Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
You do know as a Christian you are to follow God's word. Their is no mention of the concept of reincarnation in the bible.
I can't give you the exact locations in the Bible but there were several things in there indicating it. One was the question of: Did you come before as Abraham.
Uhhhhhh, no! that is silly.The concept of reincarnation is completely without foundation in the Bible. That is a stretch from the passage you gave but what's new, now if you are looking for a passage that hints to evidence of reincarnation, (Matthew 17:10–12) "10 The disciples asked him, “Why then do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?” 11 Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things. 12 But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him....."
Other than that nothing but contradictions to reincarnation (Hebrews 9:27) 27 Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment,
(Luke 23:43) 43 Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”
(Matthew 25:46) 46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
and I can go on. Belief in reincarnation is an ancient central tenet within the majority of Indian religious traditions, such as Hinduism, sikhism etc......definitely NOT CHRISTIAN.
I believe in the Bible but also question the fact that it was written and handed down by man thus changing meanings and words.
I believe in the Bible but also question the fact that it was written and handed down by man thus changing meanings and words.
If the Bible was changed by men, then many of the prophecies should of failed. Yet this has not been the case. And if God is the true author of the Bible, it would be hard to imagine that he could create the universe, but could not get His Book to read correctly.
I believe in the Bible but also question the fact that it was written and handed down by man thus changing meanings and words.
It doesn't sound like you believe the Bible, it was inspired by God, not men, 2 Timothy 3:16, it was not written by men, There is nothing missing from it, everything we need is there. And God certainly has the power to keep it free from error. Reincarnation is not taught in the Bible.
I'm sorry on that one, I spoke incorrectly. What I ment to say is. It is appointed unto men once to die but after this the Judgement. That verse is found in Hebrews 9:27. Also, Jesus states that we need two births. There is our physical birth, which gives us access to our earthly existance, and then there is our spiritual birth which gives us access to our heavenly existance. And that is why Jesus told Nicodemus that unless a man is born again, he will not see the Kingdom of heaven. He told Nicodemus, that which is born of flesh is flesh, and that which is born of spirit is spirit. That is found in John 3:6.
I take everything I read in the Old Testament with a grain of salt, but pay close attention to the New Testament, especially what is attributed to Jesus. That flesh becomes spirit, and Spirit became flesh, requires that we seek the spiritual wisdom and the source of Spiritual re-birth in the Spirit of Jesus, 'Ye must be born again.
To me the need for spiritual re-birth does not negate the possibility of another physical life. I don't really see it as a 'second chance', to me it's almost a deterrent to suicide because would you really want to go thru all that again?
I know that a lot of Christians don't even want to consider the possibility, and that's fine with me. I'm not here to try and 'convert' Christians to my point of view. It's useless. Perhaps we share a basic belief in Jesus as Lord, but there are a wide spectrum of differences outside of that, because that is how God created us.
I don't believe that we change species, that is, come back as a cat or bug. But I have met people that I was sure I knew before... in some kind of relationship, be it father-daughter, friend, mate. Perhaps it was just a pre-physical life aquaintance. Who knows? Certainly I don't, and you don't either. It's just an idea to kick around, and I don't see it leading to hell if you are open to it.
For those who may be interested, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) do not believe in reincarnation, we believe that to be a false and misleading doctrine.
My own personal observation is that all the "evidence" for reincarnation can be explained by the truth that we all existed as spirit children of God since long before this earth was even created. In that pre-mortal existence we no doubt developed many close friendships and perhaps were permitted to observe our spirit friends when their time on earth arrived, maybe as "guardian angels." We would thus come to this earth when our time arrived with some distant memories of those past lives we were so closely involved with. (That of our friends.) We could also have distant memories of long-term friendships with people we meet on earth whose spirits we knew well in our premortal existence.
The above is speculation (except premortal existence) but in my opinion it is just as valid an explanation as is associating those "evidences" of past lives with the notion of reincarnation.
Here are some extracts from an article about reincarnation published in an LDS Church magazine in 1989:
"But despite some similarities to LDS doctrine, reincarnation is contrary to revealed truth. The Prophet Joseph Smith taught that reincarnation is a false doctrine. It may well be a corruption or counterfeit of the plan of salvation. In any event, the doctrine of reincarnation does not agree with Latter-day Saint teachings about the purpose of life and, more important, the unique and essential mission of Jesus Christ as the Savior of the world. For Latter-day Saints, the problems with the idea of reincarnation are as follows:
1. There is only one physical death, not many. The Apostle Paul wrote that “it is appointed unto men once to die.” (Heb. 9:27.)
