The Disciples of Christ and cremation, what does the Lord say about it?

[CalTech]

Many indigenous believers will follow their cultural traditions. For some this will mean placing the body in the top of the tree to be consumed by animals, leaving only the bones to be removed and kept elsewhere. In this issue I go toward Romans 14 and state that each person must follow their conscience. Peter's vision of the blanket with all the animals where God declares them all to be clean may also be considered here.
God has not declared a specific regulation for his children regarding how they treat the carcass which once contained their spirit. Therefore, follow your conscience and do what you do to the glory of God. This is the grace of Christ in action.

Greetings,

I can understand for where you are coming from. But I have learned to take in the Whole of God's Word to give a clear picture on what was established as a good and Godly form for burial. Especially when he informs Adam as such:

Gen_3:19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

Thank you for your view.
The Lord bless you....
In His Love....

 

[Salty]

Can anyone show me where the Bible COMMANDS us to be buried?
Can anyone show me where the Bible PROHIBITS cremation?

Can anyone PROVE that Christians were never cremated by choice?

Opinions do not count - Only Scripture will do!

 

[Darrell C]

My wife and I prepaid our burrial expenses - coffin, vault, mortuary services, and cemetery plots. We paid steadily for about ten years until it was all done.
About two weeks after the last payment was made, I had a heart attack, and while I was driving myself to the hospital, my thoughts were "Man! What timing!"
Anyway, my point is that in the old days, you could build a pine box, put the departed one in it, nail a lid down, dig a deep hole, say a prayer, sing some hymns, plant the box in the hole, cover it with dirt, and be done. Today, the costs of burrial are staggering. I can't wag my head at a fellow believer who choses cremation.
It would seem diabolical if we stood around the body while it was being burned, holding hands and singing kumbaya.

My brother-in-law stayed in an observation room (he couldn't actually see the process) while his and my wife's dad was cremated. I thought it was a bit morbid, but I understood him wanting to "be there for his father." Kind of "to the end" kind of thing for him. I felt it would be a little too traumatic for my wife, and she wasn't of a mind to be there, because she understands her father was no longer in that body.

You raise a great point, though, and that is the cost of burial these days. Some believers may look at cremation as a better way of being good stewards of their resources, even after death.

Me, I'm holding out for the Rapture, and will not waste time worrying about the disposal of this carcass, lol.


God bless.

 

[Darrell C]

Greetings,

I can understand for where you are coming from. But I have learned to take in the Whole of God's Word to give a clear picture on what was established as a good and Godly form for burial. Especially when he informs Adam as such:

Gen_3:19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

Thank you for your view.
The Lord bless you....
In His Love....

There are those who knew by refusing to renounce Christ they would be burned, and then their bodies tossed on a trash heap. Is that decision to be burned and not buried outside of your will?


God bless.

 

[CalTech]

Can anyone show me where the Bible COMMANDS us to be buried?
Can anyone show me where the Bible PROHIBITS cremation?

Can anyone PROVE that Christians were never cremated by choice?

Opinions do not count - Only Scripture will do!

Greetings,

Me thinks you protest too much!
The Whole of God's Word speaks on how HIS follower's were BURIED! That gives a clear picture what the Lord desires.
I am not saying that person's who are believer's that choose cremation are damned. They shall still be saved, I am asking is it what the LORD truly desires, and their is NO PROOF that the LORD accepts cremation! But there is PLENTY of examples throughout the whole OLD and NEW Testament, that reveals they were ALL BURIED!

And if you can not be honest to see that and acknowledge it....then I am sad for you.
This is about pleasing the Lord in ALL areas of our lives. If it is not taught, or questioned, then how do believer's learn?
That is all I am saying......

The Lord bless you....
In His Love....

 

[CalTech]

There are those who knew by refusing to renounce Christ they would be burned, and then their bodies tossed on a trash heap. Is that decision to be burned and not buried outside of your will?


God bless.

Greetings,

Good question, thank you.

They just realized they would prefer to suffer the outcome, being burned at the stake, which is outside of their choice, then denying and renouncing Christ. It is still not a free choice on how they are to die for standing for Christ. It has been decided for them. The choice is to live or to die. To live... denounce Christ, to die for Christ is to Live for Christ.

The Lord bless you.....
In His Love....

 

[Darrell C]

This is an open conversation about believer's in Christ....should they or should they not be cremated?

I personally believe Disciples of Christ are never to be cremated, since it was a pagan way of burial because it was a "symbol" of being "purified" for eternal rest......

What are your thoughts?

The Lord bless you.....
In His Love....

I am personally against it, because I would rather not think about my loved ones being burned up at any time. However, I don't view it as wrong for believers to opt for cremation, whatever their reasoning, it is a personal choice.

Trying to make what we do as Gentiles fit every mold from the Old Testament isn't, in my view, sound reasoning to either support or deny a practice. There is nothing that explicitly states we are not to be cremated, nor are we explicitly commanded to take on the practices of those that came before us. If one is saved in a culture where a pyre is how they have done things for centuries, I don't see God's condemnation for something they have never been commanded to cease doing.


