What Does the Bible Say About Having Funerals?

A funeral for a Christian is a celebration of a promotion, which has already taken place. The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 5:8 that “to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.” It is a testimony to our family and friends that we believe our deceased loved ones are not in the casket.

Does the Bible say anything about burial or cremation?

There is next-to-nothing mentioned about cremation in the Bible. Both Old and New Testament passages refer to burial as the standard practice for the Israelites and the early Christians. Rather than seen as a standard for most people of biblical times, cremation was often a form of punishment.

Is it disrespectful to not have a funeral?

It's perfectly acceptable to not have a funeral. There's no legal requirement for you to have one — it's up to you how you'd like to be memorialized.