Cremation
by Bill Keller ©
What about cremation?
This is a question that I get asked hundreds of times every
week. Let me answer it, and then share with you some personal thoughts and observations that I have
formulated based on God's Word. I realize that some of what I may say today will upset you. That is
NEVER my goal. My purpose today is to deal with this very legitimate question, and than put it in the
context of the larger issue of the whole post-death experience. Ultimately however, I want you to focus on
the main issue which is serving God during our life.
There is absolutely NO Biblical support against cremation. There are no verses, or Biblical concepts
that would in any way make it wrong to be cremated. It is entirely a personal choice to either be, or not to
be, cremated. The burial or cremation of a dead body has largely been a societal issue. The reason the
Bible does not forbid cremation is because these bodies we occupy during this life, these clay tablets God made
from the dust of the earth, are simply a temporary "home". The eternal part each of us is our
soul. THAT is what will never die. THAT is what the Bible is concerned about. What happens to
our bodies once we are dead has no eternal significance at all. It is our eternal souls God is concerned
about.
Let me interject some personal thoughts on this issue. My wife and I have both chosen to be cremated and
simply have a small memorial service for family and close friends. Our choice was made based on our personal
view of what this life is all about, but also some practical reasons as well. We both understand clearly
from the Bible that our purpose in this life is to serve and glorify God with our lives. Our greatest legacy
will be left in the lives God uses us to minister to along our journey. Once God says our work here is
finished and calls us home, we will rejoice in the fact that for eternity, we will be with our Lord. This
body we occupied while we were here will be empty, and eventually as God decreed, return to the dust it came from.
From a practical standpoint, our personal choice is to not spend $3,000, $4,000, even $10,000 on a beautiful
box.....another $10,000 on a plot of land....another $5,000 on a rock with our name on it....just to bury our
useless dead body. We are actually setting aside the money that we would spend on funeral expenses, to give to
several ministries so that we continue to live on in the lives of those God will touch through those ministries.
This is a personal choice my wife and I have made, and what you choose to do is perfectly fine. Having
officiated over several dozen funerals throughout my years of ministry, I realize that the funeral experience is
NOT for the deceased, but for those friends and family members left behind. The only way I will ever agree
to preach a funeral is if I can share a salvation message. There is no greater "illustrated sermon", no
time a person is more aware of his or her own mortality than at a funeral. It is THE best time to share the
everlasting
hope we have through Christ.
My only advice is to pray over this very personal decision and plan it out early. I have seen too many cases of
families taken advantage of by those in the funeral industry, many left in debt for years. The death of a
saint, one who has a personal faith in Christ should be a time of celebration. Their work in this brief
journey we call life is over, and they are on to their rewards in Heaven.
I love you and care about you so much. My overall objective today is to first answer a question so many ask,
and use this as an opportunity to encourage you that the time to make an impact in your life is TODAY. The
Bible says tomorrow is promised to none of us. Our ultimate purpose in this life is to serve and glorify
Him. That is something we must focus on daily.When our work here is finished and God calls us home, that
physical body you operate in today will have absolutely no meaning or purpose. However you choose to dispose
of it is a personal decision you make. If you have a funeral service and are buried, that is fine. If
you choose to be cremated and maybe have some sort of memorial service, that is fine. The critical issue is
what you do with the time God gives you here on earth. The message
of God's Word is to know God in a personal way through faith in His Son Jesus Christ, serve Him to the best of
your ability, and when God says your work here is over, look forward to eternity with God your Creator!
( Job 4:19, Ecclesiastics 3:20, Psalms 49:12, 103:14 )
In His love and service,
Your friend and brother in Christ,
Bill Keller
Live Prayer Devotionals
Special thanks to
Bill Keller for giving us permission to use this devotional.
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