I had another advisor write to me after reading my blog below on children and reincarnation asking for me to support my veiws on reincarnation biblically. She also sent me a couple of pages off of the internet of why reincarnation is not possible. I didn't respond right away as I feel no need to defend my personal belief system. However, I had written this in 2005 and decided to post it here for anyone else who has questions about reincarnation from a biblical perspective. As I have friends who are Muslim, Jewish, Hindu........and while I may not agree with their belief systems I respect their rights to believe the way they desire to believe as the older I get, the more I have studied, I have come to the conclusion that "All roads lead to one." It's simply a matter of what road or roads we choose to take upon this journey called life.
"For all prophets and the law have prophesied until John. And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who was to come." Matthew 11:13-14
Many Christians are unaware that the King James Bible is an edited edition of the real Bible. Matthew 11:13-14 is one of the few scriptures left in the Bible referencing reincarnation since Catholicism's Second Council of Church Fathers, in Constantinople in 553 A.D., deleted many direct references to reincarnation from the Bible. The dogma of Christianity conflicted with its principles concerning the following:
(1) Pre-existence of the soul before physical birth.
(2) Eternal damnation, blood salvation, and vicarious atonement.
(3) Resurrection of the physical body.
(4) Christ as a personal savior .
(5) Grace and Atonement.
(6) Original sin and being born a sinner .
(7) God is separate, and all action is outside of self .
(8) God should control all. God's will is paramount.
(9) Good works are not enough, for man is boastful.
(10) Only through faith can man be saved.
(11) Only Jesus Christ can pardon sins.
(12) Satan is a constant harassment.
After the council it became sacrilegious to question of the Lord's business or inquire as to where we have come from or to where we are going. Yes, I know there are some of you are already furious because you believe Catholics are not Christians, and that you did not come from Catholic root because your pastor has never told you so (*Side note any denomination that teaches Catholic's are not Christians is a denomination of hate, please find yourself another church. I have heard that out of several pulpits and I simply got up and left.). The truth of the matter is Christianity was first called "The Way." Protestant churches did not exist until the Catholic churches Martin Luther nailed his theses to the Wittenburg Church door. That was the day the protestant movement began to break away from Catholicism.
Yes, I am well aware of the curse in Revelations 22:18-19 stating, "For I testify to everyone who hears the words of prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. And if anyone takes away from the words of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book." I actually took a class on learning the Bible to memory, and know much of my Bible by heart. However, just because God had that placed in the Bible as a warning not to do it, doesn't mean no one has. Actually I am sure God knew someone was going to, and that is why he had that statement placed in the back of the book. As the Second Council of Church Fathers, in Constantinople in 553 A.D. plainly did. That is on their heads, not mine.
I could quote work from Gnostics and others, but I will not. I will keep this strictly Biblical for those of you who are Christian and use the few uncensored scriptures that were left in the Bible. Here are a few other references that come to my mind on reincarnation in the Bible:
Malachi 1:2-3 and Romans 9:11-13 both state that God loved Jacob, but hated Esau even before they were born. These verses are highly suggestive of the pre-existence of Esau, a necessary tenet associated with reincarnation. Why would God hate Esau? How could God hate a fresh clean soul straight from heaven?
"This is the one ... there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist.... And if you are willing to accept it,he is the Elijah who was to come. He who has ears, let him hear." Matthew 11:11-15. This is Jesus plainly stating John the Baptist is reincarnated. I do not care how you pastor explains it away. I have studied Judaism and Christianity my entire life and I clearly understand what is being said here.
"And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth. These are the two olive trees and the two lamp stands that stand before the Lord of the earth. If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies. This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die. These men have power to shut up the sky so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying; and they have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want." Revelation 11:3-6
"After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus. Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters-- one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah." While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!" When the disciples heard this, they fell face down to the ground, terrified. But Jesus came and touched them. "Get up," he said. "Don't be afraid." When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus. As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, "Don't tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead." The disciples asked him, "Why then do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?" Jesus replied, "To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things. But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands." Then the disciples understood that he was talking tothem about John the Baptist." Matthew 17:1-13
While the scriptures above do not specifically identify the two prophets to come as Elijah and Moses, it strongly suggests that it is them. If Elijah and Moses are to "rise" again before the second coming of Christ, then it is clear the only possible way for them to do so is through reincarnation. After the death of John the Baptist, whom Jesus identified as Elijah, Elijah appears again along with Moses at the Mount of Transfiguration. I know there is a new movement teaching they will ascend out of a UFO, but I am simply not going to touch that here.
Matt 24:34 I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.
Was Jesus a liar? The only way this verse can be true is if the disciples and others alive at that time of Jesus are reincarnated just before his return. Otherwise he is a liar.
I also would like to point out that the Catholic Church outlawed and put to death those that preached reincarnation. It is a FACT of history.
THE FIFTH ECUMENICAL COUNCIL THE SECOND COUNCIL OF CONSTANTINOPLE A.D. 553:
If anyone asserts the fabulous pre-existence of souls, and shall assert the monstrous restoration which follows from it: Let him be anathema.
We cannot see air, but it exists. Even if we didn't believe that we needed oxygen to breath it, it would still be a fact and exist. In closing I would like to say that I believe reincarnation is a fact rather one believes it to be so or not. One thing is for sure, we will all find out in the hereafter.
Jesus answered and said unto him, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again." John 3:3-7
©Copyright Gabreael