Of Heavenly Things: Biblical Answers to Questions About Heaven Series
Questions and Answers About Heaven
Nov. 7, 2010
I Is cremation O.K. for a Christian?
A Cremation has become more popular, either at the request of the deceased or from the family (with the average funeral running over $6,000, for some families it’s not their choice, but their only option).
1 Cremation is when heat reduces the bodily remains of an individual to gases & bone fragments (in the urn is not ashes, but actual bone fragments/bone dust).
a Scripture is clear how the patriarchs, the Hebrew people, & New Testament believers buried their loved ones.
aa Then his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, facing Mamre...Gen 25:9 (NASB)
...in the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought along with the field from Ephron the Hittite for a burial site. Gen 49:30 (NASB)
...for his sons carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre, which Abraham had bought along with the field for a burial site from Ephron the Hittite. Gen 50:13 (NASB) Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah, & Leah were all buried in the same cave.
bb So Joseph died at the age of one hundred and ten years; and he was embalmed and placed in a coffin in Egypt. Gen 50:26 (NASB) Joseph was embalmed & laid in a golden coffin in Egypt. Later, at the Exodus, Moses took Joseph’s bones & buried them in the Promised Land. Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for he had made the sons of Israel solemnly swear, saying, "God will surely take care of you, and you shall carry my bones from here with you." Ex 13:19 (NASB)
b The Bible’s dominant mode of burial is in the ground.
aa Those who are completely opposed to cremation point to Joshua 7, with Achan’s sin (took gold from Jericho): he was stoned & his body burned, leaving a pile of stones as a reminder of God’s anger being turned from Israel. Then Joshua and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, the silver, the mantle, the bar of gold, his sons, his daughters, his oxen , his donkeys, his sheep, his tent and all that belonged to him; and they brought them up to the valley of Achor .25 Joshua said, "Why have you troubled us? The Lord will trouble you this day." And all Israel stoned them with stones; and they burned them with fire after they had stoned them with stones.26 They raised over him a great heap of stones that stands to this day, and the Lord turned from the fierceness of His anger. Therefore the name of that place has been called the valley of Achor to this day. Josh 7:24-26 (NASB)
bb Jericho was burned, probably to control disease. They burned the city with fire, and all that was in it. Only the silver and gold, and articles of bronze and iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the Lord. Josh 6:24 (NASB)
cc There is no clear Scripture promoting or discouraging cremation.
c Some people believe “no remains, no resurrection”-not true.
2 Spiritual/moral issue with some, but probably falls under Phil 2:12. So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling...Phil 2:12 (NASB)
B There have been Christians whose bodies were consumed by fire (planes, cars, buildings, war), & their departure will not impact their future with Christ, because their souls/spirits are already with the Lord.
1 Cremation doesn’t affect the soul/spirit; donating your organs will not have any influence upon a person’s future resurrection.
2 For now we see in a mirror dimly , but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known. 1 Cor 13:12 (NASB) The human soul/spirit has the exact same appearance as the human body; therefore the features of a person would be recognized in Paradise, just as they would be recognized by those living on Earth.
a The spirit is the mirror image of the person (Moses, Elijah, Solomon, Abraham, Lazarus, rich man).
b God doesn’t need your DNA to make a resurrected body for you!
C Preach, are you going to be cremated?
1 No
a Powerful image of 1 Thess. 4:16- For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout , with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 1 Thess 4:16 (NASB)
b Some distant Rosh Hashanah, millions of empty graves giving silent testimony of God’s redemptive plan as far as the curse is found!
2 I also believe there will be millions of urns bursting open, too!
II What about pets in heaven/on New Earth?
