


                         REINCARNATION AND CHRISTIANITY


     The  teaching of reincarnation  is being  advanced on many sides today  as
the philosophy and religion of the East makes  its  inroads in the  West.  Such
teachings call for a response from  the Christian community,  which is in every
way  opposed  to  the idea  that  men's souls return time and time again to  go
through  the cycles of birth,  life and death,  as  it is taught in  the  Hindu
systems   which   underlie   all   such concepts.

     Reincarnation  is neither a proven fact of science,  nor is it approved by
the  Bible.  It should  be  remembered; However,  that evidence of a scientific
nature   put   forward  to   "disprove" reincarnation will do little,  if  any,
good.  Evidence of that sort can easily be   reinterpreted.    What   must   be
emphasized  is that there is absolutely no scientific evidence that proves  it.
On  the  other  hand,  there  are  many psychological  and scientific evidences
which    show   that   the    phenomena associated    with   the   theory    of
reincarnation   could  as   easily   be produced by other means.

     It is very possible, for instance, for   one   to   "learn"   a   language
subconsciously by being in the presence of those who speak it, even for a short
time,  and  then have something trigger that  memory  at  a  particular   time.
Again,  it  is possible to learn things about  other  places  and  times  in  a
similar  manner.  While  these  do  not account for all the claimed  phenomena,
they  do  account for a great  part  of them.

     Some  knowledge is not  obtainable by  natural means,  and since the Bible
says that reincarnation does not occur, we   can   only   conclude   that   the
information comes through  supernatural agencies,   either  good  or  bad.  The
question  of  whether the agencies  are good  or bad depends on  what  attitude
they   show  toward  Jesus  Christ   of Nazareth. Since reincarnation belittles
the   Atonement  (Substitutionary)  and sacrificial death of Jesus  Christ,  we
can identify these agencies as evil.

     The  Bible  certainly  denies  the teaching  of  reincarnation.  While  it
does     not    mention    the     term reincarnation,  it  does mention it  in
context in speaking of John the Baptist and others, but this does not mean that
it  AGREES with the theory.  It  merely says   that  some  people  might   have
thought  John was Elijah  reincarnated; and perhaps that certain people thought
the   man  born  blind  had  sinned  in another life, and that was the cause of
his  blindness.  However,  it tells  of many   other  incorrect  thoughts   and
actions of people.  Where then does the Bible  tell  us that  reincarnation  is
false?

     FIRST,  it  says in  Hebrews  9:27 that it is appointed to everyone to die
BUT  ONCE,  and after that the judgment (where our ETERNAL residence is decided
- the  New Earth or the Lake of  Fire). There  is no room for one to  die  over
and over again.

     SECOND,   the  Bible  teaches  the OPPOSITE     of     reincarnation     -
RESURRECTION!  The  righteous in Christ will be raised to Eternal Life, and the
lost     to     Eternal     punishment. RESURRECTION     involves     not     a
transmigration of the soul, in which it takes on a new body,  but a raising  up
and  glorification  of  the  old  body, reuniting soul and body for eternity.

     THIRD,  reincarnation is destroyed by the very idea of salvation in and by
the COMPLETED work of Jesus Christ.  We cannot  save ourselves,  no matter what
the number of lives we go  through.  We are imperfect, and God is perfect. That
which   is  imperfect  cannot  possibly bring  forth perfection (for  then  the
effect   would  be  greater  than   the cause!),   and   God  can  ONLY  accept
perfection.  It is for this reason that God sent His Son,  Jesus Christ, to die
for each of us who receive His  payment for our sins. Jesus bore on Himself our
inequities and paid the penalty for our sins.  By  doing so;  Jesus IMPUTED His
righteousness on us.  Reincarnation  is FINALLY  a  "works-Righteousness,"  and
Paul  reminds  us in Titus 3:5 that  we are saved NOT by works of righteousness
that we have done,  but by the  washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy
Spirit through Jesus Christ.  If we are due  to  be reincarnated over and  over
again,  the  the death of Jesus  Christ has  no meaning for us,  and is  of  no
effect,  for we must still work our way to salvation,  making ourselves better,
instead  of allowing Jesus Christ makes us acceptable to God.

     Aside   from  Biblical   arguments against   reincarnation,    there   are
various  philosophical  and  scientific arguments.  We suggest that you look up
the  article  on reincarnation  in  THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PHILOSOPHY,  edited  by
Paul  Edwards  (all  college  libraries USUALLY  have it),  and see some of the
arguments espoused there.  In addition, the  ENCYCLOPEDIA  BRITANNICA  has   an
excellent  dissertation  on the  matter under  the  subject   "Metempsychosis."
Additional material is listed under the subject       "Reincarnation"       and
"Metempsychosis"  in  THE  NEW  SCHAFF- HERZOG    ENCYCLOPEDIA   OF   RELIGIOUS
KNOWLEDGE.   It  must  be   remembered, though,  that  people  will not  always
accept  evidence which  is  objectively adequate.  They  may not be willing  to
look  at the evidence OBJECTIVELY.  The best approach is to proceed on positive
direction,  showing the reliability  of the Bible,  and that the Bible presents
Jesus  Christ as having proved  Himself to   be  God,   the  Messiah,   by  His
resurrection  (A  proven  and  reliable historical  event),  then showing  that
Jesus  Christ  accorded  the  Bible  of infallibility,  and  then showing  that
the   Bible  proves  reincarnation   is wrong. We look to other commentary from
our callers.

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