Lying At Funerals

by Todd Clippard

I once saw a bumper sticker that read, “Live so that the preacher won’t have to lie at your funeral.” This thought came to mind after reading of a funeral outside Mobile last week. It seems a denominational “pastor” was dragged out of a church and beaten after telling those attending the funeral that the deceased was “burning in hell” because he was a “drunkard and a fornicator.” Though the man claimed the Holy Spirit told him to do it, (a claim any biblically literate person could refute), after reading several accounts of the incident, it appears the incident was provoked by an old family squabble over some land left to the pastor and other family members related to the deceased.

I was also reminded of brother Franklin Camp’s article titled, “He Preached Him Into Hell.” In it, brother Camp recounts a funeral he preached of a member of the church. Here is an excerpt of what he wrote:

He was a member of the church, but he died. I conducted his funeral. I said, “He was a member of the church but was careless in attendance. He was a member of the church, but he did not think Bible study was important so he never came. He was a member of the church, but he never gave as he was prospered. His funeral is being conducted in a building paid for by others. He was a member of the church, but no one gathered here today has he taught the truth. He has now gone to the judgment to meet his God, and all he can say to God is, ‘I was a member of the church.’ All that I can say about him is that he was a member of the church.”

While these are not the words that I used, it is the substance of what I said. The service was over and as I stood at the door waiting for the men to take the casket and place it in the car, I heard someone say, “He preached him straight into hell.” But I deny that I did so. All I did was to tell the truth about his life. All he claimed while he lived was that he was a member of the church. Why should I insult his family and friends and his body by saying he was more? I could not claim for a dead man what he refused to claim for himself while he lived.

What a shame. No, not what brother Camp said, but the fact that what he said was true. Worse still, how many are offended when one faithfully tells the truth about a man’s life.

David was one to speak truthfully of men at their death. When he received word of Abner’s death he lamented, “Know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel?” (2 Sam 3:38). However, earlier, when he heard of the death of the worthless Nabal, he said, “Blessed be the Lord . . . for the Lord hath returned the wickedness of Nabal on his own head” (1 Sam 25:39).

During the last several years, I have preached several funerals. For the most part, there was no doubt concerning the eternal destiny of the deceased. Most were faithful to the Lord for many years, but there have been others (like my father) who left no doubt the other way. However, to my knowledge, I have never preached the funeral of a Christian who fit the description of the man noted by brother Camp. I have long dreaded the day I am called to preach the funeral of the Christian who has paid only lip service to being a member of the church, rather than paying life service. What would you do in my shoes? I know one thing I’ll not do: I’ll not insult my Lord by trying to “preach him into heaven.” I’ve heard men who claim to be gospel preachers do exactly that, either though ignorance or fear of offending the family. On such occasions I have sometimes wondered (and heard others comment accordingly) if the preacher was at the right funeral.

Some may be thinking, “How judgmental! You have no idea where a person goes when he dies, and have no right to judge them.” Isn’t it interesting how such claims are only made when the deceased is unfaithful? No one complains when the non/unfaithful Christian is said to be “in heaven” or “better off.” The Bible says I can know a person is saved by comparing his life (“fruit” Matt 7:15-20), against the things that are written (1 John 5:13). We are commanded to make “righteous judgment” (John 8:24). The Bible also commands, “If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God” (1 Peter 4:11). This means to speak in accordance with God’s Word. Though I wouldn’t recommend the approach of the denominational preached mentioned above, we need to be honest with ourselves, with our God, and with His Word, and not try to make folks out to be any more (or less) than they have clearly manifest in their lives. 