Tuesday: Reincarnation
The pagan notion of an immortal soul provides the foundation for the unbiblical theory of reincarnation or transmigration of the soul. This theory has been adopted by some major world religions. While most Christians believe in the existence of an immortal soul that abides in a permanent heaven or hell after death, those who believe in reincarnation hold that such an immortal soul goes through many cycles of death and rebirth here on earth.
For some, reincarnation is thought to be a process of spiritual evolution that allows the spirit to attain ever greater levels of knowledge and morality in its journey toward perfection.
Image © Lars Justinen at Goodsalt.com
Hindus believe that the eternal soul goes through a progression of consciousness or “samsara” at six classes of life: aquatics, plants, reptiles and insects, birds, animals, and human beings, including the residents of heaven.
Read Hebrews 9:25-28 and 1 Peter 3:18. If Jesus died just “once” (Hebrews 9:28, 1 Peter 3:18, NKJV) and likewise all human beings die just “once” (Hebrews 9:27, NKJV), why do even some alleged Christians believe in some form of reincarnation?
Many people believe not in what they should believe but in what they want to believe. If a theory brings them existential peace and comfort, that is enough to settle the discussion for them. But for those who take the Bible seriously, there is no way to accept the theory of reincarnation.
- First, this theory contradicts the biblical teachings of the mortality of the “soul” and the resurrection of the body (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).
- Second, it negates the doctrine of salvation by grace through faith in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8-10) and replaces it by human works.
- Third, the theory contradicts the biblical teaching that eternal destiny is decided forever by one’s decisions in this life (Matthew 22:1-14, Matthew 25:31-46).
- Fourth, this theory downplays the meaning and relevance of Christ’s second coming (John 14:1-3).
- And fifth, the theory proposes after-death opportunities for someone still to overcome his or her own life’s pitfalls, which is unbiblical (Hebrews 9:27).
In short, there is no place for the idea of reincarnation in the Christian faith.
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When we think of reincarnation it often brings to mind eastern religions which teach about going through a series of rebirths until you reach Nirvana - a state of endless being with no suffering, or sinful desires. However, the idea has also crept into Christianity. The Church of the Latter-Day Saints make much of President Snow's little couplet:
When you compare that statement with:
...and:
... it puts a different perspective on the LDS statement.
There are a couple of issues at the heart of the reincarnation idea. 1) The state of salvation is something that you achieve by progressive improvement (works) and 2) The temptation to be something that you are not.
Around 20 years-old I decided to look for other explanations in life. Back then I was not happy with what I had seen in the church - (I was probably looking for Jesus in humans). At that time, I was far away from home and started to read a best seller titled "Many Masters, Many Lives", it was the 90s. I thought I had found the explanations I needed, but I was mistaken. I tried myself to have an "out of the body experience". But nothing brought me peace, because I continued to feel lost. After going for a long ride, I ended up at the very place I had left, the Bible foundation. Now 23, I decided to give my life again to Christ and got baptized. Many obstacles still had to be overcome, while the most difficult ones were and are related to my own inner nature. But Jesus freely gives me peace, and He leads me into "fresh pasture and fountains of water". I have to say thanks to God every day, because I'm not in this fight alone. And when I fall hard and things are hurting too much, He carries me through. I want to choose God's truth found in His Word every day, because that's the safest way to reach ABUNDANT LIFE, TODAY.
JC, thanks for sharing your testimony, and your spiritual journey. God bless you as you journey on. "And they overcame him by the blood of the lamb, and by the word of their testimony." Revelation 12:11. Amen.
Satan doesn’t care what we believe, that’s why there are so many options outside of the truth. All he cares about is that we don’t believe the truth. Genesis 2:16 & 17 tell us what God said to Adam & Eve. In the very next chapter, Genesis 3:4-6 Satan tells the very first lie to Eve. We have to choose, just like Eve did, which we will believe. The only way we have to know the truth is to study Scripture, with the leading of the Holy Spirit. Each of us has to know it for ourselves. I can’t just follow what someone says, I have to look and follow for myself.
