Questions about religion: 3. Do you believe in reincarnation?

Do you believe in reincarnation?

The eternal God clearly lays out the events that take place after our life on earth. In the later part of the Bible it reads, ‘…man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment…’ (Hebrews 9 v. 27) Though we like to dream or imagine what life beyond the grave might be like, the wise and sensible approach is not to rely on fanciful wishes but on the knowledgeable God who created all things.

When on this earth, Jesus told a story of a rich man and a poor man called Lazarus. Both died. Lazarus believed and trusted in God (in fact that’s what the name Lazarus means). Because of his faith he went to be with God in heaven. The rich man, however, showed his contempt for God by his lack of concern for his neighbour and was condemned to hell. There, in the most astonishing torment he lifted his eyes to heaven and begged for mercy, such was his agony. The answer came back, ‘…between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’ (Luke 16 v. 26)

What a person does with Jesus on earth matters for all eternity. When this earthly life is over there are no second chances, no reruns permitted. Our good works do not rescue us, nor do they determine our fate. The Bible never teaches that there is a period of purgatory. Only through the death of Jesus are we saved and given heaven. We need to respond to His free offer of forgiveness – for this determines how we will spend eternity; rejecting Him leads to hell, like the rich man, but if we turn to and trust in Jesus, we can be like the poor man, who went to be with God in Heaven. There is no middle ground, no fence to sit on.

Go to: What do you think about witchcraft, mediums and Ouija boards?