A From His throne on a New Earth, Jesus proclaims, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He who sits on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new." And He said , "Write, for these words are faithful and true." Rev 21:5 (NASB)
1 It’s not just people, planet...also includes horses, cats, dogs, squirrels, turkey, deer, dolphins...maybe even dinosaurs (I don’t see any reason why not!)
a Animals are created for His glory (what animal could speak more of God’s awesome power than a Tyrannosaurus Rex?)
aa Jurassic Park without the violence/hostility... ride on their backs!
bb God didn’t make a mistake when He created them-why wouldn’t He include them in “all things”?
b ...that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.22 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.23 And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. Romans 8:21-23 (NASB)
aa Creation-does that include animals? Why wouldn’t it?
bb God’s not making a new humankind-redeeming/restoring an old one who lived on the old earth...otherwise, their longing/ groaning goes unmet!
cc As man goes...so do the animals
c And all flesh will see the salvation of God. Luke 3:6 (NASB) “Flesh” is sometimes translated as “all people/ mankind”, but the word is the more-inclusive “SARX”-all flesh: man & animal.
2 Did Christ die for animals? Not in the way He died for us.
a We’re made in His image, animals aren’t. We sinned, animals didn’t.
aa Because animals didn’t sin, they don’t need a Redeemer like we do.
bb Did He die indirectly for animals?
b Jesus died to redeem what man’s sin brought down, including animals.
c I’m not saying resurrection-recreate-He could do one of three things:
aa Create entirely new animals
bb Bring back to life animals that have suffered in our present world, giving them immortal bodies (recreate)
cc Create some new animals “from scratch” & bring back to life some old ones.
B Your pet?
1 How much does God love you? Is He extravagant, generous, surprisingly superfluous?
a Heaven is a place when we’ll wonderfully see God’s goodness reflected around every corner.
b (IL) Two weeks ago on a Wednesday night, Ridge wanted a paintball mask at 8 PM. I was tired, it had been a tough day... “Dad, will you go get me a paintball mask?”
aa We got in the truck, went to Wal-Mart to get it. Why?
bb I love that boy, & love to show him how much I love him, even when it doesn’t make sense. If I can make him happy with a paintball helmet...O.K.
2 "Or what man is there among you who , when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone?10 "Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he?11 "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him! Matt 7:9-11 (NASB)
a If God brings/recreates our pets in heaven...it wouldn’t surprise me.
b That would be in keeping with God’s generous character, who spared not His own Son, who would go out & get me a paintball mask after a hard day’s work.
III What about babies who have died (stillbirth, abortion, premature)?
A In Gen. 25:21-22, Rebekah is pregnant with twins (Esau & Jacob). Notice what the twins were called (children)-between conception & birth they were identified as “children”. Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was barren; and the Lord answered him and Rebekah his wife conceived.22 But the children struggled together within her; and she said, "If it is so, why then am I this way?" So she went to inquire of the Lord. Gen 25:21-22 (NASB)
1 From the mouth of infants and nursing babes You have established strength because of Your adversaries, to make the enemy and the revengeful cease. Psalms 8:2 (NASB)
Samaria will be held guilty, for she has rebelled against her God. They will fall by the sword, their little ones will be dashed in pieces, and their pregnant women will be ripped open.Hosea 13:16 (NASB) Infant (‘owlel) always refers to a human being.
a And how has it happened to me, that the mother of my Lord would come to me? Luke 1:43 (NASB) Elizabeth, 9 months before Christ’s birth, was calling Mary a mother, & her baby wasn’t born yet.
b I believe that life begins at conception-the moment a female ovum is fertilized by the male sperm-embryo.
aa The same way Adam became a “living soul” when God breathed in his nostrils. And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. Gen 2:7 (KJV)
bb As the baby grows in the womb, so does the eternal soul/spirit, & if that baby dies in the womb...the spirit departs the body & enters heaven (not another baby).
c Common thought with patriarchs Job & David. Why did I not die at birth, come forth from the womb and expire? Job 3:11 (NASB)
'Why then have You brought me out of the womb? Would that I had died and no eye had seen me! Job 10:18 (NASB)
"But now he has died; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me." 2 Sam 12:23 (NASB)
2 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations." Jer 1:5 (NASB)
a God has a foreknowledge of all living people, long before they are ever born.
b Baby dies, spirit goes to heaven. ...then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it. Eccl 12:7 (NASB)
B How will our babies recognize us, & us them?
