What did HE say? (continued)
I would be remiss to talk about eternal life and not touch upon the concept of reincarnation or rebirth. Reincarnation is much misunderstood by the Christian world and by much of the non-Christian world as well. It is often confused with the idea of transmigration of souls from human existence to some form of animal existence; this is not an idea that comes from truth but, as many spiritual things are, it is a belief that is an offshoot of a religious teaching of unknown origin and without scriptural accuracy. It is much like the Christian ideas of the rapture and the eternal fiery lake of hell. These Christian ideas from the ‘dreams and visions’ of the Apostle John in the Book of Revelation and some vague and out of context passages from the Apostle Paul’s writings have given rise to these ideas of rapture and of hell. There is much interdenominational disagreement with some outright rejecting it and others disagreeing on what it is and how it works. Much the same type of disagreement and confusion exists with those who adhere to the concept of rebirth.
Our final point from yesterday regarding eternal life was in the defining words of the Master Jesus who explained for us that eternal life is in reality knowing God. If we can accept this as true, and the Master did say it, then we can begin to unravel much of the ages old teachings regarding heaven and hell and eternal damnation. When we add to this the fact that “the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:21) and that “the kingdom of God is come unto you” (Matthew 12:28) we should have the idea in mind that not only is the Kingdom of God here now and within each of us but that this is eternal life. This is Jesus’ message and a careful reading of His words will show that He meant for us to believe and that we should understand:
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Repent. “From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17). This was His first teaching to the world. Repent is another very much misunderstood word which the lexicon defines from the Greek word metanoeo as to change one’s mind, i.e. to repent to change one’s mind for better, heartily to amend with abhorrence of one’s past sins**. So what is seen by many as just being sorry and remorseful over some wrong doing is really the need to change one’s mind and thereby their behaviour and to cease from that which caused us to repent.
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“The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:20-21). In this He is showing us the way to the Kingdom. No mystery, no unclear words but not many people teaching and understanding it either.
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“Your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:32-33). Here He is telling us to seek God first and to seek His righteousness and it is for us to look where the Kingdom is and in finding it to bring His righteousness to bear on our everyday consciousness and that in doing this we will find that we have all that you need.
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“Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in there at: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it” (Matthew 7:13-14). This warns us of the difficulty of entering into the Kingdom. Knowing where it is and having some idea of how to find it through repentance and how to seek it with its righteousness, we are told that it is the narrow path which leads to that life with God that we must take and not the path of the world which the masses are on.
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“And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live” (Luke 10:25-28). O the simplicity. Eternal life for keeping the Great Commandment. We should note that Jesus’ answer says that thou shalt live; not after the death of the mortal body but NOW.
We could go on but the above should suffice to convince any who are open to it that the way the the Presence of God in our lives is the way to what Jesus called eternal life and to find one, finds both. To know God here and now, to live in His Presence; in His Kingdom. To let the Inner Man, the spiritual man, the Soul live through this outer shell is to let our Light shine and to radiate the power of the Christ Within to the world as He told us we should do. If we truly follow the Great Commandment we will focus on God and that will bring about that renewing of mind and change the treasure of the heart and this is knowing God and it is eternal life.
Now the matter of reincarnation is better understood when we have a grasp of the reality of eternal life and when we understand that we are Spirit and we are not this form. What does it mean that we are Sons of God but that we are, in our reality of being, Spirit and are in the image and likeness of the Father who is also Spirit. Jesus called Himself the Son of Man in reference to His humanity; that He came here the same way that we did and lived and experienced the same tests and trials of the flesh that we deal with. The difference is that He knew God and dwelt most always in His Presence which is the objective for each and every human on this planet today.
Knowing we are Spirit we can look at ourselves as truly eternal which is always was, is and will always be and this is the nature of God as well. To understand this we must look beyond the flesh and identification with the flesh and realize that we are Spirit. Jesus tells us that “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63) and in this should be the understanding of our nature as being Spirit and it is this Spirit that gives life to this form. James confirms this by saying that “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so….” (James 2:26) and Paul tells us of the body that: “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16) showing us the reality of this relationship between Spirit and flesh.
There is no New Testament teaching on reincarnation, either for or against it, save some sayings and writings that can allude to it and one phrase in an epistle that is purported to speak against it. So we have the following that suggest that there is a reality or at least an idea of this in scripture:
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“And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered , No” (John 1:21). This is the Baptist answering to the priests and Levites that who evidently believed in at least the possibility of reincarnation. Critics will say that Elias never died but was taken to heaven but the difference here must be uncertain to those who understand neither death nor the ‘taking away’ of Elias which is most all of us.
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“For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear” (Matthew 11:13-15). Jesus, speaking of John the Baptist seems quite clear and the critics note from above applies here as well. Key here is Jesus saying if ye will receive it and He that hath ears to hear, let him hear which seem straightforward indicators that there is something here in this saying which most would not readily get.
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The last example is from the Master again and it leaves many wondering why, if there is no such thing as rebirth, Jesus did not just tell His disciples that fact instead of what He says in the dialogue. “And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him” (John 9:1-3). The issue here is in regard to a man born blind and the disciples inquiring if the man had been born this way because of his own sin before this birth.
We will continue with this theme of eternal life in the next post and finish on the subject of reincarnation. One does not have to support the concept of rebirth to live in His Presence and to find eternal life which is knowing God. I believe that if you are in His Presence, looking at this subject with an open heart and mind, that you will get some revelation and a better understanding overall.
Note on the Quote of the Day
This daily blog also has a Quote of the Day which may not be in any way related to the essay. Many of these will be from the Bible and some just prayers or meditations that may have an influence on you and are in line with the subject matter of this blog. As the quote will change daily and will not store with the post, it is repeated in this section with the book reference and comment.
And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever (Daniel 12:3). This Quote of the Day from the prophesy of Daniel is a testimony to the value and glory of wisdom and of righteousness. Interesting is that this follows immediately a statement on everlasting life.
- ** from New Testament Greek Lexicon on BibleStudyTools.com
