Having spent some time in the funeral business, I've given a lot of thought to this matter, and searched it out in Scripture. While there is no specific
prohibition against cremation, I think there is reason to believe that a Christian should not choose it.
If you search The Book for stories that involve the disposition of a body, you will find many. In every case where the method is mentioned, the method of choice for God's people is burial. There are many cases where a body is treated disrespectfully, and this is clearly significant in each case. (Jezebel, for example.) Also, any method other than burial seems to be seen as disrespectful. I recall only one case where burning of the body is specifically condemned, and that is NOT the same as the modern practice of cremation.
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: The reason I say this was different from our modern cremation is this: Modern cremation burns away the flesh, leaving the bones only. The bones are then ground up until they have the consistency of very coarse sand. All flesh is long gone before you get to that point. Even the ashes are mostly consumed. The bones are somewhat charred in places, but the "sand" is mostly white. The reason for this is that it takes a LOT of energy to burn those bones to lime. (Energy = $$) THIS is what is returned to the family - not ASHES at all, though that is the term that is used. And no wonder - how would the industry sell people on the idea if they knew the truth?
In this one case of a body being burned, it is VERY clear that it was done as an insult, and it is VERY clear that the Lord does NOT approve.
Now, it may be argued that the INSULT is what the Lord is rebuking, but it still remains that the burning of the bones to lime IS an insult.
Also, throughout the history of Israel, many times in a revival the idolatrous priests were burned on their own altars. I think the context makes clear that this was the ultimate rejection of the persons and practices of the idolators.
As I said, this does not add up to a specific prohibition, but it is at least a strong hint!
Also, in the 9 months or so I was in the business, I did "pre-need" sales. You have to understand that such "sales" are not like other sales. People are uncomfortable, and they talk, even when no questions are asked. They spill their guts, frankly. Not always, but ususally. When cremation was chosen, the motives were USUALLY given as money. But I think that was mostly smokescreen. Sometimes the motive seemed to be a sort of "chip on the shoulder".
"I'm proving that I'm not superstitious about a dead body! It's just a piece of meat! Mostly, though, I think the real reason was to try to prevent God from raising that person. A few came right out and said that. Most hinted at it.
On the positive side, I think the idea that the body is just meat and doesn't matter after death is anything BUT a Christian idea. Clearly the early church, both in NT times and during the first century or so afterward, didn't act that way. Bodies were treated with loving respect, and always buried. The "meat" idea is really a bastard offspring of Gnosticsm, I think.
Believers bodies will be raised from the DUST not from ASHES. There is a difference between dust and ashes (1 Cor. 15:35-50).
So, sower, are you saying that God CANNOT raise people unless they are dust? Or that He WILL NOT? What then does He do about believers who go down in a shipwreck? They certainly aren't dust. Especially those who died centuries ago. The atoms that made up those bodies are all over the world by now, in the ocean, in the air, in fishes bodies, maybe in YOUR body!
I think God can take care of the raising, no matter what we do with the body. But I do think we are the losers if we treat the highest of God's creation with anything other than great care.
