Tag: reincarnation

The Last Life, Part 2

Joseph Dewey
This entry is part 19 of 49 in the series JJ Lectures

Perhaps another question would be, is there such a thing as a last life?power and he will have

Audience: I don’t think so; I think that even if you go through the initiations and reach the Christ initiation, which is what, the fifth initiation?

JJ: Yes to be a Master you have to go through five initiations, but the Christ was working on his seventh.

Audience: So even if you were to reach the fifth initiation you could still have another life so I don’t think you could ever be done.

JJ: Okay there is an interesting scripture that talks about the concept that we will have eternal lives on eternal worlds, worlds without end. In the true reality there is no last life but there is a last life to a particular field of endeavor and activity. Now we are under going a human evolution, to learn everything we need to learn going through our human in our sate. It takes many lifetimes and eventually we will reach a life where we will be like Christ and we will have all the mastery that Christ had and we will reach a point where we will say to ourselves well it looks like there is not too much more for me learn by coming back again except for maybe make a second coming somehow.

Now the second coming of the Christ could mean just being born as babe again and this is entirely possible but something that is not revealed and He does not want this revealed, why? Because when He comes He wants people to recognize Him because of what is inside of Him and not because it is proclaimed, “I am Christ obey me, bow before Zog!” You know the guy in superman movie.

That is the way everybody thinks that Jesus is going to be when He comes, destroy all the those wicked son of guns and then everybody will say, just tell me what to do, I will do whatever you say now lord. And then he starts bossing everybody around saying things like, “We are going to change this, we are going to get rid of President Bush and we are going to install a cabinet of zealous born again members and we are going to do this and that.” That is not the way it is going to be at all. If you want to know what it is going to be like the second time then look and see what He was like when He was here the first time. Did He boss anybody around the first time?

Even when He knew Judas was going to betray Him did He do anything to stop him? No He did not do a thing and just let Judas go ahead and betray Him. Did He try to unseat Caesar? No, did He interfere with anyone’s free will? No, the only thing that made Him cantankerous was one thing and does anybody remember what that one thing that He criticized was?

Audience: The profit for moneymakers in the temple.

JJ: But why did He criticize these guys?

Audience: They were making the profit and not doing…

JJ: It is one word and begins with the letter H.

Audience: Hypocrisy?

JJ: Hypocrisy, hypocrisy was the one thing that really irritated Him and He could not stand hypocrites. They brought a woman that committed adultery before Him and they said that they caught her in the act and we know she is guilty and the law says that she must be stoned – and what did He say? Did He say well she is pretty wicked all right and if you caught her in the act then that pretty much proves it. No He said let him who is without sin cast the first stone. And everybody’s own conscience condemn them so nobody could throw that first stone because everybody felt like they had done things within the boundaries of sin.

But when He had come across the religious leaders of His time His patience wore thin and as you know He cleaned the temple out with a whip and being as perfect as He is, we have the image of Jesus as being so mild and meek but He was normal so to speak. If you read the scriptures you get the image of a very kind loving person except when He was confronted with Hypocrisy and then he spoke very decisively about it and completely honest even at the risk of His life because a couple of times they tried to stone him.

He was completely fearless, which is another thing that if a person is on his last life he will have a certain amount of supernatural power and he will have fear under control. He will speak the truth, and this is one of the key ingredients in overcoming all things is the Truth. Not only finding the truth but being the truth so that everything that you teach, everything that you do and say and every time that you give your word it is true and if you can do that it will move you farther along to overcoming all things to being a master than anything else.

Suppose you meet a Master and the Master tells you, they have an important mission for you and want you to go down to Albertson’s and run around the store naked and draw attention to yourself and then they are going to bring an angel down and overshadow you with light and everybody is going to see a new vision. Then, after you obey this the Master says he was just joking and was just screwing with you.

Audience: Laughing!

JJ: But, in our minds, if we were to meet God, a Master or a Great Being we just assume what they tell us is true. Why do we assume that?

Audience: Because we give them authority.

JJ: That is part of it but we give them the authority because instinctively within ourselves we know that when a person manifests his god self there is truth in it and we instinctively know that within us. That is why if we were to meet such a being and we felt that divine presence we would have a high amount of trust in what that person would have to say. But many people that feel this way, on the other hand, think that I can deceive here and there myself and it is no big deal and nobody got hurt. Now why does he think that he can be on his last life and deceive when others who preceded him can come to him and he can reply on them 100%? It does not work that way.

We have to follow in the steps of the Great Ones so that what we say can be relied upon. When we reach a point where what we say can be relied upon as truth, truth as we know it to be, then that is a giant step in attaining our last life in this cycle. There are many ideas about how many lives that we have. If we went back clear to our beginning we would find that we went through thousands of lives but in this particular round that we are in right now I believe we go through approximately one thousand lives before we achieve liberation and the reason I believe that is because within our selves we have petals in each one of our chakras and these petals unfold as we master certain types of energies.

In the base of the spine there are four petals, in the solar plexus there are ten petals and in the heart center there are twelve petals and then in the center between the eyebrows for instance there are two major petals and in each one of these major petals there are forty eight on each side making ninety six small ones all together. The ninety six petals in the center between the eyebrows and then below the third eye you have forty eight and that makes a 144 petals in that area of the head. Then at the crown chakra you have approximately one thousand. So you have one thousand times the 144 equals the magic number of the 144,000.

Now in this round of existence I believe that each petal on the crown chakra stands for a lesson learned in one lifetime and in each lifetime we unfold a new lesson and learn a new characteristic a new ability a new piece of wisdom a new realization – something new that we learned and we cause one of the petals at the crown chakra to unfold in each lifetime until the last and then all of them are unfolded.

Now lets take our heart chakra, for instance, when it unfolds we have twelve petals. Six petals are connected with wisdom and six petals are connected with compassion and love. So we have these two groups of petals and when a person begins to understand the Christ love then one of the love petals begins to unfold and when it unfolds you have a new energy come and you may see love in an entirely new light, and an entirely new way of looking at it that you have never thought of before. Then when one of the wisdom unfolds all of a sudden you get more common sense than you have had before and common sense would be related to one of the wisdom petals, and then light and understanding is related to another one of the wisdom petals.

It takes about a thousand lifetimes for all these petals to unfold. Now the person goes through a lot of trial and error for hundreds and hundreds lifetimes and does not seem to make a lot of progress. The curve goes about like this, it is almost straight for one hundred lifetimes, two hundred lifetimes, three hundred lifetimes and then about between seven and eight hundred lifetimes you begin to start making some real progress and then as you are approaching the thousand number in your lifetimes you begin to realize that there are two flows. You have always heard the statement, especially in the new age community, just relax and go with the flow, but there are two flows. There is one that goes toward matter and there another flow that moves toward spirit and you do not pick up the second flow, the spiritual flow, until you near the end of your evolution – until you become a seeker and you hunger and thirst for truth (a disciple).

When you are hungering and thirsting after for truth then you pick up the second flow and you have to go with that and then you complete what is called the “The Labors of Hercules”. In the Labors of Hercules what happens is you pick up the second flow and you reverse the direction of your incarnations around the zodiac. We incarnate through the various signs of the zodiac clockwise as we begin our evolution until we reach near the end and when we reach near the end and perform the Labors of Hercules we go with our spiritual flow and it reverses our flow through the zodiac. We incarnate backwards at this point and incarnating backwards and going against the material flow each lifetime will be a tremendous struggle.

For instance I believe Abraham Lincoln performed one of the Labors of Hercules under Aquarius. He was born in Aquarius and in Aquarius Hercules had to clean the Augean stables and the king promised him a portion of his kingdom (10% of his cattle) if he would clean these out. Hercules cleaned the stables out and then when the king refused to pay him Hercules demanded he keep his promise. The king thought the only way to get rid of him was to kill him so Hercules had to flee for his life. So he did all this work and got no reward. Abraham Lincoln was a great example of that, he did all this work in freeing the slaves and his only reward was people wanting him dead.

Abraham Lincoln performed the quintessential Labor of Hercules in Aquarius. He performed a superhuman effort and cleaned up the slave mess so to speak and received no reward for it while he had lived. Of course he took his reward with him but he did not get much reward while he was alive.

He had a really bad wife too. Historians judge her to be the worst first lady in history. They were at a party one time, a big function with dignitaries and Abraham Lincoln said something a little bit off to his wife and she took a pie and threw it right in his face. She was just a terrible person to get along with. She wanted to be called Mrs. President and she really was into the glory of the office. It is amazing that with the distraction of having his wife being so cantankerous that he was able to be so patient with everyone else as well as fight one of the two greatest wars in our history. Djwhal Khul called him a racial avatar, placing him in similar category as a prophet of ancient times.

 

Copyright 2011 by J J Dewey

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THE LAW OF REBIRTH

Joseph Dewey
This entry is part 21 of 34 in the series 2011C

TEACHER:  Where we came from, why we are here and where we are going are three questions that have been asked since man came on the earth.  We will delve into these as clearly as possible using the scriptures and common sense as guidelines.  Most religious teachers seem to think that we began at birth and before that time we were in total oblivion.  Few realize that this idea is contrary to the Bible.  In this lesson we are going to show you that:

(1)  Man is an eternal being who existed before birth.

(2)  Why we are here.

(3)  Where we go after we die

(4)  That man is reborn, or reincarnated until he reaches perfection.

 

The Bible clearly tells us that there is a spirit in man but a scripture that illustrates this quite well was given by Paul.  (Read II Corinthians 12:2)   “I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (Whether in the body, I cannot tell, or whether OUT OF THE BODY, I cannot tell:  God knoweth;)  such an one caught up to the third heaven.”  II Cor 12:2  Paul here speaks of being caught up to the third heaven and he tells us that he could not tell if he was in the body or out of the body.  Why do you suppose he could not tell if he was out of his body or not?

STUDENT:  Because being out of the body was similar to being in the body.

 

TEACHER:  Have you heard of out-of-body experiences that people have had in recent times?

STUDENT:  Yes.

 

TEACHER:  As you probably know there are many books written on the subject  relating near-death experiences where people have left their bodies and were hardly aware of it.  In fact their astral, or spirit, body seemed so much like their regular body that they often thought they were still in the physical.  Often when these people are brought back to life they will relate conversations they heard or events they have seen that happened some distance from their physical body, but were verified to be true.  Does it sound here like Paul may have had an out-of-body experience?

STUDENT:  It seems so.  He even uses the phrase “out of the body.”

 

 

TEACHER:  First we’ll read one of the more metaphysical scriptures in the Bible.  (Read Eccl 12:6-7)  “Or ever THE SILVER CORD BE LOOSED, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel be broken at the cistern.   Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was:  and the SPIRIT SHALL RETURN unto God who gave it.”  Those who have had out-of body experiences have seen that the spirit or astral body is connected to the physical by a silver cord.  Many spiritual people throught the world believe that this silver cord is a life cord that sustains us and that at death it is severed.  In this scripture the writer is talking about what happens at death.  What does he say happens to the silver cord?

STUDENT:  It is loosed.

 

TEACHER:  He also tells us that at death the golden bowl is broken.  Do you have any idea what this is?

STUDENT:  I’m not sure.

 

TEACHER:  This is the etheric body which is an energy body of light and us usually golden or yellow in color.  The great thing about this is that you can actually see it.  Would you like to see my golden bowl, or etheric body?

STUDENT:  Why not?

 

TEACHER: (Stand several feet away against a light wall, perferably white.)  Now look at me right in the center of my forehead for a minute or so and don’t take your eyes off for a second.  (Have the student stare at you for about two minutes.)  Now  keep staring at this same location without moving your eyes while I move away.  What do you see?

STUDENT:  Wow!  I see a glowing yellow or golden image.

 

TEACHER:  This is the golden bowl which is broken at death.  It is not the spirit which continues to survive.  The pitcher  broken at the fountain, and the wheel be broken at the cistern refers to the destruction of the physical body.  What does it say happens to the spirit of man at death?

STUDENT:  It says it returns to God.

