Sermon Audio Archive

What Must I Do To Be Saved?

  

FROM: 4/13/03 Radio Program

Question:

Is it a sin to be cremated?

Answer:

The Bible does not discuss cremation, specifically. Based on Biblical principles, we know that our salvation is dependant upon our soul's condition BEFORE physical death, and is not dependant upon the handling of our body after physical death. If we have submitted to Christ by believing in Him, repenting of our sins, confessing our faith in Christ, and being baptized for the remission of sins (Jn. 8:24; Lk. 13:3; Matt. 10:32; Acts 2:38), we have been saved. Then, if our body was burned, drowned, or even blown to a million pieces, this will have no effect on the soul.

In physical terms, cremation just speeds up the natural process of decay. Think for a moment: Are men able to find the bodies of soldiers who died in battle 1,000 or 2,000 years ago? Except for the few who were buried in air-tight containers, or in some way had their bodies preserved, there are untold millions whose bodies decayed, and went back to the "dust" as described in Ecclesiastes 12:7. When bodies are cremated, they have just returned to the dust faster than if their bodies had decayed naturally. Furthermore, some have lost their lives: by being burned at the stake, in car wrecks, in house fires, by bombs in war (atomic bombs, etc.), etc. Have not these bodies then experienced the equivalent of cremation?

Again, our salvation is not dependant upon how are bodies are treated at death. The Bible says our salvation is dependant upon our soul's condition BEFORE death!

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