In general cremation is a practice foreign to Judaism and Christianity and practiced mostly by heathen cultures where the influence of Judaism and Christianity is minimal. Cremation is widely accepted in other parts of the world as a means of taking care of the bodies of the deceased, it has taken many years for the practice to be accepted in the United States. Indeed, despite being employed perhaps as far back as the creation in 4000 B.C. – and widely accepted abroad in more recent times – only 1% of deaths in the United States, at the turn of the century in 1900, involved cremation. It is believed by many Christians that cremation expresses the hopelessness of heathen cultures in the denial of a literal resurrection of the body as found in the book of Job about 1500 B.C.
Job 19:23Oh that my words were now written! oh that they were printed in a book! That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever! For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me. Around -- 2500 to 1000 B.C. -- cremation moved into the British Isles and into what is now Spain and Portugal. Cemeteries for cremation developed in Hungary and northern Italy, spreading to northern Europe and even Ireland. In the Mycenaean Age -- circa 1000 B.C. -- cremation became an integral part of the elaborate Grecian burial custom. In fact, it became the dominant mode of disposition by the time of Homer in 800 B.C. The early Romans probably embraced cremation some time around 600 B.C. and it apparently became so prevalent that an official decree had to be issued in the mid 5th Century against the cremation of bodies within the city. By the time of the Roman Empire -- 27 B.C. to 395 A.D. -- it was widely practiced, and cremated remains were generally stored in elaborate urns, often within columbarium-like buildings. Prevalent though the practice was among the Romans, cremation was rare with the early Christians who considered it pagan and in the Jewish culture where traditional sepulcher entombment was preferred. However, by 400 A.D., as a result of Constantine's Christianization of the Empire, earth burial had completely replaced cremation except for rare instances of plague or war, and for the next 1,500 years remained the accepted mode of disposition throughout Europe. The immoral practice of many heathen religions to sacrifice children through the cremation of the living most likely gave great cause to Jews and Christians to abhor reject the cremation of the dead.
Lev 18:21And thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD. It is obvious that cremation would stand opposite to burial in the cultural differences between all scriptural inclined believers of the Bible as both Jews and Christians overwhelmingly favor burial. In historical times it would be impossible to tell if those found cremated were living or dead when they were cremated.
Deut 18:10There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee. Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God. For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the LORD thy God hath not suffered thee so to do. Does it matter if a person is buried or cremated? The practice of burial is a Jewish and Christian heritage, it was told to Abraham by God in a prophecy indicating the preference of the Almighty for burial.
Gen 15:15And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age. Burial stands in the belief and hope of a resurrection, as a minister of the Gospel Jesus Christ I would recommend burial for all Christians. But, the salvation and eternal security of a Christians is by God’s grace through faith so the act of being cremated will not change a Christian’s final destination.
Eph 2:8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. It is also obvious that men can not escape the final judgment of the Almighty by cremation.
Revelation 20:11 -
Revelation 20:15 11And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
