12: Universal Reincarnation? Part 2- Life After Death

Does what the Bible says about life after death indicate universal reincarnation could not be possible?

There is an intermediate state between death and the final resurrection when Jesus returns. This is shown in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31). In “Hades”, this intermediate state, Lazarus and Abraham are comforted and the sinful rich man is tormented. There is memory of the past for those in this parable. This state also involves fellowship with Christ, as Paul wants to be there with Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:8, Philippians 1:23) as that is where Christ is. This is a time of rest for believers (Hebrews 4:10, Revelation 14:13), and believers still live for God’s glory (Luke 20:38).

The verb “sleep” (koimasthai) is used about 15 times in reference to those who are deceased. This “sleep” (koimasthai) was a euphemism for dying. 9 times it is used in reference to “falling asleep”, not “being asleep” (Harris, n.d.). So, Christians who “fall asleep” do so because they are no longer active in or conscious of the earthly world of time and space. However, they are conscious in the intermediate state, as described in the Lazarus passage positively concerning Lazarus and Abraham and negatively concerning the rich man. In 1 Peter 4:6, when Jesus goes to preach to the imprisoned spirits, obviously they are conscious.

Further, immediately after death, a believer is “with” the Lord. This happens to the repentant robber when Jesus is on the cross. Jesus says “today you shall be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:8, “We prefer to depart from this form of embodiment and take up residence with the Lord”. Immediately upon death, a believer is with the Lord Jesus. Paul emphasizes this in Philippians 1:23, acknowledging that to depart from this life is to immediately be with Christ. This state is better than the spiritual life on earth. This state is being with Christ in a disembodied state. The final state is an embodied state after the return of Christ in resurrection bodies.

These truths do not contradict the possibility of reincarnation for both non-Christians, who God may reincarnate so they can be saved through the gospel, and Christians, who may return via reincarnation to be fully sanctified and become like Christ. I am not simply suggesting those possibilities from my imagination. The Bible gives evidence that God may do those things, as will be explained later in this section. “Reincarnation” was not a word penned until the 19^th century, so “resurrection” or “rising up” may be, at times synonymous with reincarnation. But this just shows universal reincarnation is possible, not that it is true.