Cremation

[Brother Love]

Cremation

By Paul M. Sadler

Scripture Reading:
"The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labor and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away."
-- Psalm 90:10

With the rising cost of funerals these days many families are faced with the decision as to whether or not cremation should be considered as a viable option to burial.  Many have concluded that this is an acceptable alternative since the matter is not addressed in Paul's epistles, and we are living under grace.  While there does seem to be liberty here, perhaps it is the better part of wisdom to consult the whole counsel of God.

In Biblical times cremation of the body was primarily identified with the pagan nations of the world.  According to the Old Testament there were a few isolated occurrences of this practice, although they always seem to be associated with judgment or cases of emergency rather than merely disposing of the body (Josh. 7:25,26; I Sam. 31:6-13).  
Consequently, cremation was more the exception than the rule.  
Throughout the Scriptures it is said that they buried their dead.  
"Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of
Machpelah..."  "Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury."  
"And the young men arose, wound him [Ananias] up, and carried him out, and buried him."

In keeping with the Word of God, we believe it is preferable to bury our loved ones even though we may have liberty to do otherwise.  Of course, the additional financial burden can be eased by planning ahead for our inevitable departure.  The services that normally accompany a funeral bring the unsaved face to face with their own mortality.  

Thus, the occasion, heartbreaking as it may be, has often been used of the Lord to bring many sons to glory.  Whatever your conviction may be on the matter, it is important to heed the words of the Apostle Paul:
"Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind" (Rom. 14:5).

<))><

[JudgeNot]

Thanks for the post, BL.
Ah – to “plant or spread”, a question I’ve been looking into for awhile – (doctor’s advice).  
I even made a post on C-Unit some months ago looking for direction.  As Sadler points out, there is no “You shall not” or “You shall” in scripture – only tradition.  Also, my reasoning (as Sadler also pointed out) centered on financial matters; I didn’t want a financial burden left to my family.  As far as my personal will, it's just a flip of the coin.  A body in the ground for a few hundred years is in no better shape than a pile of ashes – and no less “resurrectable” by our Lord.  
My wife to the rescue; she said she wanted me ‘planted’ rather than ‘ashes in the wind’, so a planting it will be!
In Christ,
JudgeNot

[MalkyEL]

 

Okay, Okay - I suppose this is not really a funny subject, but I am amused, so bear with me . . .

Jesus is the end of the law, it being fulfilled with his death and resurrection.  Therefore, those laws having to do with physical responsibilites, such as burial instructions really have no bearing on our lives today.

Jesus said
Mat 10:28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

I view death as the ultimate, and long waited end to this life   - when the race is over, I have reached the goal - there is nothing better than that - to see my King  

I have instructed my kids to cremate me, bury the ashes and get on with life, no memorial, no funeral, no visitation.  Have a party and don't invite anyone who didn't give a rip about me in the here and now.  

I hate funerals and all that goes with them.  I think they are an abomination to God.  Funerals glorify death and elevate the person who died.  Christians are geeked with funerals and spend oodles of money that could be better served feeding the poor and clothing the needy.  Can the music, the watered down sermons, and all the people strutting around as if they cared for the one who died.

Ahhhhh . . . yes, a cynic born every minute - my hand is raised - yup!!!  that's me!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[michael_legna]

Okay, Okay - I suppose this is not really a funny subject, but I am amused, so bear with me . . .

I have told my family to put me in a baggie and set me at the curb and then go to Pizza Hut.

[MalkyEL]

michael lenga wrote:
I have told my family to put me in a baggie and set me at the curb and then go to Pizza Hut.

=====================
ROFL - I am dying - pun intended . . . . . . .  

[JudgeNot]

Post from Forrest in the 'CATS ARE EVIL' Thread, applies here.  

[MalkyEL]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

       

[nChrist]

Oklahoma Howdy to All,

My views on this issue are obviously formed by personal observations. Many in my family were or are ministers of the Gospel of God's Grace. So, the vast majority of funerals I've been to were for Christians, and the services were conducted by my family members. The ministers in my family would refuse to conduct a funeral service without the Gospel being given and God being glorified at the service.

A funeral for a Christian means a homecoming to Heaven for the departed. If the family members are Christians, they know it is a time of joy for their departed loved one. It's not ironic that the wishes of most Christians is to glorify God and give the Gospel at their funeral service. Maybe they are thinking about a lost family member, or maybe they are looking for one last excuse for the Good News to be given to someone coming to the service. I think that it is some of both. For Christians, it can be and should be a time of worship. If one person in that audience was drawn to Christ because of the services, that would be a matter of joy for everyone.

One could reverse the situation and say that the departed was lost. This is indeed a sad occasion. The Gospel being given would be the only thing that would be positive in a service like this.

I'm not condemning cremation, but I would say that a funeral service glorifying God and giving the Gospel could be considered to be a final effort to help the lost. I would have other emotions if the service was used to glorify the departed.

I hope this made some sense.

