The question of cremation has sparked quiet debates in churches, at kitchen tables, and in the hearts of grieving families for decades. Is it a sin? Does it dishonor the body? Will it affect the resurrection?

These are deeply personal questions, often asked in moments of grief when clarity is hardest to find. And like many questions at the intersection of ancient tradition and modern practice, the answer isn't simple—but it is worth exploring.

Let's look at what the Bible actually says, what it doesn't say, and how Christians have wrestled with this question across centuries.

What the Bible Actually Says About Cremation

Here's the surprising truth: the Bible never explicitly forbids cremation.

Not once. Not in the Old Testament. Not in the New Testament. There is no verse that says, "Thou shalt not cremate the dead."

What we find instead is a strong cultural and theological pattern of burial as the normative practice for God's people.

Burial in the Old Testament

Throughout the Hebrew Scriptures, burial was the standard. The patriarchs—Abraham, Isaac, Jacob—were buried. Moses was buried by God Himself. Joseph gave instructions that his bones should be carried out of Egypt and buried in the Promised Land.

These burials weren't just practical. They were statements of faith. Being buried in the land God promised to His people was a declaration of trust in His covenant. The body mattered because the person mattered, and the land mattered because God's promises mattered.