Cremation?

[Kris777]

Well since we are on the topic of talking about bodies, what about donating body parts when we die, or what about donating blood.  I know that we are not allowed to drink blood, but what about donating it to accident victums, if they accept it would it be a sin?

[Sower]

So, we are to bury the bodys, then?

Yes Tibby:

We are to follow the Lord in death, BURIAL, and resurrection, even as we do so symbolically in water baptism:

"For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received,  how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; AND THAT HE WAS BURIED; and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures... Therefore we are BURIED WITH HIM BY BAPTISM INTO DEATH, that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life" (1 Cor. 15:3,4; Rom. 6:4).

"Walking in newness of life" means following the Lord's example in everything, including our burial.

A Christian burial has tremendous power to witness to the unsaved world that the person in the grave is:

(1) now with Christ in Heaven -- which means that the soul and spirit are now in Heaven

(2) his/her body "sleeps" while it awaits it's resurrection and

(3) there will be, without the shadow of a doubt, the resurrection of the saints at the Rapture.  

Some unbeliever (s) present at the Christian's burial will hear this Gospel message and possibly be saved.  Cremation would violate this testimony, since it does not "follow the Lord".

[ebia]

We are to follow the Lord in death, ...
Cremation would violate this testimony, since it does not "follow the Lord".

Better get nailed to a tree then.

[Sower]

We are to follow the Lord in death, ...
Cremation would violate this testimony, since it does not "follow the Lord".

Better get nailed to a tree then.

Your attempt at sarcasm is actually what the Bible teaches -- every Christian is to "get nailed to a tree". Paul teaches this truth in Galatians 2:19-20: "For I through the Law am dead to the Law. that I might live unto God. I AM CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh [body], I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me,."

The apostle is teachiing here that the believer must "mortify the flesh", put to death the evil and sinful desires of the old human nature, "deny ungodliness and worldly lusts", "be nailed to a tree" metaphorically, so that Christ may live out His life in the saint.

There is a very deep truth in this teaching, so Ebia, if you are indeed a Christian, "better get nailed to a tree".

[ebia]

We are to follow the Lord in death, ...
Cremation would violate this testimony, since it does not "follow the Lord".

Better get nailed to a tree then.

Your attempt at sarcasm is actually what the Bible teaches -- every Christian is to "get nailed to a tree". Paul teaches this truth in Galatians 2:19-20: "For I through the Law am dead to the Law. that I might live unto God. I AM CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh [body], I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me,."

The apostle is teachiing here that the believer must "mortify the flesh", put to death the evil and sinful desires of the old human nature, "deny ungodliness and worldly lusts", "be nailed to a tree" metaphorically, so that Christ may live out His life in the saint.

There is a very deep truth in this teaching, so Ebia, if you are indeed a Christian, "better get nailed to a tree".

Absolutely.  But.

What I'm questioning is why you take that bit metaphorically, but being buried has to be literal.  After all, we are buried like Him when we are baptised.

[Sower]

Well since we are on the topic of talking about bodies, what about donating body parts when we die, or what about donating blood.  I know that we are not allowed to drink blood, but what about donating it to accident victums, if they accept it would it be a sin?

The Bible is silent on this subject, so the only recourse is for the believer to take his concerns to the Lord directly if faced with such a decision.

[Quartus]

I am not suggesting that God cannot or will not raise people unless they are dust. What I am saying is that, God regards the human body as "grain" which is sown into the groundand that the harvest of resurrected saints corresponds to and fulfills the Feasts of the Lord and how they relate to Christ and His saints. Therefore ashes violate this symbolism and are unacceptable:

Agreed!   And I wasn't seriously suggesting you were saying that.  Like we all do from time to time, you worded that awkwardly, and I was just ribbing you.  


I think ebia has a good point - our following of Jesus in death, burial, and resurrection is metaphorical, so we can't press one point as being literal.

The Bible is silent on this subject, so the only recourse is for the believer to take his concerns to the Lord directly if faced with such a decision.

Agreed!  What  I've offered here is not an attempt to "prove" that the Bible condemns cremation, but to provide some food for thought.  For ME, it is enough to convince me that cremation is not a good thing.

[Quartus]

Kris777, you raise some good questions.  I have some thoughts to share, but I must get to work now.  Will chat later!

[Tibby]

So, we are to bury the bodys, then?

Yes Tibby:

We are to follow the Lord in death, BURIAL, and resurrection, even as we do so symbolically in water baptism:

"For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received,  how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; AND THAT HE WAS BURIED; and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures... Therefore we are BURIED WITH HIM BY BAPTISM INTO DEATH, that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life" (1 Cor. 15:3,4; Rom. 6:4).

"Walking in newness of life" means following the Lord's example in everything, including our burial.

A Christian burial has tremendous power to witness to the unsaved world that the person in the grave is:

(1) now with Christ in Heaven -- which means that the soul and spirit are now in Heaven

(2) his/her body "sleeps" while it awaits it's resurrection and

(3) there will be, without the shadow of a doubt, the resurrection of the saints at the Rapture.  

Some unbeliever (s) present at the Christian's burial will hear this Gospel message and possibly be saved.  Cremation would violate this testimony, since it does not "follow the Lord".

You still haven't explained with it is ok to bury someone even though Pagans practiced this. Burial is just as pagan as cremation. You said:

God regards ALL heathen practices and beliefs as an ABOMINATION

If that is the case, why would he want us to bury our dead? That is just as heathen as burning the bodies. Why would God choose one “abomination” over another?