REINCARNATION OR RESURRECTION; WHAT DOES SCRIPTURE SAY?
Reincarnation is an ancient religious but also traditional belief that living things are spirit-souls travelling through this journey called life. In this world every living thing must succumb to a cycle of death and rebirth as a ritual of purification, a process that will enable the soul to make the journey in time and in a perfect body-vehicle that is able to wither the storm of temptations which may stand in the way to reaching the ultimate purpose and goal of life, enlightenment or spiritual maturity. The Bible, in John 4:24 reveals that, “God is Spirit and those who seek to worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth.” The soul which fails to achieve its goal in a lifetime must return in another rented body-vehicle into physical life to try again and again (Qur’an 40:11) till its mission is accomplished , and then it shall assume a spirit body and be able to serve God in spirit. Our physical body is tainted in sin so much that we are cut off from the presence of God. As Isaiah 50:2 puts it; “But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you so that he does not hear.”
Reincarnation is pivoted on the principle of Karma, which suggests that any behaviour, good or bad, would subsequently bear corresponding consequences. Karma presupposes that, whatever experiences one is going through at any given moment is a derivative of one’s past actions. The experiences, sometimes distasteful, carry lessons we have to accept and allow them to steer our ways onto the path of enlightenment. Higher spiritual beings are not expected to interfere with the laws of Karma by redirecting the course of one’s destiny but when they do, as a result of imploring them, the relief granted may be temporary or at a ‘hidden’ spiritual cost. Any redemption or miraculous intervention is bound to correct itself later on, in line with the laws of karma. Even God doesn’t disobey His own laws governing nature. The words of Isaiah 55:11 says, the word which goes out of the mouth of God shall not return empty, it shall accomplish its purpose. There is no free meal anywhere, and there are no easy corners to cut. No one gets away with sin. As stated in Galatians 6:7, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this also he will reap.”
Alternatively, Christians and Moslems denounce reincarnation but rather accede to the concept of resurrection; the revival of the dead en-masse on the day of judgement. They believe that a person endures this life time but once. 2 Corinthians 5:10, state that, “all shall appear before the judgement seat of Christ, to be rewarded according to their deeds in the body,” and Hebrew 9:27, also state, “It is appointed unto men once to die, after that they face judgement.” These scripture passages are the basis upon which resurrection is conceptualized. Qur’an 22:5-7 also emphasizes faith in the resurrection. Now, if resurrection is the case, does it mean God is coming down to meet us here on earth for this occasion? Is judgement going to be handed to each of us here under this sun and moon in our revived body’s with blood in our veins? Or are we rather going to appear flesh and blood and swept by ascension to the throne of God to account on our deeds? Are we going to be revived as babies to start the growth process all over or at the age that we died? Of what use is it to revive a man of 98 years who could barely walk to continue ageing? The true picture is stated at 1Corinthians 15:44 and 50, I quote, vs. 44.”That which was sown a natural body is raised a spiritual body.” vs. 50. “Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. Genesis 3:19 also state, “For you are dust, and unto dust you shall return”
The transfiguration of Jesus, Moses and Elijah as what took place in Matthew 17:2-3 affirm what 1Corinthians 15:44, 50 says, which arguably, doesn’t negate reincarnation either. The trio appeared in spiritual bodies during the transfiguration, they were not natural physical bodies like us. To reiterate, reincarnation allows a soul to have several physical body personalities but only one spiritual personality. Jesus, after his death resurrected the third day from the grave and ascended into heaven; Jesus resurrected Lazarus from the grip of death; yes, these are true but the purport of these two miracles were to glorify Jesus and to show his awesome power over death. When we are raised in spiritual body’s we become imperishable, not subduable by natural elements like fire and decay. Ezekiel 18:4 tells us that all souls shall return to God but those who are unable to learn the lessons of life and overcome the lure of the flesh shall spiritually be obliterated.
Heaven or Hell may be metaphorical connotations that express the judgement day reward in our everyday life; thus, some people have easy lives from birth, whilst others survive through thick and thin but don’t even succeed? Luke 17:21 state that, heaven is not a place of physical existence which can be seen here nor there, it is within us. This means heaven and hell are life experiences rather than destinations. Luke 6:24-25, quoting vs. 24. “Woe to the rich for they have received their comfort (they may probably not have that comfort again in the next life), and 25. “Woe to you who are full now, for you shall be hungry…,” attest to scripture, that there will be another lifetime when we will be in the shoe of others, to taste the opposite life style we missed or rights we denied others before, thus; those who extended their wealth to the poor in this life shall have it repaid multiple times in the other, those who forgave others shall have their turn to be forgiven (Golden rule) and those who engaged in other good works shall have their turn to be gratified in other ways.
All was certain about reincarnation when Jesus made reference to John the Baptist as ‘Elijah incarnate’ who was already in town but the scholars of the day didn’t recognise him; Matthew 17:10-13. Jesus, knowing the heart of men and their difficulty in grasping spiritual knowledge preceded the discussion with the phrase, “And if you are willing to accept it, john himself is Elijah who was to come,” Matthew 11:14. Unfortunately, some Christians today like the scholars of those days still do not get it. They are rather comfortable with their own interpretation. They will accept nothing other than to also rise also with their bodies revived on the third day after their death and ascend to heaven. We want to sit in the seat of Jesus when we are not even worthy to unlace His shoes.
The irony however, about this issue is when John the Baptist denied that he wasn’t the prophet Elijah. His response to my mind fit the puzzle. God didn’t give him the power to reveal, or perhaps, as scripture said in Matthew 7:6, he knew that answering in the affirmative could spark a controversy that could jeopardize the purpose of his mission, Matthew. A possible scenario is that Jesus would have received positive attitude from the Jews in recognition, in view of the prophetic message of Malachi 4:5-6.
May my teaching drop as the rain, my speech distil as the dew, like gentle rain upon the tender grass, and like showers upon the herb; Deuteronomy 32:2.
Thomas Twum.