 

TEACHER:  Can you return to a place if you have not been there before?

STUDENT:  Not really

 

TEACHER:  If we return to God, does that mean that we came from there?

STUDENT:  It would seem so.

 

TEACHER:  Now most people believe  that  we as individuals had no existence before birth.  How does this scripture indicate to us that this is not the case, that we did exist before birth?

STUDENT:  If we return to God at death we must have been there sometime before birth.

 

TEACHER:  Now there are a lot of religions who believe that all this spirit is is breath and that we have no consciousness or form away from the body.  Lets read a scripture from Paul that clarifies this:  The things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.  For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle (the physical body) were dissolved, we have a building of God, (The Spirit of man) an house not made with hands, ETERNAL in the heavens.  II Cor. 4:18;5:1  Now the “earthly house” would be our physical body.  What happens when this dies or dissolves?

STUDENT:  We still have a house made without hands, eternal in the heavens.

 

TEACHER:  Now reread the first scripture.  How does that tell us we still have consciousness out of the body?

STUDENT:  If Paul could not tell if he was out of the body or in the body then we must still have our natural consciousness out of the body.

 

TEACHER:  There are a number of scriptures that clearly teach that we lived before birth.  Please read Titus 1:2:  In hope of eternal life which God who cannot lie PROMISED BEFORE THE WORLD BEGAN.  When did God promise eternal life to us?

STUDENT:  Before the world began?

 

TEACHER:  How could he promise it to us if we were not there?

STUDENT:  He couldn’t.

 

TEACHER:  Now we will read a fascinating scripture that reveals where we were before the world began.  Here the “I” referred to represents the wisdom of God.  This could have been Jesus Christ.  (Read Prov 8:1,22-31)  The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.  I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.  When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water.  Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth:  While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world.  When he prepared the heavens, I was there:  when he set a compass upon the face of the depth:  When he established the clouds above:  When he strengthened the fountains of the deep:   When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment:  When he appointed the foundations of the earth:  Then I was by him as one brought up with him:  and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him; rejoicing in the habitable part of HIS EARTH; and my delights were WITH THE SONS OF MEN.  How do we know that wisdom, or Christ was speaking of a time before the creation of the world?

STUDENT:  It says clearly that the earth was not made yet.

 

TEACHER:  And who did Wisdom share his delights with (verse 31)?

STUDENT:  The sons of men.

 

TEACHER:  Are you and I part of the sons of men?

STUDENT:  Sure.

 

TEACHER:  Where were we at when we rejoiced with God and wisdom?

STUDENT:  In the habitable part of his earth?

 

TEACHER:  Do you think this may mean that we lived on other planets and spheres before we lived on this earth?

STUDENT:  It seems to indicate that.

 

TEACHER:  God verified to Jeremiah that he knew him somewhere before he was born on this earth.  (Read Jeremiah 1:4-5)  Then came the word of the Lord unto me saying, Before I formed thee in the belly I KNEW THEE; and BEFORE thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.  Why did God know that Jeremiah would make a good prophet?

STUDENT:  He knew him before he was born.

 

TEACHER:  This also makes sense.  Most of the religious world tells us that man will live forever but began at birth.  Modern mathematics teaches that this is impossible, that there is no such thing as a beginning to something that lasts for infinity.  Therefore, if man lives forever after death, he also had to exist forever before birth.  That sounds logical doesn’t it?

STUDENT:  Seems to.

 

TEACHER:  One of the great mysteries sages have pondered on throughout time is the question of why we are here.  Have you ever wondered this?

STUDENT:  Yes.

 

TEACHER:  Now the Bible does not come out and say point blank what the purpose of man is, but the answer can be discovered by searching the scriptures.  A clue to our destiny is given in the name of God.   When  Moses had his great revelation and spoke to God face to face the first question he ask of Him was his name.  The reason he asked his name was simple.  In those days a persons name represented something  very important about the person.  For instance  Moses meant “drawn from the water,”  Joseph meant “he will increase”  and David meant “Beloved of God.”  Moses thought that God’s name would tell him once and for all who or what he was.  We can read  God’s answer in Exodus 3:14.   And God said to Moses, I AM THAT I AM:  and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.   I AM THAT I AM seems like a strange name doesn’t it?

STUDENT:  Yes.

 

TEACHER:  One of the reasons that people have had difficulty in making sense of it is because this is not an accurate translation.  It is more correctly rendered:  I AM BECOMING WHAT I AM BECOMING.  In other words, God was telling Moses that he could not give him a name like  the Hebrews used that would reveal who he was because he was becoming whatever it was he wanted to become.  Moses learned that God was an evolving God and that His goals, pupose and plan would be different tomorrow than it is today.  Therefore a meaningful name given in one age may loose its meaning in the next.   After examining this name do you think that God himself still sets goals for himself?

STUDENT:  I would think so if he is in a state of becoming.

 

TEACHER:  “Becoming” is very close in meaning to “evolving.”  What God chooses to be, or evolve toward is certainly a goal isn’t it?

STUDENT:  Yes.

 

TEACHER:  Imagine what your life would be like if you had reached some ultimate perfection and could have no new goals.  That sounds pretty boring, doesn’t it?

STUDENT:  Yes.

 

TEACHER:  Yet the sects of the world seem to wish this nightmare existence on God.  Actually, they have it backwards.  God is the God of life and life is newness and change.  A static condition is death and this is the true hell.  Now we’ll read an interesting scripture in Isaiah 43:7  Even every one that is called by my name:  for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.  Does it say here that we can be called by God’s name?

STUDENT:   Yes

 

TEACHER:  When the I AM presence in us decides to be or do a certain thing and we allow ourselves the freedom to do it then we bear the name of God.  Now why does it say that God created us?

STUDENT:  For his glory.

 

TEACHER:  We bring glory to god by glorifying his name and we do this by becoming free to accomplish any good goal that we set for ourselves to all eternity.  Just like we are proud of our children, and happy they bear our names when they learn to set worthwhile goals and reach them, even so is God glorified when we realize we must actively pursue a joyous life.  That sounds a lot better than just playing a harp for eternity doesn’t it?

STUDENT:  Yes.

 

TEACHER:  Now let us find out what happens when we die.  Jesus gives us a clue in his words to the repentant theif that was crucified with him:  (Read Luke 23:43)  And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.  Where did Jersus say that he and the thief would be after death?

STUDENT:  In Paradise.

 

TEACHER:  Peter tells us of another place Jesus visited (Read I Peter 3:18-19:  For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:   By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison.  Where did Jesus go to preach here?

STUDENT:  To the spirits in prison.

 

TEACHER:  From these two scriptures we have read we know that Jesus visited two places in the spirit world.  One was a place called paradise where he promised to meet te repentant thief.  The other place is called the spirit prison where live the “unjust.”  In the next chapter Peter tells us why Jesus visited this spirit prison.  (Read I Peter 4:6)  For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.  Who did Jesus teach the gospel to here while his body was in the tomb?

STUDENT:  The dead.

 

TEACHER:  Why is that?

STUDENT:  So they can be judged on the same basis as the living.

 

TEACHER:  Its only logical that the dead need to be taught the truth just as much as do we the living.  Now we basically know where we go right after we die the question is:  What happens to us next?  The next scripture gives us a clue.  (Read John 5:28-29)  The hour is coming in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.  How many does it say here will here the voice of God and  be resurrected?

STUDENT:  All that are in the graves.

 

TEACHER:  The scripture talks about two resurrections.  What are they?

STUDENT:  The resurrection of life and the resurrection of damnation.

 

TEACHER:  The word “resurrection” means “to come to life again.”  The scriptures make it clear that the resurrection of life was the kind that Jesus had.   That is, even though his body was destroyed,  he came back from the spirit world and brought it back to life and then ascended to his Father.  Do you have any idea what the resurrection of damnation is?

STUDENT:  I’m not sure.  Hell perhaps.

 

TEACHER:  People misunderstand what the resurrection of damnation is because the word is a mistranslation.  “Damnation” comes from the Greek word KRISIS and in the King James Bible has been translated as “accusation, condemnation, damnation and judgement.”   Translators are reluctant to render it correctly because it does not support orthodox Christian thought.   The modern English word “crisis” comes from it and the Greek implies “a decision that brings correction.”  The word “damnation is not even a close word to this.  Therefore, if we translate the phrase “resurrection of damnation” literally from the Greek it would read:  “Coming to life again to face decisions that bring correction.”  The modern English word that is closest to this meaning is “reincarnation.”  Have you ever considered that we may live more than one life on the earth?

STUDENT:  I’ve thought about it.

 

TEACHER:  It is interesting that the only useful scripture in the Bible for refuting reincarnation has this word in it.  (Read Hebrews 9:27)  And as it is appointed  unto man once to die, but after this the judgement.  On the surface here it sounds like we will only die once and therefore only live once, doesn’t it?

STUDENT:  Seems to.

 

TEACHER:  When we read it in the Greek,  however,  we get a different view.  “But” comes from ALLA which literally means “contrariwise.”  This tells us that “after this the judgement” contradicts the “once to die.”  The word “judgement” here is the key to the scripture.   Again, it is a mistranslation for it also comes from the word KRISIS.  No doubt Paul is telling us that we will only have to die once if we are entering the resurrection of life, but the exception will be those who enter the resurrection of KRISIS.  This is supported by another scripture.  (Read Revelations 20:12-15)  They [the dead] were judged every man according to their works.  And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire.  This is the second death.  And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast [to suffer a second death] into the lake of fire.  How do we know that we can die more than once?

STUDENT: Because the scripture clearly mentions a second death.

 

TEACHER:   Those who do not suffer the second death are written in the book of life.  Which resurrection do you suppose these people will have.

STUDENT:  The resurrection of life.

 

TEACHER:  Which resurrection will those not written in the book of life have who also suffer a second death?

STUDENT:  Probably the resurrection of KRISIS (mistranslated damnation).

 

TEACHER:  The Bible tells us how long we must suffer the resurrection of KRISIS:  (Read I Corinthians 3:16-17)  Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?  If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy:   for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.  The scriptures tell us that the temple of God is the body.  What happens if we defile it?

STUDENT:  We will be destroyed.

 

TEACHER:  Our bodies return to dust and are destroyed until we quit defiling ourselves.  We live many lifetimes and are reborn again and again until we do not defile ourselves.  When perfection is reached we are then written in the Book of Life and are brought back to life again in a perfect undefiled body that does not have to ever die again.  A few verses later Paul gives some interesting information to those who are following the Spirit.  (Read I Corinthians 3:21-23):  Therefore let no man glory in men.  For all things are yours;  Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come, all are yours;  And ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s.  How many things are promised to those who follow the Spirit?

STUDENT:  It says “all things are yours.”

 

TEACHER:  In other words those who do not defile themselves can have their choice of anything they want.  It even says they can choose life or death.  How do you syppose we choose life?

STUDENT:  That would probably be the everlasting life that is talked about.

 

TEACHER:    It says that we can also choose death.  It is not speaking of death here as a punishment, but as something we are free to choose.  Do you have any idea as to how this could happen?

STUDENT:  I’m not sure.

 

TEACHER:  The average person is forced to be reborn whether he wants to or not in circumstances not to his choosing, but he who follows the spirit may choose to be reborn and live a mortal life in circumstances of his choosing to accomplish some good purpose.  Being able to choose death in this way is a nice option to have, isn’t it?

STUDENT:  It seems to be.

 

TEACHER:    Paul also says “things present, or things to come” are ours.  If we have the freedom to be reborn whenever we want in circumstances we choose then that gives us the power to enjoy the challenges and experiences of any future age we wish.  Have you ever thought that you would like to live in an era when there was perfect peace and harmony on the earth?

STUDENT:  Yes.

 

TEACHER:  If we follow the spirit then we can make that choice.  Jesus elaborates on this further.  (Read Matthew 19:28-29):  And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you.  That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.  And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.  The word “regeneration” is an interesting one.  It comes from the Greek PALLGGENESIA.  It basically means “to be reborn again and again.”  Therefore, the scripture is telling us that the Son of man will sit on the throne of power on the earth not once, but numerous times and that his followers will judge (or set right) Israel numerous times.  Next he tells us that those who forsake ‘houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands” for his sake shall receive a reward.  What is that?

