WHEN DEATH BECKONS: (1) HEAVEN OR HELL (2) BURIAL OR CREMATION

Dear Members in Christ,                                                                                                                   

When Death beckons: (1) Heaven or Hell   (2) Burial or Cremation

“Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it”. Ecclesiastes 12:7

1) Heaven or Hell

In this modern era where man claims superiority in intelligence and knowledge in the fields of science, digitisation, information technology, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, ageing, health and disease management etc. there are 2 basic human events that he cannot predict nor control. Man cannot control nor decide his own natural (i) birth nor (ii) death unless he decides to determine his own death through euthanasia or suicide. Man should not play God as life is given by God. There is God’s judgement after death. Everyone has to answer for his decision and action while he was on earth. Taking own’s life is a sin against God.

Who determines a man’s birth? Can a man say “No” to his birth? The answer is an inevitable “No”! God is the Creator of heaven and earth. It is God that gives life. Man did not evolve from animals. Man, with the advances of science, has not found any shred of direct unbroken evidence that man evolved from animals. Neither has man been able to create another human being from an animal. Darwin’s theory of evolution is a hypothesis! It is fraud with many unexplained gaps. It is man’s sophisticated guess with many missing pieces. It is the evil masterpiece of the devil. Man readily gulps down this wild guess to deny God the glory to man’s own peril and destruction unto eternity. Sad but true.

Time on Earth and Eternity: God made man out of the dust of the ground. God breathed life into man. Man became a living soul (cf. Genesis 2:7). Man’s physical life on earth is short compared to eternity where the soul lives forever. The Bible tells us that “The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.” Psalm 90:10. Biblically, the life span of a man on earth is 70 years. The Bible also says that even if a man reaches 80 years, yet the body is weak and filled with pain and sorrow. It will also finally die! So, no matter how long the person lives on earth, he will surely die. There is no escape from physical death (cf. Hebrews 9:27). For the Bible says there is “eternal life” after the earthly life. The earthly body decays and perishes, but the soul lives on! Man’s soul is given by God to live forever. Man may dispute, but God’s Word is true. Knowing this, while man lives, it is crucial that man seeks the way to a blissful and eternal life in heaven, and not in the Lake of Fire of eternal sufferings, where the “worms die not nor the fire quenched”.

Today, the average life expectancy at birth for Malaysians is 76.31 years. Man wants to live eternally on earth, but will he succeed? No. For thousands of years past, man sought the elixir of life to live forever but failed. Even if he succeeds, he can only add some years. He will still expire. The Bible records the longest life span of 969 years for Methuselah. In recent years, according to the Guinness Book of Records 2021, Jeanne Calment, from France, was the longest person ever lived at the age of 123 years. Thus, no matter how long a person lives, he has to finally die. It is a matter of “when” and not “if”. Thus, it is imperative that he has to decide before death knocks on the door whether he will be found in Heaven or in the “Lake of Fire”.

Man’s decision on his “life hereafter”: Man’s time and place in eternity will thus be determined by man’s decision while he is still alive. It will be too late to accept the Lord Jesus Christ as his personal Saviour when he finds himself not in heaven. Too late to be saved (cf. Luke 16: 19-31). No second chance! Thus while man lives, he has to decide. Seek the Lord early. Call on Him and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. The choice is left to man to decide. Will you decide before it is too late?

2) Burial or Cremation

This is an often asked question. The body of the departed brethen should be buried NOT cremated. Man is made of dust and unto dust shall man return (cf. Gen 3:19, Ps 104:29). The Bible uses the word “sleep” for the departed brethen. So, the word “sleep” conveys a message of preserving the body in its entirety and wholesome state as one day this buried body will once again live when it is re-united with the soul (cf. 1 Thessalonians 4:16).

From the early days, burial is the traditional way of disposing of the bodies of the dead. Historically, burning came later (about 15^th century BC) but was carried out by the heathen as an extension of child sacrifice to their gods (cf. Deut 18:10). Today, some heathen religions continue to practise cremation of their dead as well. Christians should not associate with this heathen practice but to separate. The caveat is that (1) unless there is no burial site available and (2) dictated by the Government of the land, cremation is then permitted.

Patriarchs like Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and godly leaders of the Bible were all buried. The Lord Jesus Christ was also buried. Today, godly Christian leaders choose to be buried. Christians should bear this testimony of burial and not be cremated.

Rapture: Further, in the Lord Jesus second coming for His saints, the buried bodies of the believers will be awakened and raised up. The returned souls are now reunited with the body. This is the rapture of the end time for the believers who died in the Lord.

For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

Choose Burial: Christians therefore should choose burial over cremation. The Bible also speaks (1) about fire being manifested in the last day when this old earth will be burnt and destroyed by fire and (2) unbelievers who died will also suffer in pain and agony for eternity in the Lake of Fire. Thus, fire represents the wrath and judgement of God.

Burial to be made known: A Christian should make known to immediate family members and relatives of his desire for burial while living. Do not assume that they know your desire. If necessary, put it in writing. The Church had seen departed Christians being cremated as their desire was not made known to their loved ones. The Church would not be able to help as the loved ones of the departed have the last say on the body. 

Yes, Christians though dead yet speak for the testimony of the true and living God during the vigil and burial services. To God be the glory. Amen.

In Christ,
Eld. Choe Tong Seng