For many Christians, the question of cremation isn’t just practical, it’s deeply theological. If Scripture teaches that our physical bodies will be raised from the dead, then what happens if that body has been reduced to ashes?
In a recent video, Bible teacher and content creator Kap Chatfield addressed this question head-on: “What does the Bible actually say about cremation? If Christians are promised resurrection, what happens if you’re cremated or you cremate a loved one?”
It’s a topic that causes concern for many believers, especially those who take Jesus’ words in John 6:40 seriously: “This is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day,” (MEV).
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Chatfield was clear that the Resurrection promise isn’t poetic—it’s literal. “He’s saying, ‘If you belong to me, I will raise your body from the dead.’”
The question then arises—what if that body no longer exists in its original form? According to Chatfield, Scripture doesn’t place any restrictions on how a body must return to the earth. “The Bible never actually says that cremation is a sin. There’s no command in Scripture that forbids it.”
While burial was practiced in ancient Israel, Chatfield emphasized that it was a cultural norm, not a divine mandate. “God never says, ‘You must be buried to be raised.’”
In fact, Scripture offers a broader view of human origin and destiny. “Genesis 3:19, ‘For dust you are, and to dust you shall return.’ Psalm 103:14 says, ‘He knows our frame. He remembers that we are dust.’”
The God who created life from dust can also resurrect it from ashes. “God made Adam from the dust. Literal dirt. No bones, no ashes, no organs, no flesh, no blood, just raw earth and his God’s spirit,” Chatfield said. “So the idea that cremation could stop God from raising someone is just not consistent with who he is and what he’s done in the past.”
Referencing Ezekiel’s vision of dry bones, Chatfield noted, “If he can do that with dry scattered bones, he can handle cremated remains.”
And when it comes to what truly matters, Chatfield reminds viewers: “What matters most is who holds your spirit, not what condition your body is in when you die. Because the same God who formed you the first time knows exactly how to raise you the second time.”
So should Christians avoid cremation? Chatfield turned to Romans 14:5: “Let each be fully convinced in his own mind.” He added, “This is a conscience issue, not a salvation issue.”
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For those still unsure, he brought the discussion back to the most critical point. “The real question isn’t will God raise someone who was cremated. The real question is, are you in Christ?”
As Chatfield declared, quoting John 11:25: “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me, though he may die, he shall live.”
Whether buried or cremated, those who belong to Jesus will rise. That’s a promise written in eternal stone, not scattered in ashes.
James Lasher is staff writer for Charisma Media.
