People who have been cremated can certainly go to Heaven (2024)

Dear Chaplain: Can you help me understand better the Christian perspective about cremation? Can a person still get to heaven if they were cremated? I have read these passages from the Bible, Gen 2:7 and 1 Cor 6:12-14, and really need to know if cremation is bad? Signed, Worried

Dear Worried: Thank you for such an interesting question. From a Christian perspective, people who have been cremated can certainly go to Heaven. First, the soul never dies, and when one accepts Christ as their personal savior it is the soul that receives eternal salvation and not the earthly body. Second, when people die they no longer have control over what happens to their bodies, others are left to make those decisions. Therefore, if cremation prevents a person from going to heaven this would mean other people play a significant role in determining one’s eternal destiny. That is inconsistent with the Holy Scriptures and the Christian belief that each person has complete control over their own spiritual destiny, which is solely based on their personal belief in Jesus Christ, not what others decide to do with their flesh after death. However, I do respect those who don’t believe in cremation, such as some of our Jewish brothers and sisters who consider burning to be a declaration of utter abandonment and nullification. We see this underscored in the Old Testament when the Children of Israel were instructed to burn those things God told them to rid themselves of, such as idols and leaven before Passover. Additionally, they believe the body and spirit are holy, and were created by God for his holy use. Therefore, not only is cremation forbidden, but also things such as cutting the body, tattoos and autopsies, as well. There are also Christians who are strongly against cremation too. Some believe in the resurrection the Spirit will return to the body and the dead in Christ will rise. Therefore, even after death the body is valuable, useful and will one day be revived. Then, there are those who simply think it’s best to decay naturally. No matter what a person’s preference is, from the Christian perspective, cremation does not prevent one from going to Heaven. So there’s no need to worry, if God can create life from dust, surely he can restore life from ashes.

Ask the Chaplain is written by Rev. Dayna Spence, an ordained minister, licensed evangelist, and chaplain who’s served as a hospital chaplain and is currently serving as a hospice chaplain Chester County area. Please email “Ask the Chaplain” at 4thechaplain@gmail.com or write to, PO Box 1284, West Chester, PA 19380.

People who have been cremated can certainly go to Heaven (2024)

FAQs

People who have been cremated can certainly go to Heaven? ›

From a Christian perspective, people who have been cremated can certainly go to Heaven. First, the soul never dies, and when one accepts Christ as their personal savior it is the soul that receives eternal salvation and not the earthly body.

Where in the Bible does it say a cremated body can t rise to heaven? ›

But the Bible does not say a cremated body can't rise. In fact, the Vatican explicitly approved cremation in 1963 as a final disposition as long as the practice remains in line with the fundamental belief in the resurrection.

Do you still have a soul if you get cremated? ›

Ultimately, whether or not cremains can contain a person's spirit is a question we can never definitively answer. Because there's no way to prove the existence of a soul, there's no way to prove the spirit remains in the cremains. However, the idea does affect what happens after a cremation.

Where does your spirit go when you are cremated? ›

Some people believe that the spirit can be released from the body only after a proper burial or cremation. If the ashes are not scattered or buried, the spirit may remain with the ashes and may even be attracted to them. However, there is no scientific evidence to support this belief.

How soon after death do you go to heaven? ›

We enter heaven immediately upon our death, or our souls sleep until the second coming of Christ and the accompanying resurrection. Most have chosen to believe what the Bible appears to overwhelmingly propose: our souls (spirits) penetrate heaven immediately after we take our final breath.

Can a person who is cremated go to heaven? ›

“The Church raises no doctrinal objections to this practice, since cremation of the deceased's body does not affect his or her soul, nor does it prevent God, in his omnipotence, from raising up the deceased body to new life.” Even bodies buried traditionally eventually decompose.

Which part of the body does not burn during cremation? ›

During cremation, the body parts that do burn consist of organs, soft tissue, hair, and skin, while the water in our bodies evaporates. The body parts that do not burn are bone fragments.

Does cremation destroy the spirit? ›

The soul is seen as being trapped in the physical world, and cremation is seen as a way to break free from this cycle. Cremation is also seen as a way to purify the soul. The fire of cremation is believed to cleanse the soul of all impurities. Once the soul is purified, it is able to begin its journey to the next life.

Can a person feel being cremated? ›

When someone dies, they don't feel things anymore, so they don't feel any pain at all.” If they ask what cremation means, you can explain that they are put in a very warm room where their body is turned into soft ashes—and again, emphasize that it is a peaceful, painless process.

Why wait 3 days before cremation? ›

The three-day waiting period may seem like a burden, but it serves an important purpose. Giving loved ones time to grieve and ensuring that all necessary precautions are taken, it helps to ensure that cremation is carried out in a respectful and safe manner.

When you are cremated are you clothed? ›

Typically, if there has been a traditional funeral (with the body) present, the deceased will be cremated in whatever clothing they were wearing. If the cremation is done right after death, then it is usually done with the deceased wearing whatever clothing they were wearing at the time they died.

Where does the soul go after death? ›

Heaven and Hell

Some believe in the possibility of a heaven on Earth in a world to come. In Hinduism, heaven is considered as Svarga loka. There are seven positive regions the soul can go to after death and seven negative regions.

What does the green bone mean after cremation? ›

Green Bones After Cremation—What Does It Mean? Green bones after cremation are believed to be a symbol of good luck, and some religions or cultures even carry small fragments of these bones around with them to attract prosperity.

Will we recognize each other in heaven? ›

In fact, the Bible indicates we will know each other more fully than we do now. The Apostle Paul declared, "Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known" (1 Corinthians 13:12). It's true that our appearance will change, because God will give us new bodies, similar to Jesus' resurrection body.

What will happen to our bodies in heaven? ›

The Bible says that in heaven Christ “will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body” (Philippians 3:21). The Bible gives us a hint of what we will be like in its account of Jesus' transfiguration. (You can read it in Luke 9:28-36.)

What is the place after death before heaven? ›

What is purgatory? Purgatory is the state of those who die in God's friendship, assured of their eternal salvation, but who still have need of purification to enter into the happiness of heaven.

Is it better to cremate or bury? ›

Cremation is more practical for all the practical reasons, like sanitary threats, space required for cemeteries, etc. But some/many religions prefer burials. Burials are definitely better from a historical point of view. Doesn't matter if the body was put in a coffin or cremated in an urn.

What does the Bible say about the body after death? ›

Ecclesiastes 12:7 says tells us what happens when a person dies. It says, “Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was; and the spirit shall return to God who gave it.” In other words, when a person dies, his or her spirit goes back to God, the body returns to dust and the soul of that person no longer exist.

What is the spiritual meaning of cremation? ›

Spiritual meaning of cremation fire

When we die, cremation is the literal purification which prepares the body for the memorial, the spirit for the life eternal, the memory for the hearts and minds of those in the old life.

Where does it say "ashes to ashes" in the Bible? ›

You can't find ashes to ashes, dust to dust in the Bible because it isn't there! The phrase comes from the funeral service in the Book of Common Prayer, and it is based on Genesis 3:19, Genesis 18:27, Job 30:19, and Ecclesiastes 3:20. Those passages say that we begin and end as dust. Where did the ashes come from?

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