God bless.

 

[tyndale1946]

Greetings,

Me thinks you protest too much!
The Whole of God's Word speaks on how HIS follower's were BURIED! That gives a clear picture what the Lord desires.
I am not saying that person's who are believer's that choose cremation are damned. They shall still be saved, I am asking is it what the LORD truly desires, and their is NO PROOF that the LORD accepts cremation! But there is PLENTY of examples throughout the whole OLD and NEW Testament, that reveals they were ALL BURIED!

And if you can not be honest to see that and acknowledge it....then I am sad for you.
This is about pleasing the Lord in ALL areas of our lives. If it is not taught, or questioned, then how do believer's learn?
That is all I am saying......

The Lord bless you....
In His Love....

2 Corinthians 5:1 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:

3 If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.

4 For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.

5 Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.

6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:

7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight)

8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

Notice The Apostle Paul doesn't say how it will be dissolved, by war, disaster, or complete destruction, or peaceful death only that it will be, does how your buried matter?... Only to those who are saying goodbye... Brother Glen

 

[Darrell C]

Greetings,

Good question, thank you.

They just realized they would prefer to suffer the outcome, being burned at the stake, which is outside of their choice, then denying and renouncing Christ. It is still not a free choice on how they are to die for standing for Christ. It has been decided for them. The choice is to live or to die. To live... denounce Christ, to die for Christ is to Live for Christ.

The Lord bless you.....
In His Love....

I think most would view their decision very much a choice they decided for.

However, I understand what you're trying to say. If they had not been put in those circumstances then they would have had a choice as to how their remains would be disposed of. Again we look at the culture, and it is that which determines the means of disposal. That is the point I am making. Many will die never having made a choice, because many will die young. Most think they will live forever, and death is something that happens to others.

So let me ask you this: if another country invaded your country and demanded that you renounce Christ or you would be impaled on a tree and burned to death, then tossed into a pile at a landfill, would you choose to renounce Christ or not? I think we both know you would willingly suffer your body to be burned for Christ's sake, right?


Hebrews 11:32-37 King James Version

32 And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:

33 Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions.

34 Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.

35 Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:

36 And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:

37 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;


The single point I would make is this: what happens to our mortal bodies is of little consequence after we are dead. Even our culture doesn't give the reverence I think we see associated in Old Testament economies.

When we drive through a graveyard those who entomb in a manner similar to the custom of Old Testament example are few in comparison to those who are simply laid to rest 6' under.

So if we would look to that example, shouldn't we have tombs similar to those they had?


God bless

 

[CalTech]

My brother-in-law stayed in an observation room (he couldn't actually see the process) while his and my wife's dad was cremated. I thought it was a bit morbid, but I understood him wanting to "be there for his father." Kind of "to the end" kind of thing for him. I felt it would be a little too traumatic for my wife, and she wasn't of a mind to be there, because she understands her father was no longer in that body.

You raise a great point, though, and that is the cost of burial these days. Some believers may look at cremation as a better way of being good stewards of their resources, even after death.

Me, I'm holding out for the Rapture, and will not waste time worrying about the disposal of this carcass, lol.


God bless.

Greetings,

You bring up a good point to think about: "You raise a great point, though, and that is the cost of burial these days. Some believers may look at cremation as a better way of being good stewards of their resources, even after death."

I have thought about how should I plan for my funeral. I live alone never married, no children, my parents are dead, neither saved, my brother lives in VA. Should I take out insurance to plan for my burial, should I look for a "plot", or should I leave a "living will" which will inform the officials no cremation, just a cardboard box and a pauper's plot and it could be paid for from my finances at my bank.

I talked it over with the Lord, prayed, and every time I kept receiving, think NOT for tomorrow, be not anxious for nothing, the Lord promises to look after ALL aspects of our life, and that includes death. I can understand how people would consider that as being good stewards, but not a good justifiable reason. For the Lord shall provide for ALL our needs, as long as we are NOT being extravagant!

But as you believe, I also believe and am waiting for the Lord to take me up, before I die, so I have no worries or further thoughts about the subject. I have prefect peace.......

The Lord bless you....
In His Love...

 

[Salty]

Can anyone show me where the Bible COMMANDS us to be buried?
Can anyone show me where the Bible PROHIBITS cremation?

Can anyone PROVE that Christians were never cremated by choice?

Opinions do not count - Only Scripture will do!

I realize it has only been a half hour - but no one has answered my question

 

[Darrell C]

my brother lives in VA.

Well now you can know that you have at least two brothers in Virginia.

Greetings,

You bring up a good point to think about: "You raise a great point, though, and that is the cost of burial these days. Some believers may look at cremation as a better way of being good stewards of their resources, even after death."

I have thought about how should I plan for my funeral. I live alone never married, no children, my parents are dead, neither saved, my brother lives in VA. Should I take out insurance to plan for my burial, should I look for a "plot", or should I leave a "living will" which will inform the officials no cremation, just a cardboard box and a pauper's plot and it could be paid for from my finances at my bank.