STUDENT:  A hundredfold and life everlasting.

 

TEACHER:  What will the person receive a hundredfold of?

STUDENT:  I’m not sure.

 

TEACHER:  The Gospel of Mark carifies this somewhat.  (Read Mark 10:30):  But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time (era), houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.  We are plainly told here that if we make a sacrifice for Christ and have to forsake a mother or father, for instance, that in this era we can have a hundred of them  back.  Is there any way you can literally have a hundred mothers and fathers without being reborn?

STUDENT:  No.

 

TEACHER:  Now we can see how this whole scripture makes sense when we translate “regeneration” as  “to be reborn again and again.”  The Bible indicates that reincarnation was a popular doctrine among the people.  When Jesus was with his disciples he asked them who the people were saying he was.  We can read their response in Matthew 16:14:  And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist:  some, Elias (Greek for Elijah.  We will hereafter use Elijah for this word); and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.  Why would the common people think that Jesus could be Elijah, Jeremiah or one of the prophets returning?

STUDENT:  They must have believed in rebirth.

 

TEACHER:  One of the reasons that they thought Jesus may have been Elijah is that the Bible prophesied that he would appear before the coming of Christ.  We can read this in Malachi 4:5-6:  Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord:  And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.  Who would God send before the coming of the Lord?

STUDENT:  Elijah.

 

TEACHER:  Now let us read the Angel Gabriel’s words concerning John the Baptist: (Read Luke 1:17)  And he (John) shall go before him (Jesus) in the spirit and power of Elijah, 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.  Does this sound as if John the Baptist fulfilled the prophecy of the coming of Elijah?

STUDENT:   It seems to.

 

TEACHER:  Jesus tells us clearly that  John the Baptist was Elijah in answer to his disciple’s question on the subject..  (Read Matthew 17:10-13 [Quoting the New English Version]):   Why then do our teachers say that Elijah must come first?  He replied, Yes Elijah will  come and set everything right.   But I tell you, that Elijah has already come, and they failed to recognize him, and worked their will upon him; and in the same way the Son of Man is to suffer at their hands.  Then the disciples understood that he meant John the Baptist.  Who did Jesus here say fulfilled the prophecy of the coming of Elijah?

STUDENT:  John the Baptist.

 

TEACHER:  Jesus not only said that Elijah had already come, but notice that he said that he also “will come and set everything right.”  How do you think this prophecy will be fulfilled?

STUDENT:  Perhaps John will be reborn before the next coming of Christ.

 

TEACHER:  Jesus repeats this affirmation in Matthew 11:14.  We will read from the Concordant Version which is more accurate than the King James:  And if you are willing to receive him (John the Baptist), he is  Elijah…  That’s about as clear as word can be, isn’t it?

STUDENT:  Yes.

 

TEACHER:  Elijah is not the only prophet who is to be reborn and do an additional work.  A similar promise was made to John the Revelator.  (Read Revelations 10:10-11)  And I took the little book out of the angel’s hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey:  and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.  And he said unto me,  thou must prophesy again before many people’s, and nations, and tongues, and kings.  John was an old man when he received this vision so how could he fulfill the prophecy to teach many people in different lands?

STUDENT:  He’d probably have to be reborn.

 

TEACHER:  One of the main reasons that more and more people are accepting reincarnation is that it introduces the principle of fairness in God’s plan.  The orthodox way of looking at the opportunity for eternal life seems to be lacking something.  For instance most religions teach that we only have one life and when we die that is it.  There are no more chances to prove ourselves in the flesh or to catch up on what we missed out on.  If eternal life does indeed last billions of years then this life is less than an hour in comparison to it.  Do you think it would be fair for someone to sit you at a desk  with no preparation and command you to take a test for one hour which will determine whether you life in rags or riches for the rest of your life?

STUDENT:   It doesn’t seem so.

 

TEACHER:  Yet this is the reasoning that man thinks God uses.  Would it be fair if you were placed with others of better natural ability than  yours, yet judged by the same standards?

STUDENT:  No.

 

TEACHER:  Yet the people think that God makes no allowances for the differing stages  of man’s spiritual awareness.    What if you were to die before you could finish the test, or even review your answers?  Would it be fair to judge your test with a half hour’s work on the same basis as those who had the full hour?

STUDENT:  No.

 

TEACHER:   Yet people think that if a person dies when he is twenty, or thirty, he will be judged on the same basis as one who lives to be a  hundred.  Let us say that two brothers were headed to hell at age twenty and one dies.  The other lives to a ripe old age and straightens out his life and dies a saint.  Is it fair that the brother who died first suffer for all eternity without another chance whereas the other one has eternal bliss.

STUDENT:  I wouldn’t think so.

 

TEACHER:  Furthermore, if the latter man loved his brother could he really enjoy heaven if he knew his brother was suffering?

STUDENT:  No.

 

TEACHER:  Could you enjoy being in heaven if your loved ones were suffering in hell for all eternity without the possibility of another chance?

STUDENT:   No.

 

TEACHER:   What is wrong and injust with the  orthodox doctrine of heaven and hell.

STUDENT:  It is not fair.

 

TEACHER:  Jesus tried to correct the notion that God was  not fair.  (Read Matthew 7:9-11)  Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?  Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?  If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?  Here Jesus tells us that earthly fathers have enough sense to try and give good things to their children, but God is much better and wiser than they.  Now would you sentence one of your children to burn forever in hell?

STUDENT:  No.

 

TEACHER:  Then neither would God for he knows how to give better gifts than you do.  We do however, give our children temporary punishments so they can learn don’t we?

STUDENT:  Yes.

 

TEACHER:  God also allows us to suffer pain in this world so we can learn.  Now a good earthly parent would not only refuse to sentence his child to an eternal hell, but he would also never give up on the child and always seek to help him or her progress.  Yet what do many think God’s attitude toward the damned is on judgement day?

STUDENT:   He gives up on them

 

TEACHER:  Fortunately, the fundamentalist view of heaven and hell is not supported by the Bible.  Let us read several scriptures relating the true will of God toward man. (Read I Tim 2:4)  Paul spoke of God who will have all men to be saved, and to come to a knowledge of the truth…. (read Matthew 18:14)  Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.  What is the true will of God here?

STUDENT:  That all should be saved and none perish.

 

TEACHER:  Do you think that God has power to fulfill his will?

STUDENT:  Yes.

 

TEACHER:  Therefore, do you think that all his children will eventually be saved?

STUDENT:  It seems so.

 

 

Copyright 2011 by J J Dewey

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Boise Gathering 2008, Part 15

Joseph Dewey
This entry is part 15 of 15 in the series Boise Gathering 2008

Interesting Experiences

JJ: I remember when I first discovered for sure that there was reincarnation and I proved it to myself. And when I did find it I thought well if there is reincarnation then the final test is that it should be in the scriptures. I decided to read the scriptures from beginning to end and see if it is in there because I did not remember it being in there before. I started reading the Doctrine and Covenants and in the first chapter just a few verses into it, there it was, reincarnation! How come I never saw it before. It said that the people that were persecutors in the days of Joseph Smith would be upon the earth when Christ comes again to receive their just due. Now how could they be here unless there was reincarnation? Because we do not teach that they are going to be resurrected to be here with the just. I thought how are they going to be here? It had to be reincarnation and it only took me five minutes to find it in the Mormon scriptures and in the Bible, in the Old Testament, the New Testament – I found references all over the place. I found all kinds of things in earlier church history and I was just blown away and then shortly after that I wrote my book called Eternal Lives, which I wrote for the Mormons to convince them that there was reincarnation.

Eventually I reduced it all to a pamphlet called Mormonism and Reincarnation. I must tell you a story that revolves around it. Curtis and I printed up a bunch of these back in the late seventies and every time we went by a Mormon institution we stopped and put half a dozen on different cars that were parked there and we kept wondering what those guys were thinking who received the.? Laughing!

We did this about half a dozen times and one time we were just innocently walking by the institute and we got about a block away and we heard some footsteps behind us and we turned around and there was a couple guys in suits running toward us and they were huffing and puffing and they said, are you guys putting those pamphlets on cars around our institute? We answered well yes we are! They said we want you to stop it. We said why should we stop it, we think it is important to enlighten Mormons. And one of them said if you do this again then we are going to have you arrested, you are trespassing on our property and if you put one more pamphlet on our car there, we are going to be watching and we are going to arrest you.

I thought, oh, you are you. So I did a little checking and we went back to the institute and walked around it and I said hey look Curtis, the main parking lot is across the street and the sidewalk here is public property not owned by the church and what this means is we can stand on the road or the sidewalk and we can hand then the pamphlets as they come out of church next Sunday! And there is nothing they can do about it because we are not on their property!

Audience: Laughing!

JJ: So Curtis thought that was a great idea – he just loved to tweak them!

Audience: Laughing!

JJ: So the next Sunday after church we stood right in the road handing out pamphlets as they crossed the street to the parking lot! We were not on their property and this was kind of funny. Only one or two people came out at first and we handed this guy a pamphlet and he grabbed it and he went and got in his car and we counted one, two, three and the guy pops out of his car and runs into the institute. I said to Curtis, well it is not going to be long before we are visited and then all of a sudden a whole bunch of people started coming out we started giving lots of pamphlets.

Audience: Laughing!

JJ: Then these two guys came out and said, we want you to get off our property! I said we are not on your property. He said we want you to go away! I said well we are not going away and by the way here is a pamphlet! Laughing!

Audience: Laughing!

JJ: He said, we want you to go away. I said we are not going away and didn’t you go on a mission? He said yes and I said didn’t you give out Which Church Is Right and Joseph Smith pamphlets? He said well yes. I said aren’t you being a hypocrite by telling me not to give out stuff? He said well this is different. I said no it is not. We are doing the same thing you guys do. What is the matter with you guys? Will you move out of the way now so we can continue to give out pamphlets. There was just steam coming out of their ears because there was nothing that they could do because we were legal!

Audience: Laughing!

JJ: Curtis and I were always looking for an opportunity to tweak these guys and we almost got arrested a couple of times. One time they did detain us and we had to escape!

Audience: The church detained you?

JJ: Yes they put us in a room down in the basement and we managed to escape. Laughing!

Audience: How did you escape?

JJ: They left us for about two seconds and we immediately high tailed it out of there.

Audience: Did they strong-arm you?

JJ: They lured us in and tried to hold us there until the cops arrived and we thought well we are not going to stay here if we can get out of it. Laughing!

Audience: How old were you JJ?

JJ: I think I was excommunicated when I was 33 if I remember right so I was about 34-35.

It was fun to tweak the Mormons. One interesting thing that we did with them – that I didn’t do but one of the guys we worked with – Curtis and him were sitting down with kind of a stuffed shirt type guy and talking to him. The guy explained some of the teachings and asked him well do you think this is true, yes or no. He demanded a yes or no answer from him. And he just really irritated the guy because he would not say yes or no. And we started using that regularly after that because it was such a good idea and eventually we used it when we visited Bruce McConkie and Mark E. Peterson. Curtis hit Bruce with a yes or no, he said do you really believe in the writings and teachings of the prophet Joseph Smith, yes or no please.

He refused to say yes or no. He just kept saying that all you need to know is that there is a living prophet. We were quoting Joseph Smith and he did not like the quotes were giving to him so Curtis asked him, “well do you accept the writings of Joseph Smith yes or no please. I want to be able to tell my Mom what you believe about this and she is a good member of the church so, yes or no, do you believe in the writings and teachings of the prophet Joseph Smith?” He said all you need to know is that there is a living prophet. Laughing! And he kept saying it louder and louder and louder.

