Reincarnation and the Afterlife

In David’s blog, he talked about the afterlife (http://thespacebetweenthespace.blogspot.com/2011/11/afterlife.html).  I agree with his opening statements that death and the afterlife are things that “people have always struggled to come to terms with,” and that “there are just as many different afterlife stories’ as there are different cultures.”  It seems that everyone has their own views of death and the “afterlife.”  David also discussed the Buddhist reincarnation and the Egyptian afterlife.  I thought I would give the Biblical views on these two topics.

Buddhist reincarnation

The Bible disagrees with Buddhist’s belief of reincarnation.  The Bible says in Hebrews 9:27, “And as it is appointed to men once to die, but after this the judgment.”  This verse clearly states that man dies once, and there is not the never ending cycle of death and rebirth that belief of reincarnation holds.

Egyptian afterlife

The Egyptian afterlife is an interesting, because it agrees somewhat with the Biblical view of death, but then it is also different in many ways.  David said in his blog that “…everyone could have an afterlife.  Their souls would have to be pure to achieve it though.”  These two beliefs line up almost exactly with the Biblical view of death.  The Bible says that everyone will go to one of two places, heaven or hell.  Thus everyone will have an “afterlife;” it is simply up to the individual whether they will live in eternal bliss, or be eternally damned.  This is determined by whether their souls are “pure” as David said.  And the only way that a person’s soul can be pure is by trusting Christ as their Savior, and believing that His blood is the only payment for sins, and the only thing that can make their soul “pure” in the eyes of God.  There is no good works that we can do to make ourselves “pure”, because the Bible says “all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.” (Isaiah 64:6)  In Ephesians 2:8-9, the Bible says “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”  The only way to be viewed as “pure” by God is to trust his son, Jesus Christ, as the only path to heaven.  Then when God looks at you he sees his perfect, sinless son instead our sinful, vile beings.

Romans 3:24-25  Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:  Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;