Last Things #5: What About the Disposition of Our Bodies?

Encore Post: Gnostics, pagans, agnostics, and atheists all tell us that the body is meaningless. The atheists will say that there is nothing beyond death. The Gnostics and pagans will say that the soul is the true nature of a person. Now, freed from this mortal coil, the dead are on to a permanent spiritual existence.

This is not so, dear Christians!

The unnatural, violent separation of body and soul in death is a temporary state. In the resurrection of the dead, the final judgement, and the life everlasting that follows thereafter, we will be reunited with our bodies in perfected glory.

“Oh, that my words were written! Oh, that they were inscribed in a book! That they were engraved on a rock with an iron pen and lead, forever! For I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth; and after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, And my eyes shall behold, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!” (Job 19:23-27 – KNJV)

“But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.”(Philippians 3:20-21 – ESV)

So, what do we do between now and then?

In Christianity, we have maintained a high view of the body of those who die in faith in Christ. Our treatment of the dead flows out of our understanding of the resurrection. We confess that our Lord is not done with this body. He will restore life and vigor to our bodies and our souls to the same. We also confess the resurrection in the way we treat the bodies of the blessed dead.

We practice rites and rituals at the time of death. These include: the commendation of the dying, comforting of the bereaved, the funeral service, and the committal at the graveside. It’s erroneous to say these things are only for the living. We practice these rights for the living and the dead both. Now, there should be no confusion here. The disposition of the dead is determined entirely by the forgiveness of sins by the atoning work of Jesus and faith trusting in that same promise. But God is not done with the remains. So, we take great care to place the bodies of our loved ones into a safe resting place until the day of resurrection.

The scriptures have some indications of the practices we mimic. Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah, Leah, and Jacob are all buried in the cave of Machpelah in the field of Ephron the Hittite in Mamre. (Genesis ch. 23, 35, 49, & 50) The Cave of the Patriarchs is a religious pilgrimage site to this day. It is visited by Jews, Christians, and Islamists. The Islamist side of the Herodian building has a wall separating it from the other side. All visitors still visit the same site.

The committal at the gravesite is a significant part of these collected rites. Your pastor blesses the body in its casket/coffin for the last time. He blesses the grave itself. In many cases, the Pastor will remain with the body from its entrance into the church, though the funeral and interment, and leave only when the grave it being filled. He does this to serve as a visual representation of Jesus in whose stead and by whose command he speaks. In burial, we place our deceased loved ones to rest in a bed in the earth. There their bodies rest securely under a blanket of earth until the Lord’s return.

It is best for us to bury a body in a casket/coffin. Our Christian burial practices are different from the pagans. We confess the resurrection of all flesh. The pagans confess the end of the flesh. In their confession, burning the remains, scattering the remains, or exposing the dead for scavenging are all “natural” treatments of an empty vessel. Since they do not believe in a resurrection, they treat the body like refuse. Christians have only recently embraced cremation as an acceptable practice. It is not the best option.

“But, Pastor, can’t God put them back together?” Yes, but that’s the wrong question. What’s the best option? Burial of the body with great reverence and care, confesses the resurrection in word AND in deed. It does not challenge or test God. Instead, bodily burial reinforces God’s promise concerning the body.

“What about those burned in fire/destroyed in combat/buried at sea?” We will often go to extreme examples to carve-out defenses for less-than-defensible positions. We do our best based upon circumstances. When there’s near total loss, we bury what we can. Even the military will place limited remains into a casket for transport home to be buried.

Even burial at sea is also a deliberate, careful practice. The body is sent to rest in “the deep.” Davey Jones’ Locker or some other euphemism is a place. It’s not a place like a cemetery. But, it is a place in its concept. All the dead buried at sea go to rest in the deep together like those buried in a cemetery.

Mandy and I have intent for each other. For our bodies, we prefer to be buried without embalming in meager wooden boxes, preferably a coffin in style. The eight surfaces of a coffin continue to confess the eighth day baptismal promise in which we rest. We do not want a viewing of any sort or an open casket. Everyone knows what’s in that box. There’s no need to imply something else. And, lastly, bury us among other Christians awaiting the resurrection on the last day.

Let us confess Jesus Christ, even in death.

Rev. Jason M. Kaspar
Sole Pastor
Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church & Preschool
La Grange, TX

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