Okay, so we have the divine, we have the monads as little tiny specs like stars appearing in the divine world and then coming down and achieving self consciousness working in the world of ideas creating ideas passing them down to the intuitive level which is then passed down to the mental worlds and then passed down to the astral worlds which is then passed down to you and me and sometimes when you are sleeping at night something that originated way up in the divine gets filtered down to our feeble brains where we make an attempt to understand what is going on, the purpose of life, where we are going and all of these things.

Now it is about time to wind it up. Do we have any questions before we close?

Audience: What effect can we have to help people that have died and to pass on?

JJ: We can help by what we do with our thoughts. What we do with our thought in the physical body has more potency here than in the other worlds if we focus correctly. We have tremendous power of thought because we have within us the physical world combined with the astral and the mental we have the whole ball of wax here. So it takes more energy of the power of thought to work in this world. It is like working with heavy weights and as you work with them you get stronger and stronger. This is a world where you really increase your power of will and your power of thought where as when you go to the lighter astral world everything is really easy and you just kind of glide along and you do not have to exercise yourself quite so much. Now the astral world is a good place to learn and everything but the heavens are more of a place for relaxation and rest. As a matter of fact the scriptures talk about this and say “the rest shall be glorious.” The prophets often call the next world a rest. They shall rest from all their labors. Here we are not resting and it takes a strenuous act of will just to get out of bed here compared to the other worlds where you can just bounce right out of your bed.

So if a person focuses in this world then he can create a tremendous influence in the next world and sometimes when loved ones die, you can still have a feeling about them. I will relate a couple of experiences that I had, I had an uncle that had multiple sclerosis that I really loved a lot. Back when I was a Mormon you gave healing blessings and I always wanted to give him such a blessing. Finally when I got old enough and I was a priesthood holder I asked my grandmother if I could give him a blessing and when I did I did not receive anything for him. I felt like that it was not the time so I waited a couple years and I tried to give him another blessing and it was like my lips were almost sealed and I could not hardly sputter out anything positive so I told him that he would have peace of mind.

I felt really bad about that and then he got worse and worse. Then one day I was visiting him with my friend Wayne and he looked really bad and he could not talk and he was just laying on the couch and I could tell he was very uncomfortable and I felt really sorry for him and as I was looking at him the inner voice spoke and said, “this man has suffered enough.” I ten asked my grandmother if we could give him one more blessing.

The inner voice did not tell me what to say but just said that he has suffered enough. Looking back upon it I did not understand karma at that time but now I can understand that he probably paid the debt that he was supposed to pay. So I took Wayne and we both laid our hands on him and I blessed him that he would be completely healed or else he would be taken. I figured that if he had suffered enough then on of those two things was going to happen.

I was in college at the time and Wayne and I went back to college and three days later my mom called me up. Just before my mom’s phone call all of a sudden I felt Uncle Bob’s presence and it was very powerful and he had come to me to thank me. His thoughts went something like this, “Oh it is just so great to be released from that decrepit body I was in.” I did not get the words but I sensed the feeling that he was just so overjoyed and thankful to me for giving him that blessing that released him from the body and he was just thrilled to be there in the astral world.

So my mom called me up and she sounded really sad and she said I have some really bad news, Bob died. I said that is not bad news that is good news! He is just thrilled to be where he is! And she said really? I said he has been hovering around me and he is just as happy as a lark!

But when my mom died I had quite bit different experience, I felt that when she died that she was somewhat confused because I think she was expecting the spirit world to be different. She had a certain idea of heaven would be like and she was quite old and right after she died her spirit body probably looked old and she probably was expecting to look young and vibrant but that takes a period of time for the changes to occur and for three days I had the impression that she was confused and then I felt that she was okay. I was talking to my daughter Elizabeth that I told you about and I told her that and she said you know the same thing happened to me and for three days I felt the same thing you did. So that was interesting that we both had that same feeling about my mom. It was encouraging that my uncle Bob was so thrilled to be free from the terrible disease that he had for over 20 years – he was just thrilled to be on the other side.

What we do here is we create the heaven in the next world with our minds while we are on the earth. Through our mental efforts and calculations we create the heavens and hells that materialize. The heavens and hells in the next world change as the times change and as circumstance changes and technology changes so it is important that you visualize the type of world you might want to live in. You want to make yourself into the type of person that loving people in the spirit world will want to associate with. If I am around people like you in the next world then I would have nothing to complain about. You have been a really good group and you have made a slice of heaven for me and everybody else here so I am really happy to have been with you and I appreciate all your support.

Audience: Thank for having us. Applause.

Copyright 2011 by J J Dewey

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Taking It With You

Joseph Dewey
This entry is part 8 of 31 in the series 2011B

Matthew writes:
As we reincarnate from life to life are our previous personalities imprinted in our new life and if so is this done so that the personality evolves? Since you have done past life regressions then it stands to reason that the memories are stored in a data base within us that we can access, is this thought on the right path here?

JJ
All of our memories are stored in our permanent atoms as well as the akasha. Our previous memories are not fully imprinted or accessible except in certain circumstances.

Strong emotional impacts carry over into future lives much more than memories of data. If you were buried alive, for instance, you would be likely to have claustrophobia in this life. If you were madly in love with Person X in a past life you would feel an immediate attraction after meeting him or her in this one.

On the other hand, if you spoke German in your last life you would normally not be able to speak it in this one but would have to learn it like everyone else. There is enough of an imprint that the learning would be easier for you than one who was Spanish in his last life.

The data of the past is not regularly in our consciousness but is not lost and can be accessed in some dreams and past life regressions. Over half of regressions include quite a bit of illusion and just fragments of real truth. Then once in a while there is a real good one where the person goes 100% back into the past. This is easier to achieve with hypnosis than a guided meditation that I use. I usually use guided meditation because it is very safe with no negative side effects.

One interesting thing that hasn’t happened at a gathering yet is someone going back and speaking in the ancient language. This is quite impressive when it happens. Unfortunately, you usually have to use hypnosis to get a person into that deep of a state.

Your personality is largely determined by your rays and they change from life to life. In one life you may be an introvert and another an extrovert. You are still the same person though, but just subject to different influences.

To understand this consider how different you are at a ball game and then at a funeral. You are the same person but the different influences make you act much differently.

The one thing you do take with you 100% is your basic intelligence and light of the soul.

This doesn’t mean that your intelligence will seem the same to observers though. Consider two people of equal intelligence. One is born to enlightened parents that teach him about all kinds of principles and esoteric knowledge and the other born to fundamentalist parents who teach the kid the earth is only 6000 years old and the Bible is literally true in all circumstances.

The first kid will seem to be the more intelligent even though they are both equal. A very intelligent person can become trapped by a lot of illusion because of circumstances.

Larry W
So Joseph Smith, at 14 years of age, was light years ahead of me at 61. These lessons are HARD WON. I also hope I can hook up with the BOL and with non-limiting BOL teachers. I feel so blessed that I hooked up with JJ and that he guided me to DK and to AAB. I sincerely hope I can get this back in future lives.

JJ
An account in Joseph’s handwriting gives the age of his experience at 16 rather than 14. This is probably the accurate one. Yes, you will keep your basic intelligence, but that doesn’t mean that you will not be born into some fundamentalist family. It does mean that breaking free will be easier next time.

mdesignsfor6 writes:
An aside question: If while in the astral zone our experience is not “real” and then eventually we move on to our dream-like sleep that isn’t reality, will we be able to communicate/interact/serve others in these different worlds or will it all just be only going on in our own “minds” for our own learning?

JJ
All form, including this world in which we live, is created by illusion, BUT all experience in the worlds of form is real. If you dream you are being chased by a monster or on a desert island with 100 scantly clad girls then the experience is real just as a real life experience is real.

In between lives you will meet real entities that you have known in this one but then there are times you go to sleep and dream about friends and merely tune into their essence which is very much like encountering them in real life – because even here you deal with their vibration and the higher part of themselves.

We’ve had some discussion lately about Ramtha and his teachings and predictions. We have some Ramtha supporters in the group and then we have others who are either indifferent or do not like him.

I want to stress that both sides and those in the middle are welcome here.

Over the years I have analyzed a number of teachers. Just about all of them say some things I agree with and also teachings with which I do not agree. Sometimes I have offended readers because I did not agree more with a favorite teaching or school of thought, but no one is perfect. I am sure that some of my writings have mistakes in them, even though I have followed my soul to the best of my ability.

That said; let me say this about the various teachers that members of the group may find enlightening. Each of us are on different rays and so are teachers. If a certain teacher has rays similar to your own then you will be more attracted to him than another teacher on different rays. Even though that teacher may have quite a few flaws the student, if he follows the highest he knows, can still learn a lot from him, for all teachers good and bad reveals various levels of truth.

Therefore we must be tolerant of those following a path different than we would pick for they may be moving forward at a higher rate of speed than you think. Eventually all roads lead to Rome and all paths lead to The One Path, but until the convergence it is helpful to realize the honest in heart are moving onward in their own way and nothing can stay their hand.

This doesn’t mean that we should not critically analyze various teachers and give our opinions good and bad. Members here should develop a thick skin for you never know when a sacred cow will be starkly criticized.

Copyright 2011 by J J Dewey

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Reincarnation and the Bible, Part 1

Joseph Dewey
This entry is part 1 of 5 in the series Reincarnation & the Bible

ONE LIFE OR MANY?

During my childhood I did not go to any particular church and my parents did not try to influence me toward any particular religion or philosophy.  Therefore, as I look back I see that my earliest thoughts on life were those of a little child forming his most natural conclusions.

One of those natural ideas I formulated was that if God is indeed good  as everyone had said then he must give us all the chances we need to gain all the experience we want and to live full abundant lives.  I thought of how much I looked forward to growing up and making my mark on the world, then of how terrible it would be if some accident took my life.  I thought that surely God would provide some way for me to come back and have the opportunity to fulfill my hopes and dreams.

One day a visiting neighbor was telling my mother about a book she had read entitled:  The Search For Bridie Murphy and she explained the theory of how we are born again and again into this earth life.  I was immediately attracted to this idea for it blended in with my natural thoughts and I continued to believe it until I became active in a conservative church about the age of thirteen.

Around this period I mentioned my belief in reincarnation to one of the brethren.  He seemed shocked and said:  “You’ve got it all wrong.  Reincarnation is the doctrine of the devil. We only live one life, then we are resurrected  to die no more.”

I asked him if there was anything in the  scriptures about having only one life.

At that point he turned to Hebrews 9:27 and read:   “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.”

I then looked at the verse and read it several times.  Sure enough.  The Bible did seem to say that we live only once.  There fore, there could be no reincarnation.  I was  very disappointed. It seemed unfair that many people are cut off and unable to enjoy the full fruits of mortality.

On the other hand, I was told by the brethren that the next world was better than this one and it was really a blessing to die early to escape trials and tribulations.  This idea did not help, however, for I looked forward to whatever trials this life may have to offer and, furthermore, I noticed that my fellow church members did not look forward to ending their life either. None seemed anxious to enter that better “other world”;  instead, I heard comments such as:  “I hope Jesus doesn’t come till I am older and I get a chance to do a few things.”    Or:  “I hope I live until I can raise my family.”  Often they would express an interest in living until they are a certain ripe old age.

Nevertheless, I reluctantly accepted the idea of the one life “because the Bible said so” and held to it faithfully for about

fourteen years.    But during this period I did not feel satisfied with the answers I had to the questions of: Where did I come from? Why am I here?  and Where am I going?  The church had pat answers, but they left many unanswered questions they called mysteries that were not important to our salvation.

The unfairness of orthodox doctrine is what bothered me most. What about people who die with dreams unfulfilled?   What about babies that die with no chance of participating in mortality? What about those who are killed before accomplishing their heart’s desire?

The mindless answer that God would take care of things just left me vacant and helped to keep my mind open to greater light and truth.

It was my study of regression, however, that caused me to seriously consider reincarnation again.  It has long been known that a person can be guided back to any time in his past and relive it as if it were occurring all over again.  This can be done through hypnosis or by merely directing the mind to return.

I did many experiments with regression and watched with fascination as people returned to their early childhood, even the day they were born to recall events verified by older family members. I was often tempted to take individuals back beyond the date they were born, but for a long time I almost felt it was sacrilege,. I also found myself being somewhat fearful and apprehensive of what I may find.

