Thinking With Purpose

Cremation is a topic that you don’t typically hear a lot about in Christian circles, but one the should be given a great deal of thought.  As I have read about this topic over the past several days I have become even more convinced that cremation is an issue that demands a Christian perspective and response.   I have read many articles and listened to many teachings on this issue.  The most notable and helpful was a sermon by Alistair Begg entitled Death and Dying.  Much of the information that you will read below is from Begg’s sermon on this issue as well as other articles. 

I want to first offer what I believe to be the philosophy that should guide us as we think about this topic.  How the Christian deals with the death, dying, and the body after death says a lot about our belief in the sanctity of life.   Here are some thoughts that flow from this philosophy.

The manner of the disposal of a body is in and of itself of no real significance.  Whether a body was lost at sea, burned in a house fire, or cremated, God will restore that body.  Cremation does not alter God’s ability to restore and prefect the human body.  The question that we have to answer is, should we put God in a position to have to do so?  Is it in agreement with Scripture?

There are two main passages in the Bible that are used to attempt to show that cremation was used in the Bible and thus is acceptable today.  The first deals with the death of Achan in Joshua 7:24-26.  The second deals with the death of Saul in I Samuel 31.  However, if you examine the passages you will see that there was nothing reverent or desirable or honorable about what was taking place.  In Joshua the burning of the body was punishment.  It spoke of judgement and was not attempting to show an alternate way of disposing of a dead body.

Historically, cremation was unknown in early America.  The practice came primarily from people who wanted to shake their fist in the face of the biblical doctrine of the bodily resurrection of saints.  It was an expression of their philosophical view of death and dying.   To the left is a picture of a public Hindu cremation.  According to the Cremation Association of North America, “Devout Hindus regard cremation as an essential rite that frees the soul from the body, enabling its journey to the next level.”  Their view of death and how to dispose of a dead body flows from their philosophy of life and religious beliefs.

 The question that we must answer is centered on God.  Begg suggests that we ask: “How can we bring everything that we know about the doctrine of man in creation and preservation and the details of God’s creative order in line with this issue?”  Begg suggests that burial fits the biblical picture that Jesus uses of sleep, it shows respect for the physical frame, and is in agreement with the Old Testament examples.  Abraham wanted a suitable place to bury Sarah, Rebekah was buried in Bethlehem, Joseph was concerned with how his body would be handled after death.  They each showed care for how the body was disposed of after death.

Another point that must be made is that Christianity believes that body is redeemed as well as the soul.  We are instructed in the Bible to honor God with our body.  This instruction should apply to the body in life and in death.   Even after death, the body is still God’s creation and God’s handiwork.  It still should be honored.  In addition, in Scripture fire is a type or a symbol of destruction or of judgement.  Over and over you see fire directly connected to judgement.

In one of the articles I read a picture was painted of the cremation process at one crematory.  The author described standing at the pulpit in front of the family as he read the final committal.  On the side of the pulpit was a little red button that he was to push a few seconds before finishing his reading.  As soon as he pushed this button the coffin moved to his left through a velvet curtain.  He went on to say that if he didn’t finish fast enough and the organ begin playing that everyone in the room could hear that  furnace kick in.  Every time that happened it was uncomfortable.  The author also described the need to not let that family look back upon leaving the crematory.  If they did they would see the smoke that was the result of their loved ones body burning in a 1700 degree furnace.  

To sum everything up, how we deal with the body after death is a direct result of our philosophy of life.  As Begg put it “Cremation is at best sub-Christian, not necessary unchristian.”  But when all the views are examined we can conclude that burial is the more fitting end to the Christian life. 

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the state of Christianity in America, specifically in the Southeast.  Chattanooga, where I live, is commonly refered to as the Bible-Belt and there are many places, like Chattanooga, that are infiltrated with numerous churches.  This may not appear to be a problem, but there ends up being a culture of Christianity that is promoted that is not necessarily consistent with true Christianity. 

Over the past several months I have written a couple of posts that are each related to this specific topic.  One was on the difference between morality and godliness and the other post was entitled Christless Christianity. Both of these posts touched on some of the problems that are created in this kind of culture.  There is such a familiarity with Christian terminology that it is conducive to just go through the motions.  I would even suggest that based on how Christianity and church is conducted in these kind of areas that this type of hypocrisy is passively encouraged.  Let me offer an example.

I hear stories from new churches in areas like Miami and San Fransisco where new believers come up to mature believers and openly talk about their struggles with lust, pornography, and pride.  In these areas where Christianity is not as openly practiced, it is much more real.  There is honesty and openness…there is a sense of community and true discipleship that is not present in areas like Chattanooga.  In fact that kind of openness is frowned upon in the Bible-Belt.  We would rather hide our struggles and pretend that we are doing okay spiritually than have an open and honest relationship with a fellow believer. 

Christians in the Bible-belt do not see the need for discipleship or accountability. There is such a focus on the external that the internal is ignored.  This is often seen by an over-emphasizing of external holiness instead of inward.  The focus is on outward conformity instead of inward reality.  But this is also seen by a resistance, hesitance, and even a refusal to be open about the reality of struggles in the Christian life. 

True discipleship will never happen with out real openness and honesty.  True community will never happen without open and loving accountability.  True Christianity will not be lived until we focus first and foremost on practicing biblical Christianity instead of regional Christianity.

Why do bad things happen to good people?  Have you ever heard anyone ask this question?  It is a question that is at times asked by those who are blatantly opposed to Christianity as a way to try and prove that there is no God.  It is also a question that is asked by those who are sincerely trying to discover who the God of Christianity really is.  Many Christians have a difficult time answering this question.  They resort to answers such as “God’s ways are higher than our ways” or “God is wiser than man.”  As true as these statements may be, they do nothing to answer the posed question.  So, why do bad things happen to good people?  

There are several points that can be made in answering this question, but today I just one to mention one.  One answer to this question is actually found in the inaccuracy of the question.  We have to understand that there are no ’good people’.  Those who ask this question are making the incorrect assumption that they are good enough and deserve to avoid all bad and evil that could possibly come into their lives.   They are saying that they deserve nothing but good. 

The Bible is clear that there is none righteous, and that we are all sinners by nature and by choice.  The best we can offer is nothing more than dirty rags.  There is no such thing as good people.  You may not commit murder, but you hate.   You may not commit adultery, but you lust.  We each have attitudes, thoughts, and motives that are direclty opposed to God.  None of us can ever meet God’s perfect standard.  There is no such thing as a good person…there is no one that is good enough to earn God’s favor. 

An accurate way to word the question would be “why do bad things happen to bad people?”  But where is the injustice in that?  Once we acknowledge that there are no good people and when we see ourselves as God sees us, we can see the inaccuracy of the question.  And that is the first step in offering a meaningful answer.  We will look at this question more in the weeks to come.