The Bible does not speak directly of cremation. Because of that, we cannot be dogmatic about it. I will say this: I want everything that is done with my body upon death to send the message that God is not yet done with my body. He will, at the last day, raise it and glorify it to reflect the body of Jesus. In my opinion, the traditional practice of burying the body communicates that truth much more clearly than does cremation.
That being said, I am not legalistic about this. Some of my close family members have been cremated. And God certainly can and will raise and glorify their bodies on the Last Day as well, just as he will all bodies, whether they have been buried, burned, lost at sea, or simply turned to dust by the passage of time. My concern is only with the visual message that is sent upon my death that the resurrection of the body is going to happen.
Written by Chad Bird