A growing number of people are open to the subject of past lives, and the belief in rebirth—reincarnation, metemphsychosis, or transmigration—is becoming commonplace.
But reincarnation is not just some exotic idea of non-Christian mysticism. Nor is it an exclusively Hindu-Buddhist teaching. Contrary to popular thought, reincarnation is very much a Christian belief–first having been an orthodox Jewish belief.
What is the purpose of reincarnation?
The purpose of reincarnation is for us to grow and evolve spiritually until we return to the Godhead from whence we originally came. Each life is the result of the ones preceding it and is shaped accordingly–not in the sense of reward or punishment, but as precise mathematical reaction to our actions in those previous lives. We reap what we sowed in them through the exercise of our free wills. Though we may forget it, we are at all times masters of our destiny and not being swept along blindly by karma–which is really our own creation.
Karma
In Christianity we speak of karma as the Law of Compensation, or Retribution. Saint Paul warns, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Galatians 6:7). It might be more appropriate for a Christian to use the term “sowing and reaping,” but karma is much shorter!
The Golden Rule is usually thought of as a poetic ideal, but it is Jesus’ very practical teaching on karma: “All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them” (Matthew 7:12). In other words, Jesus is showing us how to create our future by the use of the Law of Sowing and Reaping.
Grow your knowledge
The subject of reincarnation is a large one, with many aspects. The following articles and podcasts will examine reincarnation from various perspectives, from historical to esoteric, from philosophical to scientific studies. We encourage you to explore!
- May a Christian Believe in Reincarnation?
- Esoteric Christian Insights Into Reincarnation
- Necessity for Reincarnation–by Annie Besant
- Researches into Reincarnation
- Reincarnation: Choosing Our Costumes in the Drama of Life
- The Thrilling Narrative of Shanti Devi and Her Past Life
Podcasts on Reincarnation:
- Understanding Karma as the Basis of Reincarnation | Podcast
- Reincarnation: Its Causes and Consequences | Podcast
and on a similar note:
- 150 Reasons for Believing in the Final Salvation of all Mankind–by Erasmus Mumford