Let’s be clear from the beginning: the Bible never commands burial, nor does it condemn cremation. Scripture addresses every kind of sin that mankind struggles with, but you will not find a verse that forbids cremation or makes burial a divine requirement.
When John described the burial of Jesus, he wrote: “They took the body of Jesus, wrapped it with the spices in strips of linen, in accordance with Jewish burial customs” (John 19:40). Notice the wording—he called it a custom of the Jews, not a command of the Lord.
From the very beginning, the Bible reminds us of our fragile nature: “The Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground” (Genesis 2:7). After the fall, God told Adam, “For dust you are, and to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:19). The psalmist affirms, “He remembers that we are dust” (Psalm 103:14), and Ecclesiastes adds, “All go to one place: all are from the dust, and all return to dust” (Ecclesiastes 3:20).
No matter how a person’s body is handled after death—through burial, cremation, or in tragic circumstances such as fire, drowning, or being lost to the wilderness—the outcome is the same: in time, we all return to dust.
That may be why God allows freedom in this area. Across cultures, burial and cremation practices vary. In some places, like Japan, cremation has been the long-standing tradition. For others, financial realities, family wishes, or practical considerations shape the choice.
This does not mean every matter of faith is flexible—core truths such as the resurrection of Jesus, the sovereignty of God, and salvation in Christ are non-negotiable. But there are other issues, like burial or cremation, where believers can seek wisdom, pray, and act according to conviction.
Paul addressed a similar tension in Romans 14, where some believers disagreed about diets and holy days. His counsel was: “Let each be fully convinced in his own mind” (Romans 14:5). He urged them not to pass judgment on one another over matters where Scripture grants liberty: “Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister. . . . So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God” (Romans 14:13, 22 NIV).
In the same way, when it comes to burial or cremation, Scripture gives us freedom. The important thing is not the manner in which our earthly bodies return to dust, but the eternal hope we have in Christ—who will one day raise us up in glory.