Question:
Hi Pastor Rich,
Is there a right and wrong way to prepare our bodies after death on earth?
I have heard that we should keep the body intact, as, in burial, and then I've heard that spreading ashes is fine because we were created from ashes.
Does it matter?
Answer:
Good question. Your question does not stand by itself because many have had similar thoughts and inquiries.
The bottom line answer: No it does not matter. Let me give to you some thoughts to hold on to –
First, in the resurrection, God will put back our bodies or recreate us with new ones. How much of the putting back the Lord does and how much will our bodies be completely new, I am not sure. But one thing is certain – we will have a completely glorified body.
Here is what I mean. When a Christian loses a limb – arm, leg, etc., at the resurrection no one is resurrected with only one arm or one leg. Everyone has a full functioning body that is completely intact.
Revelation 6:9 states, that when the 5th seal was broken, John saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the Word of God. On earth, these believers lost their heads! In heaven they got new ones. How do I know? Verse 10 states, “They cried with a loud voice!” This would be difficult without a head.
In 1 Corinthians 15:51-52, twice Paul states that at the resurrection, “we shall be changed.” How so? The perishable (our bodies) will put on imperishable (vv. 53-54). Not every Christian dies the same. Some die naturally and are buried in the ground where their body becomes perishable. Some die horrible deaths such as, explosions, fires, buried in the sea and eaten by sea creatures. With God it does not matter. The body is perishable. But at the resurrection, the perishable puts on imperishable.
Furthermore, Paul goes on to say that there are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies (1 Cor. 15:40). The glory of the earthly is one kind and the glory of the heavenly is another kind. So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown a perishable body, it is raised an imperishable body (v. 42).
Our bodies are buried in brokenness, but they will be raised in glory. They are buried in weakness, but they will be raised in strength. 44 They are buried as natural human bodies, but they will be raised as spiritual bodies. For just as there are natural bodies, there are also spiritual bodies.
45 The Scriptures tell us, “The first man, Adam, became a living person.” But the last Adam—that is, Christ—is a life-giving Spirit. 46What comes first is the natural body, then the spiritual body comes later. 47 Adam, the first man, was made from the dust of the earth, while Christ, the second man, came from heaven. 48 Earthly people are like the earthly man, and heavenly people are like the heavenly man. 49 Just as we are now like the earthly man, we will someday be like the heavenly man.
50 What I am saying, dear brothers and sisters, is that our physical bodies cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. These dying bodies cannot inherit what will last forever – 1 Cor. 15:43-50 NLT
When reading these verses, one thing is certain: We are given an entirely new glorified resurrected body that will be suited for heaven and eternity. Therefore, it does not matter if a Christian’s body is buried or burned.
