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Need Funeral Advice

Discussion in 'Pastoral Ministries' started by Pastor_Bob, Jan 15, 2019.

  1. Pastor_Bob

    Pastor_Bob Well-Known Member

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    I have been asked to speak at a "Celebration of Life" ceremony for a deceased uncle of mine. He is married to my aunt (obviously) who is the last surviving sibling of my late father. I have previously preached the funerals for two uncles and one aunt in that family where this uncle (my father's brother-in-law) was in attendance. In all three previous funeral services he heard a clear presentation of the Gospel.

    I was not particularly close to this uncle as I was growing up, but I do know that he was a faith attender to a Presbyterian church there in town. As far as I could tell, this church believes in salvation by grace through faith.
    An excerpt from their 1984 Confession:

    • Saving faith is response to God, prompted by the Holy Spirit, wherein persons rely solely upon God's grace in Jesus Christ for salvation. Such faith includes trust in the truthfulness of God's promises in the scriptures, sorrow for sin, and determination to serve God and neighbor.
    • Persons do not merit salvation because of faith, nor is faith a good work. Faith is a gift made possible through God's love and initiative. Yet God requires the response of faith by all who receive salvation and reconciliation.
    • When persons repent of sin and in faith embrace God's salvation, they receive forgiveness for their sin and experience acceptance as God's children.

    After my uncle died, my aunt called me with grave concerns about where her recently deceased husband was spending eternity. I did my best to comfort her without giving her false hope.

    My question is, how would you, pastors, conduct a funeral service for a family member if you weren't certain that he/she had a testimony of salvation? I don't want to "preach him into heaven," nor do I want to cause any undo grief to the family. The truth is, I do not know if he was saved or not.
     
  2. Revmitchell

    Revmitchell Well-Known Member
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    Do you know if the gospel was ever preached to him? It sounds like it was. I would speak of him and the gospel in terms of what he heard and knew without declaring his salvation or the lack of it.
     
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  3. JonShaff

    JonShaff Fellow Servant
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    I always segue into the Gospel preaching by saying something like this (if i am not certain of their eternal state), "This one thing is Certain, that if Uncle "Bill" were here today, he would want us to know what he now knows fully--the Realities of the Lord Jesus Christ..."

    The Gospel message is for those who are in attendance, at that point i don't even concern myself with the person who is deceased, that is a done deal. The Funeral is really for the people in attendance to hear the Gospel.

    May the Lord give you wisdom!
     
    #3 JonShaff, Jan 15, 2019
    Last edited: Jan 15, 2019
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