1 This is a mystery (maybe Paul saw in 2 Cor. 12:4). ...was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak. 2 Cor 12:4 (NASB)
2 Maybe Psalms 8:2 has a deeper meaning. From the mouth of infants and nursing babes You have established strength because of Your adversaries, to make the enemy and the revengeful cease. Psalms 8:2 (NASB)
3 All I know is I’ll know my babies, & they’ll know me. I refuse to believe that a God that could reunite me with a dog would not reunite me with my child.
IV What about a Christian who commits suicide?
A First, why would a believer do such a thing?
1 Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but desire fulfilled is a tree of life. Prov 13:12 (NASB)
a Hope is the positive expectation that something good will occur.
aa When your faith sags, gets weak, hope comes to the rescue.
bb Bad things will not always be as they are, came to pass.
b Job had everything, and lost everything, faith got weak...even thought it would’ve been better if he had not been born.
aa He also looked forward to standing before God. As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will take His stand on the earth . Job 19:25 (NASB)
bb Job held on, & God eventually reversed his troubles & doubled his blessings. The Lord restored the fortunes of Job when he prayed for his friends, and the Lord increased all that Job had twofold. Job 42:10 (NASB)
c Hope is a powerful thing (cancer that’s treatable vs. inoperable cancer: the inoperable patient slips much faster than the one with hope!).
2 We all have bouts of doubt, weak faith-the disciples did. He said to them, "Why are you afraid , you men of little faith?" Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became perfectly calm. Matt 8:26 (NASB)
a When hope is delayed, the heart begins to feel sick.
aa Feel impending doom, disaster
bb Some take their lives, sometimes to escape that feeling.
b As believers, we must not ever lose hope.
aa Surround ourselves with those who will pray for us during our weak moments.
bb ...so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ...1 Peter 1:7 (NASB) Trials will bring patience, & brings us forth as gold.
B In Scripture, there are three examples of people who took their own life:
King Saul Then Saul said to his armor bearer, "Draw your sword and pierce me through with it, otherwise these uncircumcised will come and pierce me through and make sport of me." But his armor bearer would not, for he was greatly afraid. So Saul took his sword and fell on it. 1 Sam 31:4 (NASB)
Ahithopel Now when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed , he saddled his donkey and arose and went to his home, to his city, and set his house in order, and strangled himself; thus he died and was buried in the grave of his father. 2 Sam 17:23 (NASB)
Judas And he threw the pieces of silver into the temple sanctuary and departed; and he went away and hanged himself. Matt 27:5 (NASB)
1 Each man was in rebellion against God & spiritual leadership, not believers.
a These are not the same as a believer, who loved the Lord, fighting a spirit of hopelessness.
b Sometimes, medications cloud thinking, God considers this & their condition when He judges.
2 I’ve known saints who lived holy, spotless lives, & when they got older suffered an illness (Alzheimer’s, dementia), & they say/do things they’ve never done (curse, physically abuse).
a They are not accountable for a physical disease that affected blood vessels or their neurological system. They cannot control or alter this.
b When a believer takes their own life, they don’t fulfill their earthly assignment.
aa Hinder reward, crown
bb Maybe not a big deal...but it’s an important part of our eternity.
c (IL) I think people will be shocked in heaven & wish they would have paid more attention to treasures in heaven/retirement.
3 Do people who commit suicide go to heaven? Never take the risk of finding out!
a It’s the unknown that often forms the restraint for those who battle anxiety & depression.
b The thought of judgment, losing reward, not having a place in the Kingdom will keep a believer from giving up or saying, “I’m finished with life.”
aa Hold on to your hope!
bb Suicide is a permanent solution for a temporary problem.
cc Bad things today are changeable tomorrow, & the Lord said He would go with you even to the end of the world.
Conclusion
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