Hi,
I do not know what is going to happen to "me" when I die and nor does anyone else. I can imagine the Bible, rather like statistics can be used to support or refute a lot of things.
s.
"There are several verses that some claim support reincarnation:
[edit] Jeremiah 1:4–5
The '
Word' came to
Jeremiah, and said "Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations." This verse has been used by Traditional Christians as evidence that
God has foreknowledge of persons and events — that is not limited by time and space. Christians who believe in reincarnation may see this verse as evidence ability to "know" a person throughout a variety of reincarnated lifetimes.
[edit] Elijah became John the Baptist
Jewish priests were sent to ask
John the Baptist, "Art thou
Elijah?" (
John, 1:21), which is seen as supporting the conception that Jewish priests believed in the theory of
reincarnation.
Christ said of John the Baptist "this is Elijah." (
Matthew 11:14.) Later on, upon the Mount of Transfiguration, the Christ said, "Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed… Then the disciples understood that He spake unto them of John the Baptist." (
Matthew 17:12,13). This idea of reincarnation is perhaps a little different from the commonly viewed notion of what reincarnation means. In the second chapter of II Kings, Elijah does not die, but rather is called up into heaven while yet alive. Mainstream Christian opinion would interpret these passages as referring to the role that John played in the spiritual life of first-century Jews, rather than his personal identity being that of Elijah.
Actually, those passages refer not only to the 'role' that John played but also to the 'office', assignment, or the commission that he was given by God. In this regard, John was to serve the same purpose that Elijah served. Just as Elijah was considered instrumental in serving as a guide to lead the Israelites back to the worship that God required of his covenant people under the Law of Moses, so John was to act in a similar capacity, leading the first-century Jews to the Messiah. In this way John 'was' Elijah, as mentioned in Matthew's account of Jesus' statement at Matthew 11:14.
[edit] Matthew 5:25–26
"Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are on the way to court with him, or your accuser may hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. 26Truly I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny." Supporters of reincarnation might say that Jesus is referring to the cycle of death and rebirth that continues until all negative karma is met.
[edit] Matthew 11:14–15
Jesus is recorded as saying, "and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. 15Let anyone with ears listen!". Most traditional Christians prefer to interpret this verse only in a
loose fashion to mean that John was only
like Elijah. For those Christians who advocate a belief in reincarnation, this verse is interpreted more
strictly as meaning exactly what it says, namely that John the Baptist
is/was Elijah the prophet himself, which in this
strictly interpreted context could only mean that John the Baptist was the
reincarnation of Elijah. One related consideration that Christian advocates of reincarnation address concerning the fact that John 1:19–21 appears to contravene Matthew 11:14, denying that John the Baptist
is/was Elijah reincarnated, this view ignoring the idea that John the Baptist did not
know that he was Elijah. Christian advocates of reincarnation propose that this apparent Biblical contravention in John of what is stated in Matthew may have been a later editorial insertion by doctrinal purists. These types of
corrective insertions in John, contravening the first three Gospels, appear to them to have also been added in many other instances within John as well, the gospel of John generally being agreed by Liberals adherent to
Higher Criticism to have been written several years after Matthew.
[edit] Matthew 11:25–26
"At that time Jesus said, ‘I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; 26 yes, Father, for such was your gracious will". Some supporters of reincarnation might say that that the infant has a knowledge of its spiritual nature and has not yet forgotten its past lives, because the ego, that which separates humans from God, has not yet formed.
[edit] Matthew 17:11–13
"He replied, ‘Elijah is indeed coming and will restore all things; 12but I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but they did to him whatever they pleased. So also the Son of Man is about to suffer at their hands.’ 13Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them about John the Baptist." Another reference by Jesus that equates John the Baptist with Elijah.
[edit] Matthew 26:52
"Then Jesus said to him [Peter], "Put your sword back into its place; for all who take the sword will perish by the sword". It seems fairly probable that Jesus knows that not everyone who kills another is murdered in this life; however, supporters of reincarnation might say that it refers to the negative karma such an individual incurs that has to be satisfied in another life.
[edit] Mark 9:11–13
"Then they asked him, ‘Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?’ 12He said to them, ‘Elijah is indeed coming first to restore all things. How then is it written about the Son of Man, that he is to go through many sufferings and be treated with contempt? 13But I tell you that Elijah has come, and they did to him whatever they pleased, as it is written about him'." Supporters of reincarnation might take this passage to mean that the reincarnation of Elijah (i.e. John the Baptist) was beheaded. They might also say that Elijah had followers of Baal killed, so this might be an example of payment for negative karma.
[edit] Luke 1:17
"With the spirit and power of Elijah he [John the Baptist] will go before him, to turn the hearts of parents to their children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord'." Supporters of reincarnation might say that spirit and power is the definition of reincarnation: an individual's spirit, with all its developed abilities etc. (i.e. power), inhabits the body physical.
[edit] John 3:1–10
"Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. 2He came to Jesus by night and said to him, ‘Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God.’ 3Jesus answered him, ‘Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.’ 4Nicodemus said to him, ‘How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?’ 5Jesus answered, ‘Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. 6What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7Do not be astonished that I said to you, “You must be born from above.” 8The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.’ 9Nicodemus said to him, ‘How can these things be?’ 10Jesus answered him, ‘Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things?" According to the Jewish historian Flavius Josephus, the Pharisees believed in the reincarnation of good souls. Supporters of reincarnation might say that Jesus is surprised that this leader of Pharisees seems ignorant of the process of reincarnation. They might also say that being born of water is possibly a reference to normal Earthly birth, and that being born of the spirit is a reference to virginal birth (being born from above); consequently, they might say that Jesus is implying that an individual must be developed (i.e. their souls through reincarnation) to the point whereupon virgin birth (being born from above) is possible, and then they would be purified enough to to go to Heaven. Supporters of reincarnation might also say that one grows to Heaven, rather than goes to Heaven.
[edit] John 9:1–3
The disciples observe a man who was born blind, and inquire of Jesus whether the man himself or his parents sinned, that he was born blind. Some interpret this question to imply that the man would have had some opportunity to sin prior to birth, which at least presupposes the pre-existence of the soul in a situation where there was free will and the ability to commit sin. Jesus replies that in
this case neither the man nor his parents sinned, but he does not rebuke the disciples in any way for their belief that it would have been possible for the man to sin prior to birth. This can be and has been interpreted in many ways.
[edit] Galatians 6:7
"Whatever one sows, that he will also reap". Some feel that this agrees with the idea of enforced
karma, a basic tenet of some other religions that hold the belief in reincarnation; however it also agrees with the concept of divine justice, and of each person being judged fairly, a central tenet of Christianity. The subsequent verses seem to imply that a certain amount of time may pass before a just person reaps their true reward: "at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up". However there is no indication that this time might span more than one lifetime. In any case, those who attempt to use this verse to prove that the Bible endorses the concept of karma suffer the same burden as those who attempt to use Hebrews 9:27 to disprove reincarnation. It is problematic because, by itself, it does not prove reincarnation and is only a single verse. The fact that it was written by the Apostle Paul, and not a saying of Jesus, may also influence Christians who give more weight to Jesus' teachings than to Paul's."
Bible and reincarnation - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
), I've never seen what difference a belief or disbelief in it makes in how one lives one's life. take care, earl
).