Nevertheless, one can only suppress curiosity so long and eventually I did take someone back before birth.

The first person I regressed to a previous life was  a young lady. I was quite surprised at the ease and familiarity with which she went back.   She recalled a life over one hundred years ago in the North east of England and began speaking in an English accent recounting events from that life.   Anyone listening would have been amazed at the accent coming  from one who had never been to England in this life.  However, I was particularly startled because I had spent several years in Britain and most of it in the area she described.

Anyone who travels England becomes acutely aware that most of England does not speak the “Queen’s English”, but there are numerous dialects.  There can be a noticeable accent change in a distance of fifty miles.  However, there is a marked difference between the way the people in the North and South of England speak.  I believe it is a greater difference than the accent change between the North and South of the United States.

What amazed me is that this young lady said she had lived in the northeastern part  of England and her accent exactly duplicated the dialect in that area.  We must take into consideration that the Northeast British accent is much more difficult to imitate than the Queen’s English which is usually used by movie stars.

In America one rarely hears a North British accent over the media and I was 99% sure that the female involved had never even once heard a North Englander speak – at least in this life.

Another time I was attending a church party and decided to liven it up somewhat.  I told the group that I could take people back to any point in their lives, even the day of birth, and have them re call it.  People seemed interested in this and the first volunteer was a newly married lady whose husband was out shopping for some snacks for us.

I not only took her back to her youth, but before the entire non believing crowd I took her back into three past lives.  In two of them she knew her current husband.  One life was back in prehistoric times when they had no names and the other was in the days of the Roman Empire.  She said she was married to a Roman senator named Marcus Aurelius who was later killed in a battle.

The details she gave certainly awed everyone there, but the best was still to come.  When her husband came home everyone insisted that I take him back also.  He was a good subject and regressed to prehistoric times and described the same surroundings that his wife had. But then, amazingly, he went back to the days of the Roman Empire and said his name was Marcus Aurelius, a Roman senator who was killed in Battle.

Everyone was so stunned at this that they began to doubt their belief in the   church and I found myself being the one to reassure them that the church was correct and not to let this bother them for I still felt that there must be some logical explanation besides reincarnation.  Even this and other amazing regressions did not make me cast aside my church’s doctrine in the one mortal life.

I will not make the effort here to recall how, time after time, I was presented with evidence that there is more than one mortal life, but each time I refused to believe it until I was hit with an explosive piece of personal evidence  that had no other explanation than reincarnation.  I found myself face to face with reality. I had to either deny the logical process completely and doubt my own ability to come to a truthful conclusion, or open my mind and sincerely ask myself if I could have been wrong.

Then the thought occurred to me:  If reincarnation is a true doctrine I should be able to find evidence of it in the Bible.  I will “search the scriptures” with an open mind and see what is truly there.

As I started my search I realized that I knew of only one scripture that seemed to refute reincarnation and that was the one previously quoted from Hebrews 9:27:   “And as it is appointed unto man once to die, but after this the judgment.”

The “once to die” sounds like an absolute statement not open to debate until we realize that it is boldly contradicted by the Bible itself:  “They (the dead) were judged every man according to their works.  And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire.  THIS IS THE SECOND DEATH. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast (to suffer a second death) into the lake of fire.”  Rev 20:12-15

The book of Revelations has quotes from John, an angel, and Jesus Christ, all using the phrase “second death” so we know there has to be one.  Thus it is quite obvious that if Paul were writing the truth he did not literally mean “once to die” except perhaps once per lifetime, or that  there is one general mortality passed upon all mankind.

There are other scriptures that are quite deceiving if they are read with a black and white state of mind:  A pertinent one was made by Paul again.  He said:  “I die daily.”  I Cor 15:31 He also said:  “Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience…It is a shame for women to speak in the church.”  I Cor 14:34-35  Paul also advised the saints to remain single as he was (I Cor 7:7) and if they were married to not have sex (I Cor 7:29).

Jesus told us to cut off our right hand if it offends us (Matt 5:30) and talked about making oneself a eunuch (literally a castrated person) for the kingdom of heaven. (Matt 19:12)

If we do not read difficult passages like these in their correct context and with some knowledge of the customs and beliefs of that ancient era we may reject the whole Bible as being the work of madmen.

Let us examine the verse that precedes the “once to die” scripture:  “But now once in the end of the world hath he (Christ) appeared to put away sin by sacrifice of himself.”  Heb 9:26

If we read this verse literally we are led to believe that Jesus appeared only once at the end of the world to sacrifice him self.  Two thousand years has passed since then so those who thought Paul was talking about the real “end of the world” were wrong. Also, Jesus did not appear once  but appeared many times to many people.

To interpret this  scripture accurately one has to read it in its correct context as well as examine the Greek from which it was translated.

In examining the Greek we find that the word “world” is a mistranslation.  It comes from the word AION.  The modern English word “eon” is derived from this and it means “an age”.  Thus we see that Jesus came once at not the end of the world, but the end of the ages as the word is plural here. We realize that his “one” coming refers to his general life (with all his numerous appearances counted as one) at the end of one age and the beginning of a new one.

Here we see that Hebrews 9:26 cannot be interpreted in a black and white literal manner.  How about the next verse?  Does it mean what it seems to mean?  Are we really appointed only “once to die” or is there more meaning here below the surface?  Are there many deaths within the one death as there were many “comings” within the one general first coming of Christ?  Is it talking about physical death or spiritual death?  If it is talking about spiritual death, then that would leave open the possibility of more than one physical death.

In examining this scripture there are three words that are generally overlooked:  “men”, “but”, and “judgment”.  We’ll quote this scripture one more time emphasizing  these:   ‘And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.”  Men comes from the Greek ANTHROPOS which in this context indicates the human race as a whole.

The word “but” here is quite interesting.  It comes from the Greek DE  which literally means  contrariwise.   In other words, it indicates that the information that is forthcoming may contradict that which has just been said.

That would  mean   that “after this the judgment” may have an opposite meaning to “it is appointed unto men once to die”. It would indicate an exception as in the sentence:  “I rise every morning at 8:00 A.M., except when the alarm doesn’t go off.”

“After this the judgment” does not sound like it contradicts or has an opposite meaning to “once to die” so let us look closer to see  what the original language says.  Judgment comes from the Greek  word  KRISIS.  This is one of the most misunderstood words in the entire Bible.  Translators don’t quite seem to know how to handle it and seem to render it according to their bias rather than the actual meaning.  In the King James version they have rendered it:  accusation, condemnation, damnation, and judgment.  These words all have diverse meanings, but none of them are an exact translation.

The modern English word “crisis” (which is derived from the Greek KRISIS) is a more accurate rendering than the Bible translations. The actual Greek word implies a decision that brings correction. If it is used in connection with the word “judgment”  the idea of a corrective judgment should be implied.

Another mistranslation in this verse is the phrase “to die”. It is more correctly rendered “to be  dying”.  Let us now take into consideration these corrections and render the verse as close as possible to the Greek:   “And as it is reserved for mankind once tr. be dying, but on the other hand, after this [after the state of dying is over we have] the judgment [or KRISIS the decision to correct the state of death].

The verse could be describing either a spiritual death, physical death or both.

The word KRISIS is used in another very interesting scripture:

“The hour is coming in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation (KRISIS).” John 5:28-29

Notice here that John tells us that there are two resurrections: (1) The resurrection of life, and (2) the resurrection of damnation or KRISIS.

“Damnation” is an incorrect word for translators to use.  The second resurrection should more appropriately be called “the resurrection of correction” or “the resurrection which forces correct decisions”.

The word “resurrection” comes from the Greek ANASTASIS which literally means “to stand up again” or “to come to life again”. The word does not imply that the new life will always be an immortal one as indicated by the following scripture:  “Women received their dead raised to life again (from the same Greek word ANASTASIS): and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection.”  (ANASTASIS) Heb. 11:35.

The reference “women received their dead raised to life again” refers to miracles performed by Elijah and Elisha where the dead were revived to a mortal existence.  Here the word ANASTASIS refers to something other than an immortal life.

Here is another interesting scripture spoken by the Christ years before his resurrection:  “The Son can do nothing of him self, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise…For as the Father RAISETH UP THE DEAD,  and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.”  John 5:19h21

Here we are plainly told that the dead were raised to life again by the power of the Father BEFORE the resurrection of Jesus.

On the other hand Paul said that Jesus was “THE FIRST that should raise from the dead.”  Acts 26:23.

This seems like a paradox.  On one hand we are told that there were resurrections before Jesus and that both the Father and the Son raised up any of the dead that they wished.  On the other hand it is written that Jesus was the first to raise from the dead.  How is this to be explained?

It is quite simple.  There are two resurrections.  Jesus was the first to attain to the resurrection of life.   But the second type of resurrection, the resurrection of KRISIS or correction has been occurring since the beginning.

The resurrection of KRISIS or correction can refer to one being revived to mortal life in the same body as Lazareth was, or it could refer to being “born again” in a new body with a new life experience giving us an opportunity to “correct” our imperfections.

Jesus was not the first to attain the resurrection of KRISIS, but he was the first to gain the resurrection of life.

It was the resurrection of life that Paul spoke of when he said that it was something he had to attain:  “If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.  Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after.”  Phil 3:11-12.

Paul indicates that we must be “perfect” to “attain” this resurrection.  He can  only be referring to the resurrection of life for Jesus said that all the evil ones go to “the resurrection of correction”  while they who have done good attain the “better resurrection”.

This makes sense doesn’t it?  We are sent again and again to the resurrection of correction to live life after life on the earth and then when we have corrected our errors and become without sin as was Jesus we “attain” unto the resurrection of “life” and “this mortal must put on  immortality”. I Cor 15:53.

How do we avoid the resurrection of correction?  The Lord tells us:  “He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation (from KRISIS, the resurrection of correction): but is passed from death unto life.” John 5:24

The scriptures plainly tell  us that by hearing, believing, and doing the words of God so that we are perfected leads to escaping the resurrection of Krisis and “attaining” the resurrection of life.

With this knowledge in mind we can place still another interpretation on Hebrews 9:27:  “And as it is appointed unto men once to die (in this present age), on the other hand after this comes the resurrection of correction” (where we will be born and die again in a future age.)

Copyright by J J Dewey

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Reincarnation and the Bible, Part 2

Joseph Dewey
This entry is part 2 of 5 in the series Reincarnation & the Bible

WHATSOEVER A MAN SOWETH

Paul tells us plainly that all will not attain the resurrection of life. He said “the wages of sin is death”. When we sin we need correction so we are sent to the resurrection of KRISIS where we are again in mortal bodies subjected to death. Paul further said: “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God (sin), him shall God DESTROY; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.” I Cor 3:16-17.

Those who continue to sin and suffer the resurrection of KRISIS are reborn and live a mortal existence where their temple of God (their body) dies or is destroyed. Interestingly “destroy” comes from the Greek PHTHIO which means “to waste, spoil, or decay”. That certainly describes the mortality we experience in the resurrection of KRISIS.

It is only fitting that Paul said that “the last enemy to be destroyed is death.” I Cor 15:26. This is because we are born again and again into the resurrection of KRISIS until we have corrected all of our mistakes. The very last correction we make is when we overcome death and “put on immortality”.

Jesus admonished us to follow in his footsteps: “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, EVEN AS I ALSO OVERCAME, and am sat down with the Father in his throne.” Rev. 3:21 If we are to overcome as did Jesus then we must obey the injunction: “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” Matt 5:48 I do not know of even one person who has attained perfection and overcome all things as did Jesus. Consequently, the only way the scriptures can be fulfilled is for one to be physically born again until he can live a life without sin just as Jesus did. Those in the kingdom of man must literally be “born again” to enter the kingdom of God.

When that happens the promise will be fulfilled where Jesus said: “Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and HE SHALL GO NO MORE OUT.” Rev. 3:12 We will have to “go no more out” of one physical body into another- one when we have overcome all things.