I agree – “there is no place for the idea of reincarnation in the Christian faith.” It appears that it was always man’s greatest anxiety not to know what happens when he dies. In our days, science is working on extending and enhancing/creating life by developing the symbiosis between machine and flesh – the cyborg; basically allowing the extension of life by updating parts that can be operated through computer programing.
Considering reincarnation – it is one among many answers which man came to embrace in his quest to be comfortable with dying. It appears that the quality of civic life forms around the value one attaches to a human life, and so, the structure of civilizations developed based on their understanding and worship of their god(s), always wanting to extend one's happiness into the life after death.
It is interesting to find that all religions seem to base the quality of the afterlife on the quality of the life lived in one's current life. Our generation is blessed with receiving God’s last revelation, brought to us by His Son, to finally satisfy man’s search for answers regarding life, death, and life after death.
Brother Maurice Ashton:
Jesus taught that Satan is the father of lies.
In Satan's temptation of Eve:
two statements were put forward and God verified one of the statements, that there would be no doubt about which statement was the lie.
God never designed His children to "know evil." He planned for them to know only good and live with abundant joy and happiness. And He still does. The path of joy is still found only in His presence. (See Psalm 16:11; John 10:10)
Do we sometimes still yield to the desire to "know evil"?
Inge: When the Lord returns & "this corruption puts on incorruption" how are we going to un-know evil? Also, about the beings who have been observing this ordeal, in which we have been embroiled for so long, after observing evil
how can they not know evil even though they have not succumbed to it?
Hi Leilani,
In the Bible "know" is used as "to experience" not mere intellectual acquaintance. If a man "knows" his wife, for instance, a baby results. In different contexts "know" may mean different things.
Certainly in Genesis, God did not wish Adam and Eve to experience evil. They got to "know" evil by directly participating in it. God "knew" evil because it was directed at Him. He did not "know" evil by participating in it.
In eternity, the saved will certainly not "know" evil through participation. But I believe they will always have a distinct memory of what happened when humanity rejected the rule of God.
The saved will "know" joy and happiness by experience.
Does that make sense?
Alcoholism and/or drug addiction are realities that we know of their existence. We can get to know them in two ways, one of them would be through the experience of trying initially and then becoming consumers; another way is by contemplating the effects on other people. Which one would we choose wisely?
God desires that we not come to know evil by becoming involved with evil itself.
God knows evil, not because we have participated in it (this is very obvious) but also adjusts to our future reality and God's plans.
I believe that God did not verify anything, He knew it from the beginning.
I remember a friend leaning over to whisper words of comfort after i had lost my elder brother and his words were: "Cheer up my brother, our brother was a good man and he is in heaven and just 'laughing' at us as we mourn! All we should do is to ask him to send the Spirit of courage."
He wasn't of the Adventist faith, of course. He isn't the only one who professes this type of faith; even now that's the talk in today's circles. Today, for one to be convinced that the dead are sleeping they need not only a plethora of Bible texts (thanks to this Quarter's lesson guide, I'm now much more confident) but lots of time as well. As one tries to share this message, they're like out of this world! Reminds me of Paul's message to Timothy-
Most people will quote their church leaders and not the bible. May God help us to let this message out irrespective of the responses and situation out there.
That is so true. People think we are crazy not to believe in having our family and friends in heaven right now after their death. You hear this so often wherever you go and see it in all media. 2 Timothy 4:3 was a great text to point out in this discussion. They may only accept what we have to say when we first show them that we are a person to be trusted and that cares for them. They also will not accept it without the influence of the Holy Spirit in their lives.
King David wrote Psalm 16:11 thousands of years before Jesus came. Jesus said what He said in John 10:10 when He was here alive and well. But there He also said that those who came before Him were thieves and robbers. Who were those who came before Him that He said were "thieves and robbers?"
Also, JC Zielack, when you said that you gave your heart to Jesus again, were you then also "rebaptized?" Were you also baptized the first time that you gave your heart to Jesus?
Jesus said, "I am the door." In the given context He refers to those coming before him who profess to be the door.