#61. Reincarnation: Then and Now

“The latest Pew Forum survey of religious beliefs (2009) puts the overall percentage of Americans who believe in reincarnation at 24%.” That is ¼ of the country! WOW! 

The first-century Jewish historian Flavius Josephus stated that the sect of Pharisees believed in reincarnation. Indeed, many of the Jews 2000 years ago believed in reincarnation, including Jesus. However, he did not use the word reincarnation. Instead, Jesus used the word resurrection. It means: “to rise from the dead” or “to come back to life”. Christians of today interpret it to mean a return to the same physical body. They do not believe or understand reincarnation! Nor did Nicodemus, a Jew in Jesus' day. 

“What do you mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?” Jesus stated, “Don't be surprised when I tell you, ‘You must all be born again.’” Nicodemus said to Him, “How can this be?” (John 3:4,7,9). 

Consider that Jesus also taught ‘Eternal Life’. The spirit or soul always was and always shall be. The eternal spirit is drawn back to the earth from the ‘spirit’ realm, incarnating into the embryo, and born as a baby human being. As the sojourn is completed, so ends the human experience. “People are destined to die once" (Hebrews 9:27). After a period of preparation, the eternal spirit, or soul, again is drawn back to the earth into an embryo and is born again. When the sojourn is completed, the body dies – destined to die just one time. 

If this process should seem so unbelievable, consider Jesus. He left heaven, entered into the embryo, was birthed in 9 months, died at 33 years, then returned to heaven. “I came out from the Father and have come into the world; again, I am leaving the world and going to the Father.” (John 16:28). Why is the word again there? Again and again, Jesus left the world and returned to the Spirit realm. If Jesus can do it, then we all can do it. It’s a piece of cake. 

Such is indicated in this story: 

“And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, ‘Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?’ Jesus answered, ‘Neither’” (John 9:1-3).

How could the man have sinned before he was ever born? Obviously, the disciples question shows clearly that the disciples of Jesus believed the man born blind had lived before. This would have been a perfect opportunity for Jesus to pooh-pooh the doctrine of reincarnation, if he did not adhere to it. 

Jesus was quite explicit about reincarnation in his reference to John the Baptist.

“And if you are willing to accept it, he (John the Baptist) is the Elijah who was to come. Whoever has ears, let them hear.” (Matthew 11:14-15). 

Do you believe in reincarnation ... now? And did you believe in reincarnation ... the last time? 

  Visit Unity Chapel Website