Until that time Jesus tells us that “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, (of physical bodies), and find pasture.” John 10:9.

After we go in and out and find pasture the time will come when: “he that overcometh and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I GIVE POWER OVER THE NATIONS: And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: EVEN AS I RECEIVED OF MY FATHER.” Rev. 2:26-27

These scriptures we have quoted make it very clear that there are two resurrections. We enter the resurrection of KRISIS each time we fall short of the glory of Christ. When this happens God causes our bodies to be destroyed. He asks us to “overcome” “even as I overcame”. Obviously we cannot overcome AS he did unless we will eventually live a perfect life as he did on the Earth.

Jesus said that we will do “greater works” than he did. John 14:12. To this day I know of no one who has done greater works than Jesus, but when the time comes that some of us are living our last life to “attain” the resurrection of life, then will the world see these greater works. At that time we will come to the “knowledge of the Son of God, UNTO A PERFECT MAN, unto the-measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” Eph 4:13. When one becomes “a perfect man” he then receives “power over the nations” as promised.

Reincarnation is merely the result of the law of cause and effect as pointed out by Paul: ‘if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For every man shall bear his own burden. Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things. Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that SHALL HE ALSO REAP. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh REAP CORRUPTION (the resurrection of KRISIS or rebirth in mortality); but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap LIFE EVERLASTING” (or the resurrection of life).. Gal 6:3-6.

Again we have here a vivid description of the two resurrections. The word “corruption” here comes from the Greek PHTHORA which is derived from PHTHEIRO the word that is used when Paul said that God shall “destroy” the defiled temples. PHTHORA indicates a state of “decay”. Thus Paul is simply telling us over and over again that if our mind is centered on carnal things we will return not to some state of immortality, but will “reap corruption” or decay.

Paul even goes so far as to warn us to not be deceived for God is not mocked on this matter. He further says that “flesh and blood CANNOT inherit the kingdom of God; neither doeth corruption (obviously referred to here as flesh and blood) inherit incorruption.” I Cor 15:50.

Here the “corruption” that we reap is, identified as “flesh and blood”. This is only logical since all flesh and blood is proceeding toward death and decay. After all Paul said that the corruption would be reaped “of the flesh”.

Since flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God that simply means that if we fall short of it we will be “born again” in this state of “corruption” or flesh and blood. Flesh and blood is the resurrection of KRISIS and we must come back again and a gain and inherit this corruption until we have “corrected” all of our mistakes and attain the resurrection of life or “the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” Eph 4:13

Jesus was subtly referring to the resurrection of KRISIS when he said: “Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.” Matt 5:26

No orthodox Christian has ever answered this question: If we reap according to how we have sowed and if we “of the flesh reap corruption” and we die before we have reaped all that is due us, then how can we reap “of the flesh” with no flesh? How can we reap corruption if there is no corruption?

The only answer is reincarnation. We must return to mortality if we are to reap corruption in the flesh. Is there another way to fulfill the scripture without mocking God? Verily no.

The principle of reaping as we sow is repeated many times in the Bible. Jesus said: “ALL they that take the sword shall PERISH with the sword.” Matt 26:52. Now it is obvious that many people in history have slain with the sword, yet died a peaceful death. Why then did Jesus use the word “all”? Why did he say these words to Peter in an effort to get him to put away his sword and cease his attack on the angry mob? Obviously, if Peter went forth and killed with the sword then he would have to reap what he sowed and come back (even if it was a future life) and reap destruction by a sword or some similar destructive weapon.

This is confirmed in the thirteenth chapter of Revelations where we are told about the Anti-Christ who will slay all those who will not worship his image and will have power over the Saints. Here the saints are told why they must suffer: “He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword MUST be killed with the sword. HERE IS THE PATIENCE AND THE FAITH OF THE SAINTS.” Rev 13:10

In other words, the reason the patience and the faith of the saints is tested so is because of mistakes they made in past lives. In previous lives they killed with the sword as Peter wanted to do. They also lead others into captivity even as did Paul before his conversion. Thus when the saints are persecuted they are often reaping what they have sowed in previous lives. This answers the eternal question as to why some of the best people must suffer so. They are paying off debts from a past era when they were not so good. When one becomes a disciple of Christ he must pay the “utter most farthing”, for Jesus said: “Everyone shall be salted with fire.” Mark 9:49

This principle was further emphasized by the Lord’s own mouth to Noah: “And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man’s brother will I require the life of man. Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, BY MAN SHALL HIS BLOOD BE SHED: for in the image of God made he man.” Gen 9:5-6

Of course, there have been many who have shed blood who have not reaped what they have sowed. But remember “God will not be mocked” and let the person escape the punishment he has decreed. He will be reborn and “of the flesh” reap his just reward with interest.

The principle of rebirth also helps us to understand the dialog that God had with Cain: [God said to Cain:] “A fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth… [And Cain said:] I shall be a fugitive and vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that everyone that findeth me shall slay me.” Gen 4:12-14

Notice here that Cain expects to be slain more than once. Also study the Lord’s response: “And the Lord said unto him, therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him SEVENFOLD. And the Lord set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.” Gen 4:15

There are several things that do not make sense here without re incarnation. First, Cain was told he would be a fugitive and vagabond in the earth, but instead the scripture tells us that he settled in the land of Nod and built a city named Enoch. (See Gen 4:16-17) It sounds as if Cain was fairly settled in that life. One would have to stretch the imagination to call him a fugitive and vagabond in the earth so how could the decree of God be fulfilled? Reincarnation is a possible answer. It’s quite probable that Cain has been reborn a number of times and has been a vagabond in the earth more than once.

Cain also made the interesting statement: “Everyone, that findeth me shall slay me.” indicating he expected to be slain more than once. But the scriptures give no indication that Cain died other than a natural death in that life.

Finally we are told that whoever kills Cain will have vengeance taken on him “sevenfold”. The question arises: How do you take seven fold vengeance on murder? If a killer is put to death then the vengeance is merely onefold; yet, short of torture, that is the worst punishment that can be inflicted. Taking this into consideration how else can the Lord take vengeance “sevenfold” on murder unless the man gives his life seven times?

In other words, if a man kills Cain, or possibly one of his descendants, thinking he deserves it then he would have to forfeit his life in seven different lifetimes to pay for the deed. That seems like a stiff punishment, but we probably do not know the whole story here.

We are told that a terrible reaping will be given out to those who change the revelations of God: “For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book (the book of Revelations), If any man shall add unto these things, God shall ADD unto him THE PLAGUES that are written in this book. Rev. 22:18

Now for an interesting question… Why did John warn those in the first century that if they added extra words to his book that they would suffer the plagues, which plagues would not come upon the earth for another two thousand years? How could a scribe living in the first century (who commits the sin of adding words to John’s book) suffer the plagues unless he were here reborn thousands of years later?

The plagues from the Book of Revelation include such things as men dying of waters that are polluted, men being killed by the symbolic beast, men being scorched by the heat of the sun. people receiving sores over their bodies and numerous others.

How could a person from the first century possibly receive these physical plagues unless he is here, born again in a physical body???

We also find that those who have shed the blood of saints and the prophets in past ages will come back and suffer the plagues: “And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and upon the fountains of waters; and they became blood. And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus. FOR THEY HAVE SHED THE BLOOD OF SAINTS AND PROPHETS, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.” Rev. 16:4-6

It seems only fair that those who have shed the blood of the prophets through the ages will have to come back and reap the harvest of their deeds by drinking blood in a future lifetime.

Copyright by J J Dewey

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Reincarnation and the Bible, Part 3

Joseph Dewey
This entry is part 3 of 5 in the series Reincarnation & the Bible

PROOF THAT MAN EXISTED BEFORE BIRTH

The orthodox Christian believes that man began at birth, but after that point in time he will live on endlessly never dying again. In other words, before birth for every person there is a total blank. He was nothing. He did not exist.

To begin with this is a mathematical impossibility. If a line has a beginning and no end then it extends in to infinity. Every mathematics class teaches that one half of infinity is still infinity. In other words, if a thing has no end mathematically it has to have no beginning. Nothing exists in nature which has no end unless it had no beginning. Anything in nature that has a beginning can be proven to have an end.

A ring provides a good example of this principle. It is circular and has no beginning and no ending point. On the other hand, if one puts a slit in it one will have both a beginning and an end. Nevertheless, it is impossible to cut or mold the ring in such a fashion as to produce an object with a beginning but no end. Such a form does not exist anywhere because one half of infinity is still infinity.

Those who believe in reincarnation recognize the fact that the body of form we live in has both a beginning and an end, but there is within us an intelligent part of God that is one with God and never had a beginning or end. Paul talks about this and calls it “eternal” which would mean without beginning or end: “The things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle (the physical body) were dissolved, we have a building of God, (our Spirits) an house not made with hands, ETERNAL in the heavens.” II Cor 4:18; 5:1.

Here we are clearly told that if the body were dissolved we will yet have an “eternal” house to live in, or that eternal part of ourselves we call the Spirit. If it is eternal as Paul says then it existed before birth for that which is everlasting has neither beginning or end.

Paul tells us that this eternal part of us is connected with the Heavens. No wonder Jesus told us that “The kingdom of God is within”.

Paul mentions again this spirit: “I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, “whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether OUT OF THE BODY, I cannot tell: God knoweth) such an one caught up to the third heaven.” II Cor 12:2.

Paul’s out of body experience is really not that unusual for now that mankind has ceased burning out-of-the-ordinary persons at the stake people are talking more-about their spiritual experiences. Many who have experienced the near death state have re ported actually leaving their bodies in the spirit and returning with an accurate memory of all the conversations of the doctors and nurses.

Some who have gone through this report that their spirit body is connected to their physical by a silver cord of great elasticity. Many believe that death occurs when this silver cord is severed. Interestingly, the Bible makes reference to this: “Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel be broken at the cistern. Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall RETURN unto God who gave it.” ECCL. 12:6-7

Evidently Solomon had knowledge of the silver cord which connects the spirit and body as well as the golden bowl which is a golden etheric life energy (invisible to the untrained eye) which ceases or is “broken” also at death. The broken pitcher and wheel describe a cessation of bodily functions.

Next we are told that at death the spirit “returns” to God. One may object here and say that if there is reincarnation then why doesn’t the spirit go to a new body. The objector forgets that there is always a resting space between lives and during this interim period the spirit returns to God.

The word “return” here is a powerful proof for a premortal existence. If all that which is us began at birth how can we return to God? If orthodox Christian thought is true all we could return to would be nothingness. We can only return to God if we came from God and we can only come from the presence of God if we had some form of existence with him before birth.

The scriptures reveal that the Lord knew numerous people before they were born. Concerning Jacob and Esau he said: “The Elder shall serve the younger.” Gen 25:23 Eve said of Cain: “I have gotten a man FROM the Lord.” Gen 4:1 Another good example comes from Jeremiah: “Then came the word of the Lord unto me saying, Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. Jer 1:4-5

Concerning himself Isaiah said: “The Lord called me from (can be translated ‘before’) the womb; and from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name.” Isa 49:1

Of John the Baptist it is written: “There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.” John 1:6

Evidently The Lord knew Paul before his birth for he said: “He (Paul) is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.” This was spoken before Paul began his work. Paul also wrote that God “set me apart from (or before) birth and called me through his grace.” Gal 1:15 New English. We are told that the saints are written in “the book of life from the foundation of the world.” Rev. 17:8

In addition we are supposed to be “In hope of eternal life which God who cannot lie promised BEFORE the world began.” Titus 1:2 How did God promise eternal life to us before the world began if we were not there? It would be silly for God to make promises to nothingness.

The scriptures seem to make it crystal clear that people existed, were called, ordained, and had promises made to them before they were born. It makes it amazing to see the objections that come forth. The objector says that Jeremiah and others were not in existence before they were born, but they were in God’s mind like an architect has a building in his mind. Therefore, they feel it was like God “sanctified”, “ordained”, “knew”, and “promised” to a blueprint. The argument sounds very weak to anyone who thinks about it. One doesn’t have to “Wrest” the scriptures when he merely accepts them the way they read.

