Bible Questions Answered: Reincarnation-Part II

Bible Questions Answered:
Does not the Bible teach reincarnations?
Ashok /Bombay, India

Bible Answers:
Reincarnation: Rebirth of the soul in another body. (Transmigration or Cyclic Rebirth) The soul reappears after death in another, different body. (New World Dictionary)
The belief that successive rebirths purges one of sin.

Those who hold to reincarnation usually use the following scriptures:

Matthew 11:12-14 KJV
[12] And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.
[13] For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.
[14] And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come.

Reincarnationists, claim that John the Baptist, was the reincarnation of Elijah, the prophet.
But there is a problem with that kind of thinking in light of ….

Luke 1:13-17 KJV
[13] But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.
[14] And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.
[15] For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb.
[16] And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.
[17] And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

Was John, Elijah?

John 1:19-21 KJV (John's own words.)
[19] And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?
[20] And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.
[21] And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.

And also used is this verse in John …

John 3:3 KJV
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be
born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Here the words, “Born Again,” do not under any circumstances refer to reincarnation, but spiritual rebirth!

John 3:5,6 KJV
[5] Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water
and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
[6] That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

The Word of God's Answer to reincarnation:

Luke 16:19-23 KJV (see the rest of the story-verse 31) This is not a parable, Christ used the name of Lazarus.
[19] There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:
[20] And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,
[21] And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
[22] And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom:
the rich man also died, and was buried;
[23] And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

This true story was told by Jesus Christ, as to the certainty of life after death, and it's immediate rewards.

II Corinthians 5:8 KJV (The Apostle Paul.)
We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

Philippians 1:21-23 KJV (The Apostle Paul)
[21] For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
[22] But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not.
[23] For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:

Hebrews 9:21 KJV
And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

Redemption is not by being reborn over and over again, but by the blood of Jesus Christ:

Colossians 1:13,14;20 KJV
[13] Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
[14] In whom we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
[20] And, having made peace through the Blood of His Cross, by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself; by Him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

I Peter 1:18,19 KJV
[18] Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
[19] But with the Precious Blood of Christ, as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot:

I John 1:7,9 KJV
[7] But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the Blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.
[9] If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Romans 6:23 KJV
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Acts 17:30,31 KJV
[30] And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:
[31] Because He hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that Man whom He hath ordained; whereof He hath given assurance unto all men, in that He hath raised Him from the dead.