Love In Christ,
Tom

[MalkyEL]

Tom wrote:

I'm not condemning cremation, but I would say that a funeral service glorifying God and giving the Gospel could be considered to be a final effort to help the lost. I would have other emotions if the service was used to glorify the departed.

I hope this made some sense.

===============

Yes, it makes sense   and I agree that funerals can and should give the Gospel message - I had the opportunity to do just that at my Dad's funeral service.

I am wondering though, if that is God's ultimate or perfect will, that death should be the venue for declaring the gospel.  I have very mixed ideas about it, to be honest.

I have been to so many funeral events where the deceased is glorified when there was zero fruit in life, but rather all of sudden in death, is viewed as "righteous".  It seems that at that point all effort is made to perceive that person as having God in their heart, but perhaps not in evidence.  And some people, who were just plain unspiritual, are now proclaimed as having some form of godliness.  

It is said that the way we do funerals is to ease the grieving process.  I find the opposite to be true.  The visitation times, and funeral service itself is wearing, stressful, frustrating, and uncomfortable and you are put on display to see how godly your response is to the death of someone close to you.  I find it all a huge troublesome venue.

Jesus said, let the dead bury their dead - which is a Hebraic euphemism in reference to the eldest son taking care of the parents material possessions after death.  However; I think there is a deeper meaning.  Death should not be glorified and put on display.  The viewing of someone's remains is about as tawdry as it gets.

The playing of praise music seems so out of place, and the quiet - a supposed respect for the dead.  Very curious.  For some reason Scripture does not give us much to go on.  Torah [Mosaic Law] does give us some clue - as we see in after Jesus' death - He was quickly put in the grave and wrapped in grave clothes with anointing spices.  Later the women were to come and finish the process after the Sabbath.  

I think that the idea of putting away the body makes more sense - this is why I like cremation as the burial costs today are so exorbedent, based on an emotional response and paying "respects" to the dead.  That premise I find no where in God's Word.

One last thought - why is it that when a person dies they are recognized?  I guess my feeling is that if people did not bother with you when you were alive, who wants them eulogizing you when you are dead?  I would prefer that if, in some way, I had glorified God with my life in reaching out to others, that is my reward.  To have people speak about it in public is so repulsive to me, it makes me ill.

Now hopefully, I threw enough meat out there to get some nice chewable responses  

Shalom, MalkyEL  

[nChrist]

Oklahoma Howdy to Nancy,

You made many interesting and valid points. I guess that most people have mixed emotions about funerals. Some say that funerals are for the living, and others think that funerals are to brag about the deceased. I had an uncle who refused to attend funeral services, even the service for his wife. He was an old cowboy and was very private about his thoughts on funerals. I know that he grieved in complete privacy for almost a week after the death of his wife, and he never recovered.

I'm also thinking about many services I remember for children and how tragic they were. Some people think that a funeral service helps to bring closure to the fact that a loved one is no longer here.

I'm positive there are many other issues. For me, I will probably opt for a cheap casket and nothing but a Gospel Sermon.

Love In Christ,
Tom

[MalkyEL]

Tom wrote:

I'm positive there are many other issues. For me, I will probably opt for a cheap casket and nothing but a Gospel Sermon.

---------------------

I like your style    out with a flair  

Shalom, MalkyEL  

[Brother Love]

Thanks for the post, BL.
Ah – to “plant or spread”, a question I’ve been looking into for awhile – (doctor’s advice).  
I even made a post on C-Unit some months ago looking for direction.  As Sadler points out, there is no “You shall not” or “You shall” in scripture – only tradition.  Also, my reasoning (as Sadler also pointed out) centered on financial matters; I didn’t want a financial burden left to my family.  As far as my personal will, it's just a flip of the coin.  A body in the ground for a few hundred years is in no better shape than a pile of ashes – and no less “resurrectable” by our Lord.  
My wife to the rescue; she said she wanted me ‘planted’ rather than ‘ashes in the wind’, so a planting it will be!
In Christ,
JudgeNot

Your Welcome  

<))><

[alien]

I don't think it matters one way or the other.  The body is a shell, after all--it's not what makes us who we are.  After the spirit has left, what does it matter?  People should simply do what they feel God has led them to do.

[Raphu]

This question came up in our family recently, and after thinking about it for a long time I came to the same conclusion as the original poster. It seems that fire would be a clean way of disposal of the old body, but none of the others in the Bible did it this way. Part of me says it doesn't matter, but the fother says it does.... It's too bad that the world has so many rules, regulations, and leaches - making it so very expensive to bury a loved one.

[Allinall]

Ashes to ashes...dust to dust.  Anyway ya look at it you turn into very small particles.  So I prefer being cremated.  Yup.  In glorious Viking style.  In a longboat.  With my wife...ok, so some of the traditions lacked in logic.  But the boat part is a must.

Either that, or do like the Jedi do in the Star Wars flicks...yeeeaaaaaaaahhhh...big ol' pyre with lots of hooded people standing around wondering who the bad guy is...