In about 533 AD, Constantine declared that believing in reincarnation was a heresy. Some writers claim that up until this time, many of the texts in both the Old and the New Testament support the idea of reincarnation. Apparently, many Christians do believe in reincarnation, although most of the churches go along with the Catholic declaration of saying that it is a heresy. Edgar Cayce, the Sleeping Prophet, who was a committed Christian, was one of the people who spoke out in belief of the idea, and there are several places in the Bible where it does seem to imply that reincarnation exists. The Bible plainly says that Elijah will return again, along with Moses. It also sounds like Elijah has already returned once (at lleast) as John the Baptist. In fact, when you read the information about each of them, the discriptions are even similar. Elijah wore clothes made from hair, and a leather belt. John the Baptist wore clothes made from camel's hair and also had a leather belt. While that would seem like it could be a common outfit back in those times, since it is expressly mentioned as strange clothing, it must not have been the usual way of dressing. Many other religions have believed in reincarnation, so it seems possible to me that since it was a common belief, that the Jews and early Christians might have believed it, too. http://reluctant-messenger.com/origen3.html
The topic of reincarnation is definitely widely revered at least in today's modern world as possible if not contemporary to life. With more scientific evidence in the field, and more cases supporting the claim. Relative matters involving reincarnated souls can be found in nonfictional literature as well as in belief systems around the world, even similar organ donor cases involving connections of separate psyches. As for religion, Jesus Christ was reincarnated as is written in the bible.
Information regarding reincarnation is not necessarily within my collection of rememberances of my "former selves." Ergo, I do not know who or what I might have been, and barely know who I am now. Huh? Okay, let's get stable here. It is not with any doubt that there is a possibility of a Bible in coffee bean land that says that Jesus Christ was reincarnated. But, that being said, the King James Version, the NIV, the NEV, and NKJV, and others I have heavily scrutinized never mentioned your fact. I am surprised and in awe!! How come I never heard of it? I have heard of Jesus being referred to as the second Adam but I have never read it in any one of the scriptures I have read. You really need to share with us a little more and give the Biblical address so we can all be amazed by your studies and professional prowess. Please, do enlighten me!
I believe that we all have a lesson to learn, the reason why we were born. We will return to this earth as many times as it takes for us to learn that lesson, do the work God made us to complete. That is part of the de ju va we have some times, those very clear dreams that you know are not really dreams but memories of another life. At least that is the way it was explained to me.
That is almost exactly the way my monk explained it to me. I think that I have had many past lives and will most likely have many more before I am enlightened.
This is very true although some chose not to acknowledge it. After all, didn't Lazarus rise from the dead, yes according the story Christ brought him back to life. But that is still reincarnation. Then Christ also rose from the dead after three day, this was called resurrection. But whatever they chose to call it this was still reincarnation. So, yes the bible does indeed go into reincarnation.
I am so sorry to differ with you Hannah. By definition, the word reincarnation means (n) a soul in a New body. Resurrection is a verb and does not indicate anything to do with a New body. Lazarus was resurrected with his old body and soul. Jesus (man God) had his own body before his crucifixtion, during, and when he resurrected from the dead. (proof by the scars on his side and hands) It might be interesting to note that in the ancient Hebrew culture it was said that the spirit of a person hovered near the deceased body for 3 days. On the 4th day, if the deceased did not come back to life, then the person was officially dead. Jesus, during the Lazarus episode, waited for the 4th day so the 3rd day priority was no longer in question. In the Hebrew culture of the day, Lazarus was officially dead when Jesus called him from the tomb. Which, is also part of the mystique involved with the resurrection of Jesus the Christ. He rose on the 3rd day, giving some the impression that Jesus really did not die to begin with, or Jesus' spirit merely returned to him on the 3rd day lending credibility to the old belief. There is nothing written that I have ever found that anything happened to either one's "souls" attempting to find another host. Jesus assended into the heavens in his bodily form, otherwise it could not have been witnessed in the manner in which it is written.
I believe in the incarnation of Jesus Christ, since that is taught by the Scriptures, but not his reincarnation. That would be another religion and, although it's in vogue today to mix and match things that someone might like from various religions, that teaching is not really in the Bible. I have a brother in law who describes himself as a Buddhist Christian but really, he's just confused. People don't always make sense when it comes to their belief systems. Many people who consider themselves to be Christians will simultaneously believe that God created Adam from dust, and that He created Eve from Adam's rib, and that we also evolved from a single cell sometime after the Big Bang. Although the word "incarnation" does not appear in the Bible, the word is used to describe the deity of Christ coming to earth in a fleshly body. Incarnation comes from the Latin words "in," which means the same thing as the English word, and "cranes," which means "flesh." Flesh is the solid part of our being, which is contrasted with the mind, soul, and spirit. Jesus was not reincarnated into an earthly body. Although He existed from the beginning, with God, there is no indication that He had a fleshly body until Mary gave birth to Him. Therefore, he was incarnated, not reincarnated. 1 John 4:2-3 says, "This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world." 2 Timothy 3:16 tells us, " Beyond all question, the mystery from which true godliness springs is great: He appeared in the flesh, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory." As for the comparisons with Elijah and John the Baptist, that would be considered a "type" rather than an actual reincarnation of Elijah. A type was a literary device that Bible writers often made use of or, more properly, that God made use of in order to provide even greater continuity to the Bible record. A type speaks of a person who has been represented by a model or symbol beforehand. A type is a person, place, thing, or event that is a foreshadowing of a future person, place, thing, or event. In ordinary life, we do something similar today. If someone comes along who sounds a lot like Bob Dylan, someone might refer to him as "another Bob Dylan." They are not saying that Bob Dylan has been reincarnated into that other person, especially since he is still alive, as far as I know. As for events, the media is constantly referring to political scandals by appending the word "gate," referring to Watergate. That too is a type.
Jesus was not reincarnated per se, He was God incarnate. There is a difference. As for Elijah, he didn't die in the first place, but was "taken up." Therefore, if he was John Baptist, he was merely sent back to earth in a different form; He didn't die, to be reborn as the child of Elizabeth. The lines may seem a little blurry, when taken out of context, but I don't believe the Bible. in any way verifies reincarnation. It makes for an interesting debate though.
Discussing reincarnation is polemic, as polemic the bible is. It's much like Nostradamus predictions, which each people interprets to their own convenience. With the bible happens the same, and while some verses and texts seem to refer to reincarnation, different religious denominations give a particular meaning to them, or reject the idea totally. I'm free thinker and I do believe in reincarnation and don't care at all what the bible says, despite my belief is merely visceral. No scientific, metaphysics or religious literature support it.