Reincarnation – does it really exist

Hebrews 9:27 – And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes the judgment

I remember years ago, I went to a wellness event with a few Christian brothers and sisters, to fill in my shift. We were handing out bibles, and Christian material, all free of charge. We were having some great conversations with random people. Never shouting for attention, or trying to bring them into our booth. We had committed to the organization that we would wait till people came to us.

There was a young man that approached us. The other person in the booth with me was busy with someone else. So I took the lead, and asked him how he was. We proceeded with great small talk. I then asked him if he had an interest in Christianity. He then replied “I believe in reincarnation”.

I was very intrigued. So I asked him to define it. So he explained that he believed we all live our lives on earth, and when we die, we come back, and continue learning.  Eventually, we’ll be every knowledgeable and wise.

So, I looked at him, and said “there’s a flaw in your belief/thought process”. He was a bit surprised with my approach, but he asked how I thought there was a flaw. I replied “if we live life A, and then die, come back and live life B, technically, according to you, we’re supposed to continue learning a continuation of our previous life, but what if we’re born in somewhere the values we previously learned are completely opposite of the new ones, what do we do then”?

He then said, “well you also have to follow your heart”. I looked at him, and replied “that one has an even bigger flaw, we always only say that, if it falls in favour of us, or society.  We would never have told Son of Sam, Charles Manson, Jeffrey Dahmer and other criminals to follow their heart, cause when they do, someone gets harmed, or killed”

I then asked him if he lived in a house or an apartment. He said a house, so I told him “based on your thought process, I can go raid your house, steal everything, and you can’t tell me anything, since I’m doing what you said, I’m following my heart”.

I could see in his face, he was defeated, at least on moral law. I told him, the only way a society can live is by following laws given by a superior being. A law given, above human standard, since many societies have different laws. There’s a standard given above man’s law. God’s law. The 10 commandments are an example.

The big issue is, we humans can’t follow the commandments, we constantly break them. We idolize earthly things, we don’t get along with our parents, we want things we can’t afford. If our relationship is rocky, we dream of someone else. We lie to get out of trouble and the list goes on.

The big issue with all these things, is that there are consequences for our actions. Breaking the law of man, commands us to be fined, penalized, lose our license, court, jail time, whatever, depending on the infraction.

Same thing with God, break his law, and we have to face him on judgment day. And unfortunately, sin will cost us for eternity. Not because of the magnitude of the sin we committed, but because of the magnitude of the God we offended.

So since we’re in the dilemma that we can’t follow God’s law, and there are consequences for breaking his law, how do we get out of jail? Jesus, is the answer. When he came to die on the cross, he wasn’t over powered by the Jewish leaders, the Romans, the people…he willingly died on the cross, and took the punishment of each person, himself, hanging on that tree.

He knew he was the only possible scapegoat to take the wrath God had against sin. The only “get out of jail free” card you get, is to repent of your sins, and to turn to him, on the cross and see that he took your punishment for you.

Unfortunately, if you don’t, eternity will be very long. Turn to him, while you still can.