what is really true? Some people on the internett have written that no cearly christian sects believed in reincarnation
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But other people on internet have written reincarnation was a popular belief among christians in the first 500 years after christ death.
I am confused... What is the real truth?
I'm not sure anyone, Christian or not, can give you a definite answer, Starlight. I know I can't give you a definite answer.
I thought I would re-post what I wrote in another thread because I commented on a similar topic.
The Bible isn't exactly clear on what happens to a person after they die. For instance, Hebrews 9:27 says, "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment." On the contrary, Revelation 20:13 says, "The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done."
It appears that Hebrews 9:27 also contradicts Daniel 12:2, which says, "
And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt." Furthermore, 2 Chronicles 32:33 says, "And Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the upper part of the tombs of the sons of David, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem did him honor at his death." And Manasseh, his son, reigned in his place. " There are several other verses similar to 2 Chronicles 32:33, such as 2 Chronicles 33:20; 1 Kings 15:8; 1 Kings 16:28; 2 Kings 13:13; 2 Kings 14:29, and so forth.
In an account of Jesus' alleged resurrection, Matthew 27:51-53 says, "Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split,
and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many."
In John 11:11-15, it's written that Jesus said, "After saying these things, he said to them, '
Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.' The disciples said to him, "Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover."
Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep. Then Jesus told them plainly, "
Lazarus has died, and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe." But let us go to him." Jesus didn't say that Lazarus' soul went straight to heaven and faced judgment after he died. He said that Lazarus had fallen asleep and that he would go wake up Lazarus, but Lazarus was dead.
Grant it, there are scriptures that seem to indicate judgment right after death, such as Hebrews 9:27 and 2 Corinthians 5:8, which says, "We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord." But there are scriptures that evidently contradict Hebrews 9:27 and 2 Corinthians 5:8, such as the ones I quoted in this post and several other scriptures.
Once again, the Bible is unclear on what it teaches.
