My Answer: Is it ok for a Christian to be cremated?

Opening paragraph is at the beginning of every "My Answer" blog:

Growing up as the son of a preacher, I was never further than a question to my parents, as well as a variety of other Godly influences, from what I thought I was supposed to believe about any spiritual matter. But as time passed, I studied God's word for myself and was challenged by all of them to do so. On some questions, my personal study only reinforced what I'd heard as a child. On others, I found that I differed somewhat from what I'd been taught along the way and that my understanding of scripture lead me to a few different places. (I'm not going to tell you whether my parents and I disagree on any of these questions. If you want to know that, you've TOTALLY missed the reason for the blog series or the challenge to you behind it!) I read 1 Peter 3:15, which says, "But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect..." I felt that this directive was calling me farther past just my hope of salvation, but about anything for which I felt a conviction within my faith. So I posted a series of questions on Facebook recently, challenging Christians to not debate issues, but to search for the WHY behind their convictions to these answers. I purposefully never posted my answers till now. This blog is not THE answer. It is MY answer according to my personal Bible study. I challenge you to find yours.

Again, as in before questions, does this act go against what is taught in scripture? As I look through scripture, I can find no mention of cremation. But neither can I find any mention of instruction on "acceptable burial practices" of any kind where Christians are concerned! There is no mention whatsoever about curses or punishment of any kind in regard to burial practices. There are people in scripture who were burned to death as a punishment for some act while living. But the act of burning carried no distinction in and of itself as to any eternal meaning at all.

Scripture tells us that one day the graves will burst open and give up their dead and that those of us who are Christians will have a new "resurrected body" that will be glorified in nature. Granted, in our minds, putting a body back together again seems much easier when there are identifiable pieces - much like putting a puzzle together. In our minds it may be impossible for a body to come back together and come out of a grave when it is only dust, especially if it was scattered from a mountain top or poured into a river. But do we really think that gathering every single minute particle of dust is too difficult for the God who spoke the world into existence? I can't put the God I serve in that small of a box.

People have lost their lives to fire down through the ages. Just this week, here in Nashville, a poor tanker driver, for reasons unknown, swerved in the middle of the night and hit a bridge with a tanker full of unleaded gasoline. The tanker exploded and the driver was killed. The fire burned so hot that it melted some of the steel in the bridge that passed overhead. Think back to 9/11. The plane that went down in Pennsylvania was practically pulverized with the lives of innocent people - heroes - on board. When events like this happen, are these people, if they are Christians, simply out of luck because their bodies were burned into ash at death? I can't make sense out of a theology that would say that when scripture says clearly that "nothing can separate us" from the love of Jesus. So as to the first analysis question, I would have to arrive at the answer being: No. There is no evidence that cremation goes against anything in scripture.

So what about it being the wise thing to do? Though sentimental reasons do exist and people want their ashes spread over certain areas or kept in an urn in a home or special place, the most frequent answer given when asked why someone would choose cremation is the fact that being cremated is much cheaper than a full burial. So if a family isn't prepared with resources to pay for a full burial, then cremation for them would indeed be the wiser choice, in my opinion. If resources are available for both, then it comes down to just personal preference.

Based on my own conviction for the reasons listed above, I see nothing wrong with a Christian choosing to be cremated after death, or for that decision to be made by authoritative legal parties for the deceased.