The short answer: the Bible doesn’t explicitly forbid it. No scripture commands against burning a body. However, tradition, symbolism, and faith principles have kept the debate alive for centuries. Burial in Biblical History Throughout scripture, burial is the norm. Abraham purchased a cave for Sarah (Genesis 23). Jacob insisted on joining his ancestors, and Joseph, embalmed in Egypt, requested his bones be returned to the Promised Land. Most famously, Jesus was buried after His crucifixion, wrapped in linen with spices, reflecting both cultural custom and the hope of resurrection. Burial is more than tradition—it’s symbolic. Genesis 3:19 reminds us: “For dust you are, and to dust you shall return.” Burial visually represents life’s cycle and the promise of resurrection. The Body as a Sacred Vessel Some Christians argue cremation conflicts with passages like 1 Corinthians 6:19, which calls the body the “temple of the Holy Spirit.” Burial respects the body and visibly honors God’s gift, aligning with the hope described in 1 Thessalonians 4:16: “The dead in Christ will rise first.” For these believers, cremation can feel like destroying what God made sacred.