I talked it over with the Lord, prayed, and every time I kept receiving, think NOT for tomorrow, be not anxious for nothing, the Lord promises to look after ALL aspects of our life, and that includes death. I can understand how people would consider that as being good stewards, but not a good justifiable reason. For the Lord shall provide for ALL our needs, as long as we are NOT being extravagant!

But as you believe, I also believe and am waiting for the Lord to take me up, before I die, so I have no worries or further thoughts about the subject. I have prefect peace.......

The Lord bless you....
In His Love...

And because I am not fond of the practice, I would prefer the state bury me rather than cremate me, but I don't expect to have a voice in the matter, and what they do will not affect either my spirit or my glorified body.

So here will be my final assertion for the thread as a whole (and that does not mean I won't impose my sense of humor towards it in the future, lol): certain things we come to believe as Christians will be that which God judges our actions upon. If one thinks cremation is against the example shown in Scripture, and they violate that belief, then it will of course be sin for that individual. Even if it wasn't something specifically noted as sin in Scripture, either explicitly or implicitly. That doesn't mean if one somehow came to believe that it was okay to murder, for example, that it would not be counted as sin, because some things are just basic principle in Scripture, and those that violate basic principles either fall into a category of wilfully sin, ignorant sin, or suffer a mental incapacity that would render them unable to properly discern between good and evil, God's will and what is against it.


James 4 King James Version

10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

11 Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.

12 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?


17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.


God bless.

 

[JesusFan]

This is an open conversation about believer's in Christ....should they or should they not be cremated?

I personally believe Disciples of Christ are never to be cremated, since it was a pagan way of burial because it was a "symbol" of being "purified" for eternal rest......

What are your thoughts?

The Lord bless you.....
In His Love....

Would not prefer it, but the Lord can grant a resurrected body even if cremated!

 

[Darrell C]

I realize it has only been a half hour - but no one has answered my question

Sorry. The answer is we aren't going to find explicit command.

I can understand holding to something in principle and what we feel is taught implicitly, though.

The bottom line is that this is something that is not explicitly addressed, and something that we will each have to conclude for ourselves, in my opinion (oops, you did prohibit opinion).

Will that suffice?


God bless.

 

[Darrell C]

Would not prefer it, but the Lord can grant a resurrected body even if cremated!

You might be missing a few toes, though!


God bless.

 

[Darrell C]

Consider for a moment the second death, where the body is destroyed. Sounds like the promotion of cremation as God's method of handling remains. Look up Gehenna and the number of times Christ referred to destroying bodies in fire.

I would point out the OP centers on the disposition of believers, rather than unbelievers, so we wouldn't really be able to use that as a means of supporting cremation as acceptable.

By the way, I did not know you are a Vietnam Vet, and wanted to just say thank you for your service. I don't really pay attention to the ages of the members, and was a little surprised when you mentioned it. Just wanted to get that in before I take my leave of the forum again.


God bless.

 

[AustinC]

Greetings,

I can understand for where you are coming from. But I have learned to take in the Whole of God's Word to give a clear picture on what was established as a good and Godly form for burial. Especially when he informs Adam as such:

Gen_3:19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

Thank you for your view.
The Lord bless you....
In His Love....

Do you imagine the rest of us have not learned to take in the whole word of God when we come to an understanding of our conscience and a clear picture? Be careful here to not be prideful.

The verse you are using from Genesis 3 simply tells us that we will go back to dust (ultimately we were formed from stardust). The verse you quote says nothing about how our dust is returned.

I respect your careful consideration for yourself and since your conscience does not allow you to have peace in being cremated, I would never advocate for you to be cremated when death overcomes you.

I have provided you with scripture regarding the freedom we have in Christ. Please do not attempt to lord it over me that you have somehow done more than what any of us have done in seeking God's direction via his Word. Please respect that we are two brothers whose conscience is clear before our King and God is pleased to be our judge in this matter.

Blessing to you.

Peace

 

[Salty]

... certain things we come to believe as Christians will be that which God judges our actions upon. ... and they violate that belief, then it will of course be sin for that individual. Even if it wasn't something specifically noted as sin in Scripture, either explicitly or implicitly. ...

.

In order to not hijack - I started a new thread:
If I think it is a sin?

 

[Darrell C]

In order to not hijack - I started a new thread:
If I think it is a sin?

A great thread topic. Glad to be a source of inspiration.




God bless.

 

[tyndale1946]

I would point out the OP centers on the disposition of believers, rather than unbelievers, so we wouldn't really be able to use that as a means of supporting cremation as acceptable.

By the way, I did not know you are a Vietnam Vet, and wanted to just say thank you for your service. I don't really pay attention to the ages of the members, and was a little surprised when you mentioned it. Just wanted to get that in before I take my leave of the forum again.


God bless.

So you just got back Darrell and you are thinking of leaving again?... And to answer your question on cremation, I'm a Vietnam Vet too and seen some of my buddies blown to kingdom come... God who created Adam out of the dust of the ground, will have no trouble, resurrecting a full body at the resurrection... In answer to Salty's question, there is no scripture that commands how we are buried or prohibits cremation... But we do know about the resurrected body... Brother Glen

1 John 3:1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.