Is a burial or funeral relatively unimportant?
A man thinking of following Jesus one day wished to first go and bury his father (Matthew 8:21). Jesus answered, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead (verse 22). Jesus was saying that burying the dead is not as important as following Him. The dead who could bury their dead were likely worldly people who are dead in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1). But the far more important matter is to follow Christ. Likewise today should heathen burials be left for heathen people, and followers of Christ should follow Christ. Is the type burial a Christian has important to His soul? The only important burial to a Christians soul is his burial with Christ in baptism (Romans 6:4, Colossians 2:12). A proper burial in baptism is much more important than a proper physical burial. If a person properly buried his old life of sin at baptism, and if he is truly living in newness of life afterward, his physical burial is of no importance to his eternal welfare. What type physical burial should Chris