2. In the resurrection, spirits inhabit the bodies they had in mortality, not other bodily forms. Death separates the spirit from the body; resurrection reunites that same spirit with the essential elements of that same physical body, never to be separated again. In the Book of Mormon, we read the prophet Amulek’s explanation that after the resurrection, men and women “can die no more; their spirits uniting with their bodies, never to be divided; thus the whole becoming spiritual and immortal, that they can no more see corruption.” (Alma 11:45.) This negates the belief that the body is a casual abode of the spirit or a tabernacle that is either repeatedly changed or terminated. Spirit and body are inextricably bound to one another; this is the meaning of the resurrection. “The resurrection from the dead is the redemption of the soul.” (D&C 88:16; see also D&C 88:15–18.)
In the resurrection, we will regain our bodies, which are created in God’s image. (See Gen. 1:26–27.)
3. Reincarnation implies that the body is of little consequence. Those who believe in reincarnation believe that bodies can be taken on and cast off repeatedly and that spirits can be reincarnated as insects, animals, and a variety of human or even hybrid human-animal forms. Those who advocate theories of reincarnation have no understanding of our bodies’ value—that they are created in God’s image and are given to us as a mortal inheritance in preparation of becoming as God, who is himself a being with a fully sanctified, perfected, and tangible body.
To Latter-day Saints, the physical body is sacred. One of the primary reasons we entered mortality was to gain a physical body. It is not only a great blessing now, but also a prerequisite to exaltation and eternal life hereafter.
4. Now is the time to prepare to meet God—not later, in some indeterminate future. The Lord has made it clear that mortality is the time for us to be tested and proved—“to see if [we] will do all things whatsoever the Lord [our] God shall command [us].” (Abr. 3:25.)
The scriptures tell us that “they who keep their first estate [or premortal existence] shall be added upon [will have the opportunity to gain a physical body and experience in mortality]; and they who keep not their first estate shall not have glory in the same kingdom with those who keep their first estate; and they who keep their second estate [our mortal lives here and now] shall have glory added upon their heads for ever and ever.” (Abr. 3:26.)
Ultimately, it is the Atonement and the Lord’s mercy that will determine our future prospects—despite all we have done to serve the Lord and keep his commandments. But reincarnation promotes the false notion that human beings are given many “future lives” in which to work out their salvation. Reincarnation implies that we have no urgent need to repent of our sins and obey the commandments.
Reincarnation contradicts Amulek’s admonition that “this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God.” (Alma 34:32.)
5. Reincarnation denies the entire purpose of the atonement of Jesus Christ.
Those who believe that spirits and gods can repeatedly inhabit a variety of physical forms do not take into account Christ’s mission and the purpose of the Atonement. For a person who believes in reincarnation, Christ would be but one manifestation of a temporarily embodied savior—one of many possible incarnations.
To accept this premise would be to repudiate the most fundamental teaching of the gospel—that there was a single, unique act of redemption made by the Lord Jesus Christ.
By denying the ultimate importance of the Atonement and of Christ’s mercy and love, those who believe in reincarnation fail to see the Savior in his rightful position as King of Kings and Lord of Lords—the only name given whereby we can be saved. (See D&C 18:23.)
Though reincarnation is an interesting theory that may have a few similarities with the gospel, it denies the absolute centrality of the Atonement and must be rejected as false."
[quote=justamere10;6938372]For those who may be interested, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) do not believe in reincarnation, we believe that to be a false and misleading doctrine.
I may not be certain about reincarnation, but I am certain about my rejection of false cults like the LDS church.
I take everything I read in the Old Testament with a grain of salt, but pay close attention to the New Testament, especially what is attributed to Jesus. That flesh becomes spirit, and Spirit became flesh, requires that we seek the spiritual wisdom and the source of Spiritual re-birth in the Spirit of Jesus, 'Ye must be born again.
To me the need for spiritual re-birth does not negate the possibility of another physical life. I don't really see it as a 'second chance', to me it's almost a deterrent to suicide because would you really want to go thru all that again?
Well it was Jesus who said it is appointed for man once to die. To suggest that man may have a second human life, or perhaps even more would reduce Jesus statement to a lie.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