The Bible gives us powerful evidence that Job was with God before he was born. In chapter 38 God is reprimanding Job for questioning his wisdom and sovereignty and reminds him of works and events which he is supposed to already be aware of. He tells Job that he will demand an answer of him evidently aware that Job should know the answer to the following: “Where was thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou hast understanding…When the morning stars sang together, and all the SONS OF GOD shouted for joy?” Job 38:4~6.

Who are the “sons of God”? The scriptures give a clear answer. John the beloved said: “WE are the sons of God…” I John 3:2

It is only fitting that we should be called the “sons of God” for he is called the Father of our spirits in Heb 12:9 Paul also said: “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that WE are the children of God.” Rom. 8:16

Since Job was one of the sons of God and “ALL the sons of God shouted for joy” at the foundation of the earth then Job had to be there shouting for joy with them. Evidently, the sons of God (which included you and me) were rejoicing over the planet that was prepared for us to inhabit.

Who are the “morning stars (that) sang together”? They were the lightbringers and the prophets to the people of earth with the Christ being at the head. Jesus said: “I AM … the bright and morning star.” Rev 22:16 Others will be given the morning star and evidently become morning stars them selves in a future round. (See Rev. 2:28)

The writer of Proverbs gives us a definite confirmation that the sons of men were present at the foundation of the world. The voice speaking in the eighth chapter of Proverbs is identified as wisdom and understanding. In other words, the wisdom and understanding of God has always been in existence and Solomon writes of it as if it were an entity: “Doth not wisdom cry? and under standing put forth her voice?”

After explaining some of the attributes of wisdom the writer emphasizes how long wisdom has been around and how eternal she is: “The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth: While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world. When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth: When he established the clouds above: When he strengthened the fountains of the deep: When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: When he appointed the foundations of the earth: Then I was by him as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him; rejoicing in the habitable part of HIS EARTH; and my delights were WITH THE SONS OF MEN. ” Prov 8:1,22-31.

This scripture makes it clear that when God promised us “eternal life…before the world began” (Titus 1.2) that he was not merely speaking to blueprints, but the “sons of men” were with him in “the habitable part of HIS EARTH.” Evidently, we dwelt on another earth in another time where the wisdom of God was manifested. Here the Bible clearly tells us that the sons of men are very ancient beings.

Orthodox people will not like the above interpretation, but they can produce no argument against it. It must be frustrating for them to even read it.

This Proverbs scripture, however, helps us understand numerous scriptures from the New Testament. For instance, Paul said: “For whom he did fore know he did predestinate.” Peter said that the Saints were “elect according to the foreknowledge of God.” Evidently God gained this “foreknowledge” of us “in the habitable part of his (God’s) earth”.

Another powerful witness that we have had a pre-mortal existence comes from the eleventh chapter of Hebrews. This is a famous chapter on the faith of the prophets (the Morning Stars) on the promises of God. One of the most interesting promises God has made concerns the heavenly city of the New Jerusalem. In describing this city John said he “saw the holy city of the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband ( Jesus Christ). And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the TABERNACLE OF GOD is with men, and he shall dwell with them…And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.” Rev. 21:2-3,14

It’s quite possible that the new Jerusalem is presently located “in the habitable part of his (God’s) earth.” The author of Hebrews tells the saints who presently dwell there’ “But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the City of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant.” Heb. 12:22-24

From these verses we have quoted we find that the inhabitants of the heavenly city Sion (Zion) or the new Jerusalem are: (1) God (2) The twelve apostles (3) Jesus (4) Angels (5) The general assembly (6) The church of the firstborn (7) The spirits of just men made perfect.

The question naturally arises as to how long the city of the New Jerusalem has been in existence and how long the various types of inhabitants have been there.

Since the New Jerusalem in heaven is the habitation of God one would assume it is very ancient. One thing we know for sure is that it is older than Abraham for the scripture says: “He (Abraham) looked for a city which hath foundations (the twelve apostles of the Lamb), whose builder and maker is God.” Heb. 11:10.

Since Abraham was aware of the foundations of the city and the foundations had in them the “names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb” it is natural to assume that the twelve apostles lived in the city from the days of Abraham or earlier.

The writer of Hebrews tells us concretely that Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sara, Noah, Enoch, and Able all lived in the Heavenly New Jerusalem before they were born: “These (those just named) all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were STRANGERS AND PILGRIMS ON THE EARTH. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country (‘country’ is from the Greek PATRIS which literally means FATHERLAND and figuratively means: Heavenly Home) And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. (If they were looking for any country on the earth they would have had no trouble finding and returning to it). But now they desire a better country, THAT IS AN HEAVENLY: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them A CITY.” (The New Jerusalem) Heb. 11:13-16.

This interesting scripture deserves a closer examination. First, the prophets are called “strangers and pilgrims on the earth.” This is significant because both words imply that they originated somewhere else besides the earth.

“Strangers” comes from the Greek XENOS and means “foreigner” or “alien”. “Pilgrim” comes from PAREPIDEMOS and literally means “resident foreigner”.

No matter which translation one uses a previous existence is indicated here. For instance if a man were a stranger in New York it means he had an existence and residence in another city before he arrived there.

The prophets are “strangers” on the earth; therefore, they lived somewhere else before they lived here.

If a man is a foreigner or an alien in the United States then he had to have a true citizenship in another country before he arrived here.

Therefore, if the prophets are foreigners or aliens on the earth, then their true citizenship belongs to another country that they originated from before they were born.

The pilgrims who arrived at Plymouth Rock did not originate in America but came from a distant land. They had a pre-America existence.

The prophets are called “Pilgrims on the earth” meaning that they had a “pre-mortal” existence. A pilgrim is a traveler who comes from somewhere else.

The next verse makes it crystal clear that the choice of these words was no accident. We’ll quote it using the more accurate translation of “fatherland” instead of “country”: “For they that say such things (that they are strangers and pilgrims) declare plainly that they SEEK A FATHERLAND.” Verse 14

It’s amazing that this scripture is not universally accepted as proving that the prophets lived before they were born for the writer says that it is “declare(d) plainly” that those who say they are strangers and pilgrims on the earth are seeking a Fatherland, or an origination point that they could have only lived in before they were born.

The next verse puts a seal on this point: “And truly, if they had been mindful of that country (fatherland) from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.” verse 15.

In other words, if their originating country was on the earth they could have returned to it while in the flesh. They were in an unfortunate position in that they were citizens of a Father land that was not on the earth, and that they could only return to after they died.

The next verse elaborates this: “But now they desire a better country, that is an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God for he hath prepared for them a city.” (the New Jerusalem) Verse 16.

The prophets all sought the day when the heavens and the earth would come together and their Fatherland, the New Jerusalem, would descend on the earth so the tabernacle of God would be with men, and the prophets would no longer be strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

John talks of those whose names are “written in the book of life from the foundation of the world.” Rev 17:8 Most probably these would be those who lived in the heavenly New Jerusalem since that time. Those who are true citizens of the city would have their names recorded there. This record could very well be the book of life, since the inhabitants thereof are living life most abundantly.

Copyright by J J Dewey

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Reincarnation and the Bible, Part 5

Joseph Dewey
This entry is part 5 of 5 in the series Reincarnation & the Bible

INTERESTING SCRIPTURAL EVIDENCE

The great Solomon wrote:  “It is the glory of God to conceal a thing.”  Pro. 25:2  Imagine.  God actually conceals things from us so when his secrets are revealed it will add to his glory.  Jesus said:  “For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known.”  Luke 12:2  Isaiah prophesied:  “The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.”  Isaiah 11:9  Daniel said that at the time of the end “knowledge shall be increased.”  Dan. 12:4.

What are some of the things that God has concealed from us? What are the things “which have been kept secret from the foundations of the world”?  Matt 13:35

Obviously one of the doctrines kept secret is the law of re birth.   Many of the prophets did not openly teach it because they felt the people would misuse the knowledge.  Many people will not try hard in the present if they think they will get a second chance in the future.  The emotionally polarized person  will tend to feel that it is no big deal to waste a lifetime if he has another one coming down the road.  However, the mentally polarized person will use common sense and will not want to waste a month let alone a lifetime.  Thus the Spirit of God has waited until the race of man is more mental, as it is approaching now, before it caused the doctrine to permeate our consciousness.  Most of the prophets, initiates, and wise men of the past, however, have been aware of it, but have used constraint in speaking of it.

There were many things that even Jesus could not speak to his most trusted followers:  “I have many things to say unto you, but ye CANNOT bear them now.” John 16:12

In other words, Jesus knew many things that would be hard for them to accept.  If he would have told them some of the secrets he knew they probably would have thought their master was mad and turned against him.

As it was he revealed more than the Jews could accept and they fought against him.  Even so this treatise will be difficult for many people to accept and they will refuse to believe it even though the truth stares them in the face.  We must mentally force ourselves to remain open and “rejoiceth in the truth; Heareth all things, believeth ALL things, hopeth all things…” I Cor 13:6-7

If we become as a little child and are open to believing all things then we will avoid becoming modern day Pharisees and scribes who fight against truth.  Isaiah declared:  “Wo unto them that call evil good and good evil; that put darkness for light and light for darkness: that put bitter for sweet. and sweet for bitter!” Isa 5:20  Many Christians have formed the non scriptural opinion that reincarnation is evil, but why is this when the doctrine is interspersed  throughout the Bible?  And why do they call it evil when it is such a good and holy doctrine?

Why do they call it “good” if their child fails the first grade and he gets a chance to repeat it so he can honorably go on to the second, yet call it “evil” to consider the thought that if someone fails in one of his lifetimes then God will give him a chance to correct his errors in the “resurrection of correction”? Let us be more consistent than the Jews in the days of Jesus.

Jesus certainly attracted a lot of attention when he began his work and many people were speculating as to who he was.  There were many who actually considered that he may have been one of the prophets born again.  Jesus asked his disciples: “Whom do men say that I the  Son of man am?  And they said, some say that thou art John the Baptist:  some Elias, others Jeremias, or one of the prophets.”  Matt 16:13-14

Notice here that Jesus did not refute this belief in rein carnation, but merely accepted Peter’s answer that he was the Christ.

The apostles evidently believed in reincarnation at the time that they were current disciples of Jesus:   “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?”  John 9:1-2

We see here that the disciples thought that the man who was born blind may have had to suffer so because of a previous sin.  In other words, they thought he may have committed sins in a previous lifetime that led to his present condition. Jesus pointed out that the man was a special case.  He was not born blind because of sin, but so that the works of God  should be manifest.  In other words, the man came with a mission to glorify the works of Christ by the great miracle to his eyes.  Jesus did not, however, say anything to indicate that the disciples belief in a sin before birth was not a possibility.

Many people attribute unusual questions such as these to the ignorance of the apostles.  They believed that Jesus just picked up a handful of uneducated  derelicts and his teachings were all the education they received.  This is not correct. John the Baptist was their first teacher and Jesus called John the greatest prophet in history, partly because he did such a good job in preparing and teaching the disciples.  If the disciples believed in reincarnation (which they undoubtedly did) then they had to first learn it from John.

In the Apocrypha we are warned that the way we live in one life can affect our bodies in a future life:  “Woe to you, ungodly men, who have forsaken the law of the Most High Lord. AND IF YOU BE BORN, (indicating born in a future life) you shall be born in malediction, and if ye die, in malediction shall be your portion.”   Ecclesiasticus 4:11-12  Another example: “And I was a witty child and had received a good soul, and where as  I was more good  (in a previous life), I came to a body undefiled.”  Wisdom 8:19-20

No wonder David wrote:  “Guilt was with me already when my mother conceived me.”  Psalms 51:7 Knox Version  In other words, we have original sin because of previous lives.  “All these things God may do to a man, again and yet again, bringing him BACK FROM THE PIT (death) to enjoy the full light of life.”  Job 33:29-30 New English

No wonder Jesus told a man who had been sick for thirty eight years to “sin no more lest a worse thing come upon thee.” (See John 5:1-9)  If it was any worse than suffering for thirty eight years he would have to pay the  debt in a future life. This also illustrates that sin can result in the punishment of a physical affliction as the apostles believed.

