Why We Do Not Cremate — Timothy Tow

The Raising of Lazarus and the Hope of Resurrection

For our scripture reading, let us turn to John chapter 11, verse 17 to 27. Then, when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in a grave four days already. Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem about fifteen furlongs off.

And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary to comfort them concerning their brother. Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him. But Mary still sat in the house. Then said Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him.

But Mary sat still in the house. Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. But I know that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. Jesus said unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.

Martha said unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection and the life. He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.

And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believers, thou this. She said unto him, Yea, Lord, I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which shalt come into the world. Let us pray.

Prayer for Resurrection Life and Gospel Witness

Eternal Heavenly Father, how we thank Thee this morning, the best of the week. Because this is a day that now has risen from the dead. Every Lord's Day commemorates Your rising from the grave. So give us the newness of life.

Take away all our sins. Help us to come with a clean heart as we enter the house. As You have told us that we should pray for those that are outside Jesus Christ. To pray for all men. And once again, we realize there are so many non-Christians in our country.

Help us that we may go out to tell them that it is our duty each time we have an opportunity to bring some soul to Christ. And we are also to pray for kings and governors. Once again, we commit to Thee the onerous burden of our Prime Minister.

In these days of terrorism and many, many troubles. All the more we uphold Him and we pray that He may guide the country in a righteous way. We even pray for His salvation. That He should come to find Jesus Christ who is the Son of God.

Who is the Savior of the world. And we pray to Him that this gospel may go out without hindrance from our government. Freely. Because thou dost want to hasten the gospel. In Matthew chapter 24 verse 14.

That it may be a witness unto all nations. And then shall the end come. Now Lord as we look into Thy Word. We pray Thee to help us to speak the Word of Truth. We ask all this in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

The Sermon’s Question: Why We Do Not Cremate

Amen. The title of my message this week is. Why we do not cremate. And as it has been introduced to you by Elder Mahadevan. And to thank God for a sister. I guess she has got all the copies from our book room.

Cremation is it Christian. I hope every family will have a copy. And you will thrill to the knowledge that you obtain from a good Christian booklet. Why do we not cremate. This is the title of my message this week.

And it has come as a result of a request from Betty Tay. A very strong member of our church. Upon the home going of his father. Who has lived up to 101 years. So there are many members in this family.

And most of them request. Cremation. But we do not cremate. And we will tell you the reason why as we go along. So all I did was. I officiated a vigil service. Last Friday night. Cremation is a practice of heathen religions.

Cremation and the Biblical Practice of Burial

Such as Buddhism. And Hinduism. And even of the communists. I remember reading in the papers. About Deng Xiaoping. He was cremated. And his ashes were thrown. Onto the waters. I believe. Outside Hong Kong.

Or Guangzhou. Because they don't have any hope beyond this life. But it is now being asked by Christians. As becoming a custom. And they think. Merely that it is for convenience. But this is going astray.

From the Bible practice. There is no practice of cremation. In the Bible. Only burial. Is mentioned in the Bible. Such as we read just now. In a scripture text. About the case of Lazarus. Having died for four days.

And he was still in the grave. When you bury a Christian brother. The pastor will say. I commit you. Your body to the ground. Earth to earth. Ashes to ashes. Dust to dust. Ensure and. Certain hope of the resurrection.

The Resurrection and Everlasting Life

To everlasting life. As a pastor it is my duty. To bury the dead. And I have only one sermon to preach. Always the same sermon. Because. It is the same thing isn't it. And I use the words of Jesus and Martha.

I am the resurrection and the life. He that believeth in me. Though he were dead. Yet shall he live. And whosoever liveth and believeth in me. Shall never die. Believest thou this. Martha said to Jesus.

Yea Lord. I believe that thou art the Christ. The Son of God. Which should come into this world. From what we read. Of Martha saying. We are assured Martha believed with all her heart. These words of Jesus I repeat.

Loudly. To those who follow. The coffin. To the grave site. To confirm them that they would believe. I also say this. To direct the words. To the undertakers. And the grave diggers. And usually the grave diggers are Malays.

I observe. That we submit to the word. They who dig the graves. Who shall not join. Those who cremate. Because they believe. In the resurrection. If there are Malay Christians. Yes we thank God. We have a Malay Christian.

In Life Church. In the Indonesian service. But I believe it is. Among the grave diggers. That they hear. The pastor say all the time. And they also. In their heart they yearn for the resurrection. They will be saved.

Paul’s Teaching on the Resurrection of the Dead

Paul has written. The whole chapter 1 Corinthians. 1 to 58. On the resurrection. But it is interesting. Paul quotes. If the dead rise not let us drink. Eat and drink. For tomorrow. We die. This is the reasoning.

Of non-Christians. That. Paul refers to. Well let's see. How is it so. Once I engaged. A Jewish teacher of modern Hebrew. To teach a large class. Of students. Of Far Eastern Bible College. Because I paid her.

Very well. When she was returning to Israel. With her husband. Who also came to work in Singapore. And they came to say. Goodbye. Because I. Had a deep desire in my heart. To bring her to Christ. I presented her.

A Jesus saves clock. And preached to her. But she was of a. Happy go lucky. Spirit. She just. Laugh it off. She rather talk of enjoying life. And when they died. That would be the end. This is the same answer.

Secular Hopelessness Beyond This Life

That. Every non-Christian friend. Will say. Whether they would be buried. Or cremated. Why should they care. Because they. Have hope only. For this life up to that point. Of death. Coming back to 1 Corinthians.

The Transformation of Believers at Christ’s Coming

Chapter 15. 1 to 58. We now enter the realm of. Mystery. In the same chapter. We shall not all die. But we shall be changed. Do we know. That when Jesus Christ comes. We will not die. We will be changed.

In this. We surely have hope. In this very last days. When. We should remember. Jesus Christ is coming. The trumpet shall sound. And the dead shall be raised. Incorruptible. But we. Shall be. Changed.

Christ’s Resurrection as the Basis of Salvation

But the most important. Factor concerning. The raising. Of the dead. Is the raising. Of our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul says in. Romans 10 .9. That if thou. Shall confess with thy mouth. The Lord Jesus. Confess what?

That he died. To pay. For the penalty. Of our sins. And then we believe in our heart. That God has. Raised him from the dead. Thou shall be saved. Christians often think. We must do good. And do good enough.

To be saved. Of course we must do good. That is part of our duty. But we are saved. Based. Squarely. On the rising. Of Jesus Christ. From the dead. I preached this message. At one of the Easter. Sunrise services.

I think it was two years ago. And how. Happy were the members. Who went to the sunrise service. Because. The reason is totally. On Christ. Whether he rose from the dead. If he did not rise from the dead.

The Empty Tomb and the Hope of Resurrection

We are still in our sins. So that is the main point. Whenever we visit the Holy Land. One site. That we. Never miss. Is the garden tomb. The empty tomb. And all of us who went there. Believe we are saved.

We believe the Lord. Is not here. Is an empty tomb. You go to Shantung. You can see the tomb of Confucius. And of all. Sages. Of all. But Jesus is an empty tomb. Why would you not cremate him? Is that we believe that he is risen.

And we are. To rise with him too. Cremation. Cremation. Leads us to a hopeless end. Cremation. Leads us. To a hopeless end. Better leads us. To an endless hope. I pray that. You will get hold of. This booklet.

Which is. Much richer than my short sermon. Many many good reasons are given. Cremation. Cremation. Leads us. To a hopeless end. Better leads us. To an endless. Hope.