Rites for the Dead – Born-Again-Christian.Org

Q: Do Christians hold feasts to remember the dead? In Indian culture we give a meal for relatives of the deceased on the ninth, or fifteenth, day after the person dies. Does the Bible say anything about such practices? Raja

A: Thank you for asking a very practical question.

When you read the Bible, and pray, attending to the Holy Spirit, you will discover whatever you need to know to deal with every issue in life, including rituals, rites and ceremonies for the dead in any culture.

Christians Have Life: Not Religion

Under the New Covenant we do not have feasts or special events to commemorate dead loved ones, relatives, or ancestors.

Such religious practices are from the world, never from the LORD. (See endnote about the Lord’s Supper.)

Religions are replete with man-made rituals and “sacred” ceremonies, so we praise God that Christians have been delivered from the world and its kingdom of death, and translated into the kingdom of light. Halleluia! Col. 1:12-14 KJV;

Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

Oh Glory… does it get any better than that?

Not this side of the veil.

Sin, death, religions, sickness, and decay are all from the Devil.

Life is from Our Father: And we revel in it to His Glory, looking forward to the glorification of our bodies with Him, when He returns, 1 Th. 4:13-18 KJV;

But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

Compassion for the Grieving

That is the Christian perspective, we are also mindful of the instruction, Ro. 12:15 KJV;

Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.

Christians are to mourn sincerely alongside those who weep, with compassion for them and the lost loved one. It is a tremendous comfort to the bereaved when others show heartfelt concern for their grief, and respectfully bear the burden with them.

If the culture involves holding a non-religious feast, or wake, of some kind, then Christians may attend and show solemn respect.

However, we draw a line when spiritual matters are involved; where, for example, Hindu or Buddhist prayers and offerings are made for the deceased, that would be the point a Christian must politely and quietly leave, and let the dead bury the dead, as Christ retorted to the vacillating disciple in Mt. 8:21-22 KJV;

And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.

Christ was not forbidding the disciple from attending his father’s funeral, as some misconstrue it. No, that would be disrespectful and a bad example to set. This disciple was procrastinating, and using his ageing father as an excuse not to follow Christ. He wanted to put off wholehearted discipleship until after his father had passed away. Jesus was telling him to get his priorities right.

Is your priority following The LORD Jesus Christ?

Unless you keep the Word of God first in your brief life, you will fall short of the mark set for you, and your divine purpose on Earth.

The Table of Devils

We neither consent to, nor join in, demon worship or idolatry of any kind, 1 Co. 10:20-21,14) KJV;

But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils.

Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.

Our mere presence at a religious event would give the appearance of condoning such blasphemy.

This is something, as a missionary in Asia, I am confronted with frequently, and early on the LORD showed me the importance of not compromising with religion of any shade.

Christians are led by The Truth: The LORD Jesus Christ.

We do not follow a religion, beliefs, rituals, or man made ceremonies of any kind: We follow Almighty God, His Word, and His Holy Spirit.

Once you have settled that basic fact in your own heart, and walk with God, you will find it simple to discern falsehood, and the LORD will direct you how to deal with it.

Compromise with the world, and its systems of belief, and you will rapidly depart from the strait way, falling into sin, unbelief, and idolatry. So determine now, to follow The LORD wholeheartedly, 100%, no compromise. Only then will you begin to grow in faith, wisdom, and power.

The Inner Witness

In practice this is made easy by simply staying in fellowship with the LORD, and attending to His leading.

Listen to the Holy Spirit, the inner witness in your heart, and you will know what to do and say in such situations.

Christians are led by the Spirit of God. Ro. 8:14 KJV;

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

Every Christian needs to learn how to hear Him, and so stay in intimate fellowship with their LORD, otherwise they will slip into sin and backslide.

End Note on The LORD’s Supper

Christ, who is Almighty God made Flesh, instituted a reminder in the Lord’s Supper, that His Body was broken, and His Blood was shed for believers. Beware of turning it into a ritual, as the cults have done. The Roman Catholic Mass blasphemes the Word of God.

Unless you come to the Lord’s Table in sincere gratitude and intimacy by His Spirit, you will be committing the same sin the first Corinthian believers made. They partook without recognizing its true significance.

For them it was an eating event, a gorging feast!

They missed the significance of Christ’s words, and therefore many perished prematurely because of their spiritual blindness and stupidity. (See 1 Co. Ch.11)

Read what led a Hindu Guru away from idols to the Living God. Give copies of this moving testimony to your Indian friends: Death of a Guru.

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