Do You Believe that Cremation is Scripturally Wrong?

All through the Christian life, the physical body is to be treated with respect. That is the reason the Christian has certain codes of modest dress. We should present our body as "a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is our reasonable service" (Romans 12:1). The body is the temple of the Holy Spirit and, consequently, in spiritual form (the glorified state) will house the soul and the spirit forever, so it is important to God. When people purposely have their body cremated, they are in essence refuting these things.

Basically those people who desire their body to be cremated are unsaved people who do not look for the resurrection. Since the body will be resurrected, it should be laid away with reverence. That simply means this: in everything we do, we should be looking forward to the resurrection. The Christian burial is one of respect and reverence simple because we expect that one day the trump of God will sound. This life does not end it all. There is another day coming.

People who desire their body to be cremated feel that this life embraces everything. In other words, there is no hereafter - no soul, no spirit, no judgment, no standing one day before God to give an account. Their desire to be cremated means, in essence, they are saying these very things.

"Behold, I show you a mystery…In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying this written, Death is swallowed up in victory" ( 1 Corinthians 15:51-54).