What Does the Bible Say About Reincarnation?

Q: What does the Bible say about reincarnation? — S.D.

A: Many today find the idea of reincarnation attractive — the belief that after we die we come back to earth again. Some people are influenced by other religions; others simply like the thought of being able to live out multiple experiences.

The Bible is clear: Reincarnation isn’t true, and the life we’re leading now is the only one we’ll ever live. Once we die, we go into eternity — either to Heaven to be with God forever, or to that place the Bible calls Hell, where we will be eternally separated from God and His blessings.

What difference should this make? First, it gives urgency to our lives right now. The Bible says that “now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2).

God’s plan for each person is one life. There is a time to be born and a time to die (Ecclesiastes 3:2). In between these bookends is the journey. There is no chance after death to do life over again. One life is all we have, and it is gone in the blink of an eye.

Sometimes we get tired of the burdens of life and wish we could start all over again. We can, with God. He desires that we walk His way through the one life He has granted us. We don’t have to waste our lives on things that have no eternal value.

The Bible has much to say about the brevity of life and the necessity of preparing for eternity. Only when a person is prepared to die is he or she also prepared to live. Oh, that we would pray to the Lord to turn our eyes from worthless things, and receive the life God wants us to live (Psalm 119:37).

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(This column is based on the words and writings of the late Rev. Billy Graham.)

(c)2019 BILLY GRAHAM DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.