Cremation

[3in1]

Since I'm a believer and a preacher or teacher of "rapture", I would not want to go for cremation but a normal burial would be the only alternative and the most sensible manner I could think of. Of course, I would desire for a "glorified body transformation" but if the rapture comes not in my lifetime, I would want those who disbelieve my "rapture story" to see my empty grave when Jesus comes to resurrect me. How then will they know that I was resurrected if my ashes are at the Mount Olives?

did i understand you correctly? what does a 'normal' burial have to w/ the rapture? i dont undertsand the logic of why this is the only sensible option.

[germanJoy]

Since I'm a believer and a preacher or teacher of "rapture", I would not want to go for cremation but a normal burial would be the only alternative and the most sensible manner I could think of. Of course, I would desire for a "glorified body transformation" but if the rapture comes not in my lifetime, I would want those who disbelieve my "rapture story" to see my empty grave when Jesus comes to resurrect me. How then will they know that I was resurrected if my ashes are at the Mount Olives?

did i understand you correctly? what does a 'normal' burial have to w/ the rapture? i dont undertsand the logic of why this is the only sensible option.

Hi, 3in1...I like your nick. I suppose you are knowledgeable of the "rapture scene", aren't you?

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first.

Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord. 1 Thes. 4:16-17

This means that those who are dead in Christ will be resurrected from their graves. This further means that ALL GRAVES OF THE TRUE CHRISTIANS will be empty while the graves of the unbelievers will be intact. If all christians have themselves cremated and their ashes spread all over the ocean, how would the "remaining living people on earth" know and see the DIFFERENCE? Since I personally believe that THE FINAL END will not come yet after the rapture (for there will still be the great tribulation and the milleneum reign of Christ), I see the need of leaving behind a PROOF to those who will not make it to the rapture that what we have been preaching (about the rapture) is indeed THE TRUTH so that they themselves will be strenghtened to overcome the beheading and the RULE OF THE BEAST. As you know, my "rapture" contenders believe that the living christians who will be "taken out" during and not after the tribulation are the non-believing "false" christians. But they are 100% convinced that the dead in Christ who will be RISEN are indeed TRUE CHRISTIANS. That's why!

Did you now get my point?

Thus, I encourage all christians NOT to go for CREMATION. But of course, there can always be exceptions, it is a case-to-case basis. However, the principle behind the "traditional christian manner of burial" has been laid.

germanJoy

Edited July 26, 2006 by germanJoy

[watchman]

Wow, everyone seems to be all over the map on this one! Different ones have looked at whether it has any effect on salvation (which it doesn

[watchman]

Beforetheworldwas

[nebula]

Abraham was buried - (Gen. 25:8-10).

Sarah was buried - (Gen. 23:1-4).

Rachel was buried - (Gen. 35:19-20)

Isaac was buried - (Gen. 35:29).

Jacob was buried - (Gen. 49:33; 50:4-13). Joseph, Joshua, Eleazar, Samuel, David, John the Baptist; even Ananias and Sapphira!

Actually, Jacob and Joseph were mummified before they were buried.

Genesis 50:1-3

1 Then Joseph fell on his father's face, and wept over him, and kissed him.

2 And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father. So the physicians embalmed Israel.

3 Forty days were required for him, for such are the days required for those who are embalmed; and the Egyptians mourned for him seventy days.

Gen 50:26

26 So Joseph died, being one hundred and ten years old; and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.

As for the others - their bodies were laid in caves.

Gen. 23:19 And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah, before Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan.

Gen. 25:9 - And his [Abraham's] sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite,

etc.

So, if you are desiring a Biblical burial, you need to start looking for a burial cave.

Edited July 26, 2006 by nebula

[Snow4JC]

Ashes to ashes,dust to dust. 6 hours or 30 years, the outcome is the same.

...6 hours or 30 years,....There is a new way to bury people now. They don't embolm the person anymore. They just did a hole and put the wrapped body in the ground and cover it with dirt.

Makes for a cheaper funeral cost for sure. There may be more to it however this is how I remembered it.

Snow4JC

[Marnie]

I ran into Watchman in Chat and we had a great conversation about this topic. My take on his post is that how we handle our remains (or cremains) affects our witness to the world. I think the suggestion is that cremation is what the pagans do and burial is what the believers do. I think this idea, while it sounds good, breaks down for a couple of reasons:

Ancient Egyptians were the pioneers, if you will, of preserving the body and burying it. So, in a sense, when we embalm and bury in a coffin, place that coffin in a cement or steel vault, we are doing just what the Egyptians did, are we not?

More and more cremations are being done instead of burial. There are many reasons for this; cost being one, space being another (lack of property for a cemetary is a problem in Japan). I have been to several funerals where the dearly departed had been cremated, then a memorial service/funeral service was held at the church or the chapel at the funeral home. In both cases, they were believers and the services were glorifying to the Lord. The mode of disposal was totally irrelevant.

I think to use the bible to prove or disprove acceptance of cremation is really, really pushing the envelope of sound exegesis. But, as both Watchman and I agree, the issue will not affect where one will spend eternity.