; 2 Tim. 4:6; Lk. 23:43). The soul of a lost person descends to hell immediately upon death (Lk. 16:22-23; Rev. 20:13).

Whatever is done to the body after death does not affect the soul's condition.

There are many ways a Christian can die without a proper burial. They can be lost at sea, burned in an accident, left above ground and many others. If this happens to a Christian, is it scriptural to say that their soul will not be admitted? The answer is no.

The Bible says all the dead will be resurrected on the last day. "The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to their works," Revelation 20:13

Based on the laws of science, we know that bodies that are hundreds and thousands of years old are just "dust" yet they will be resurrected in the end.

In my opinion, the Bible does not forbid cremation. All of our bodies will "return to dust", cremation is simply a faster way of returning our "empty shells" to dust.

Answer 2

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
What does the Bible say about burial vs. cremation, vis a vis entry into Heaven?
A Christian friend is very concerned that if her body is cremated, her soul will not be admitted to Heaven. She is more concerned with what Scripture has to say about this than in the teachings of her particular Protestant denomination. If you know of specific references to this situation in the...

Answer 3

something over in Revelation about the time of the Rapturing of the church... where the grave gives up the dead?... there, it says something about the sea giving up her dead as well.... so.... if the sea took a body, you KNOW it turned into fishpoo and is scattered all OVER the ocean floor,right?.... so if THAT bunch of bodies is gonna be brought together again so the soul that belongs to them can enter Heaven whole and recogniseable, then I'd guess that any body that was burned in cremation or a house fire, either one, the ashes could also come back together from that ...... there's some folks who require all their body parts be buried together so nothing is missing when the great day comes... like that would matter, either?..... folks just don't have a great ammount of faith that the god they believe in can do anything, do they?.... sheesh....

Answer 4

The bible is silent on this issue. Honestly I don't think it matters. What would happen if a Christian was burned at the stake? That body would have been destroyed. You can't really think that God would deny a martyr entry because he or she didn't have control in their death. Everyone's body decomposes over time as well. God is powerful enough to raise up anything He wishes regardless of condition, but what matters is what condition your soul will be in. My only thought is 1 John 3:2.

Answer 5

The Bible doesn't speak bout cremation vis-a-vis burial. The Bible does tell us that we are to be a "new creation." God doesn't need our ashes or the disintegrated bones and flesh to make us anew.

Answer 6

I have look,d at cremation on line and discovered that people in the past regarded cremation was to prevent lost souls having the ability to return as ghost, unlike burial souls that do have the ability.

Answer 7

Being burned by accident or lost at sea or whatever caused your body to not be claimed is beyond our choice, but being cremated being our choice is another thing. God was buried, not cremated. That is the best example answer in my book as far as being biblical.

Answer 8

I don't have any particular verses to quote at this time, but I don't think God will discriminate against someone who chooses cremation. It may, however, make the resurrection process more complex for that individual...

Answer 9

1.
there are no refernces as to whether its allowed or not...
i wouldn't really worry about it...you wordly body cannot
enter heaven anway...only your spiritual body can.

2.
by the time your cremated or buried...your soul has
already departed a number of days before from your body
and your already in heaven or hell...what happens to
your shell is irrelevant.



that said, Christ was buried...not burned...

Answer 10

I know of no rule or teaching in Scripture concerning this. If someone says the Bible says one way or another, most likely they are twisting Scripture. If you are one of God's children, one of the elect, the out called ones, you will be in Heaven, doesn't matter whether your earthly "tent" is buried or burned.