The doctrine of reincarnation teaches us that when we commit any act either good or evil then we must receive a payment for that deed either later in the present life or in a future one. This reward is called Karma.  If we are said to have “good karma” it is indicated that we have paid off most of our bad debts and can now collect on our good ones.  If we have “bad karma” then we have debts coming due that we have to pay for.  Jesus confirmed this doctrine when he said “he shall reward every man according to his works.”  Matt 16:27

John also wrote the words of an angel:  “Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord…their  works do FOLLOW them.”  Rev  14:13

Again he said:  “They  (the dead) were judged every man ac cording to their works.”  Rev 20:13

If the dead are judged according to their works and their works follow them then the doctrine of karma coincides perfectly with the Bible.  There are some works that could only follow us if there were future lives on the earth awaiting.  Either killing or saving physical lives would fit in this category.

One may naturally wonder about the fate of those who crucified our Lord.  What is their destiny?  How could they possibly pay for their sin?  What punishment could be fitting enough to recompense such an evil deed?

This is one of the most interesting thoughts of the entire range of the scriptures and amazingly the question is answered with startling  clarity.

First, we know they will be forgiven because Jesus requested it.  On the cross he said:  “Father forgive them; for they know not what they do.”  Luke 23:34

Later Peter was preaching to these Jews and said:  “Ye denied the Holy One and the Just…and killed the Prince of life… Repent ye therefore, and be converted,  that your sins may be blotted out, WHEN THE TIMES OF REFRESHING SHALL COME FROM THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD.   And he shall send Jesus Christ (speaking of the second coming), which before was preached unto you.  whom the heaven must receive (hold – Greek) until the times of restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.”  Acts 3:14-15,19-21

We are told that the heavens must hold Jesus until all things are restored that was spoken of by the prophets.  Reincarnation is one of those things for many of the teachings about the doctrine of rebirth were taken out of the church in the days of Constantine.

Peter told those who crucified the Lord to repent but told them that they would not receive forgiveness in this life, but in the times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord or at the time of the second coming.  Why do they have to wait  until then?  Because no one can repent unless they realize they are wrong and the Bible goes on to tell us that these murderers will not realize they are wrong until they see their Lord again.

They certainly did not believe the first time he told them who he was:  “And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God.  Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said:  nevertheless, I say unto you, Hereafter SHALL YE SEE the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.”  Matt 26:63-64

No wonder Peter promised forgiveness at the second coming because those who put him to death will see him coming in the clouds.

John the Revelator makes this point clear beyond dispute: “Behold, he cometh with the clouds; and every eye shall see him, AND THEY ALSO WHICH PIERCED HIM (The Jews in 34 AD):  and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him.”  Rev 1:17

At the second coming they will finally be able to be for given because they will realize they made a great mistake: “They (The Jews of 34 AD who will be reborn for the second coming) shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his first born.”  Zech 12:10

There is perhaps no punishment greater than coming face to face with a great error and having to accept the truth whether you want to or not.  When Jesus comes again the ancient Jews reborn will definitely recognize him for who he is.  They will also see their blindness in their current lives, but it is also quite possible that their memory of their past lives in the days of Jesus will return to them so they can feel the enormity of their shame.  After two thousand years they will realize they killed their Savior.

Jesus spoke further of this:  “And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.  But the Children of the kingdom (the Jews 34 AD) shall be cast out into outer darkness:  there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”  Matt 8: 11-12

When the reincarnated Jews (and they may not be Jews in this life) face their rude awakening they will weep and gnash their teeth in despair and disgust with themselves and may not feel worthy or ready for the teachings of Christ for sometime.  Forgiveness is promised them at the second coming, but apparently they have to go through some anguish (and who knows what  else) first.

Our prayer should be that we will not be caught in the same predicament as the ancient Jews where the blind were following the blind and refused to examine any doctrine that was not approved by authorities.  Let us be open as a little child and be pre pared to “believe ALL things” so when the Christ  does come again we will not be  caught without our wedding garment.

Jesus taught a very important principle:  “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened unto you.  For EVERY ONE that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.  Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?  Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, HOW MUCH MORE shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?”  Matt 7:7-11

Indeed.  We know how to give good gifts to our children, and whenever they ask for any good thing no matter how bad they have previously been, we will go out of our way to give it to them. We would not consider saying to our children:  “I will forgive you for a certain time period, and then no more for all eternity.”

Hypocrites!  They think they are more righteous than God, that they will go to greater extremes to save their children than God will for us.  NO NO NO!!!  The opposite is true.  God knows how to give better gifts than we do and when we ask for a good thing he is committed to give it to us.  He has put no time limit on it.  He did not say ask only until you die but merely ASK. Period.  If we ask during this life, the space between lives, or in the next life, then he is our committed Father waiting with love to respond and has devised a plan where we can all receive a second chance because a father (that is a loving Father) will ALWAYS give his children a second chance, and a third, and a forth…etc.

One should feel good about contemplating the doctrine of reincarnation, especially when thinking of all those who died in ignorance of the gospel, many who may be good friends, loved ones, or family.  It is scriptural to believe the following: If we wish our loved ones could achieve salvation, then God wishes something better and has complete power to carry out his will. “God having provided something better for us, that they (the dead) WITHOUT US should not be made perfect.”  Heb 11:40

The dead and the living have a karma that is intertwined and we must both work together in the flesh again to correct all of our problems and the problems of the planet.  We shall all rise again and work together and be perfected until the “last enemy” of death is destroyed and we achieve immortality or the resurrection of eternal life.

Copyright by J J Dewey

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Reincarnation and Mormonism, Part 1

Joseph Dewey
This entry is part 1 of 6 in the series Reincarnation & Mormonism

ONE LIFE OR MANY?

“Great God!   Where is common sense and reason?  Is there none on the earth?” exclaimed a somewhat frustrated Joseph Smith as he was trying to drill the simplest logic into the minds of the saints.  (See Documentary History of the Church Vol 5:297)

He also said: “There has been great difficulty in getting anything into the heads of this generation.  It has been like splitting hemlock knots with a corn-dodger for a wedge, and a pumpkin for a beetle.  Even the saints are slow to understand.  I have tried for a number of years to get the minds of the saints prepared to receive the things of God; but we frequently see some of them, after suffering all they have for the work of God, WILL  FLY TO PIECES LIKE GLASS as soon as anything comes that is CONTRARY TO THEIR TRADITIONS:  they cannot stand the  fire at all.  How many will be able to abide a celestial law, and go through and receive their exaltation, I am unable to say, as many are called, but few are chosen.”  DHC 6:183-185

Here we see Joseph’s feelings after trying to teach the simplest truths.  Imagine the difficulty he would have had if he had taught about reincarnation.   We will show that he believed in the doctrine, but wisely kept it to himself for this was one of the hidden mysteries that he dared not reveal.

The teaching of reincarnation as presented here is truly a two edged sword.  Members of the Mormon Church cannot be luke warm to this revealed concept.  They will either delight in the truth of this glorious revelation, or fight with all their strength to denounce it as a doctrine of the devil.

This article will prove beyond refutation that the latter simply cannot be done!  All truth is logical and we will show without doubt from the scriptures and the words of the prophets that the holy doctrine of reincarnation provides the only possible solution to the dilemma regarding the injustices among men and the salvation of  his eternal soul.

Will good LDS members fly apart like glass as the true doctrine of eternal lives is now clearly presented, or will they open their hearts and minds and let the Holy Spirit of God verify these things to them as it has to us?

We’ll begin with two well known statements made by Joseph Smith that strongly indicate that he knew of the doctrine of multiple lives, but felt it would be disaster to express it publicly.  To the Twelve he said:  “Would to God, brethren, I could tell you WHO I AM!  Would to God I could tell you what I know!  But you would call it blasphemy and want to take my life.” (Life of Heber C. Kimball; Page 333)

On Sunday, April 7, 1844, just two  months before  his martyrdom he gave one of his strongest public hints to the fact that he had previous lives he could not reveal.  This was his finest hour as he addressed twenty thousand Saints on the character of God at the funeral of King Follett.  At the end of this, one of his last sermons on the earth, he said:  “NO MAN KNOWS MY HISTORY.  I CANNOT TELL IT.  I shall never undertake it.  I don’t blame anyone for not believing my history.  If I  had not experienced what I have, I would have not believed it myself…When I am called by the trump of the  archangel and weighed in the balance, YOU WILL ALL KNOW ME THEN.   I add no more.  God bless you all.  Amen”  [Documentary History of the Church; Vol 6:  Page 317]

What was there in his history that “no man” knew and that he could not tell?  Why would those closest to him want to take his life if he revealed himself?   These were indeed strange statements from the Prophet for many were quite familiar with his history as Joseph Smith.  In fact,  he insisted on having a scribe  by his side at all times for the purpose of keeping an exact historical  record.  Whatever it was in his history that he was holding back was never clearly revealed to the church in his age or in the present age.  One thing we do know for sure, however, is that it would have been startling.

What would the saints  have done if he had said something like this? “Brethren, I wish to reveal myself unto you.  Keeping this within myself has been a heavy burden and I wish to unload it.  Let me read you a verse from Daniel, chapter twelve, verses ten and thirteen concerning a promise to this man:  ‘Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly:  and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand… But go thy way until the end be:  for thou shalt rest, AND STAND IN THY LOT AT THE END OF DAYS.’

“Here we are told, brethren, that there are many things to transpire in the latter days that only the wise will understand, so use wisdom,  and know that the prophecy made to Daniel is now fulfilled and will yet be fulfilled in a greater measure for Daniel is here standing before you, only he is now known as Brother Joseph.  Before my life as Daniel, I reigned as King David, and before that I was Joseph who was sold into Egypt.  In more recent history I was Mormon, so you see that when Moroni appeared to me he was not working with any stranger.

“This is not all.  I am a stranger and pilgrim to this planet and have lived in other star systems in ages past where I learned the lessons necessary to fulfill my mission on the earth which encompasses not only past lives,  and the present, but future lives as well…“

We ask you.  Would a revelation such as that have evoked a response or not?   The reaction would have been violent.  The brethren would have been so shocked and angry that they would have decided that Joseph would have to be silenced to save the honor of the church, and they would have killed him in the name of the Kingdom of God

Unfortunately, the time was not ripe to reveal the doctrine of reincarnation, or “eternal lives”  as Joseph called it, for the people would have hardened their hearts to that truth and it would have hindered the church of God.  The Prophet realized this when he stated:  “It is not always wise to relate all truth.”  DHC 6:608.

He also said: “The design of the great God in sending us into this world, and organizing us to prepare us for the eternal worlds, I SHALL KEEP IN MY OWN BOSOM at present.”   DHC 5:403

In addition he said:  “I have NEVER had the opportunity to give them (the saints) the plan that God has revealed to me.”  DHC 3:286

Now the average Mormon believes he has a pretty good grasp of the plan of salvation and the reason for his mortal existence, but the founder, Joseph Smith, said he was not even able to reveal it.  Therefore, none of the members of the church today are even aware of “the design of the great God in sending us into this world” for that design includes a series of rebirths until each of us eventually attains perfection..

Joseph also refused to elaborate on the conversation of Jesus and Nicodemus when he was asked the meaning of  “Except a man be born of water  and the spirit?” (See DHC 5:325)

Are not we all aware that this merely refers to baptism and the receiving of the Holy Ghost? Members in Joseph’s time were also aware of this.  Therefore, what interpretation of this scripture was Joseph keeping from us?

Let us review it and see: Jesus was talking with Nicodemus and said: “Except a man be BORN AGAIN, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

“Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old?  Can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?  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.  That which is born of flesh  is flesh; and that which is born of Spirit is spirit.  Marvel not that I said unto thee, ye must be born again.  The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and wither it goeth:  so is everyone that is born of the Spirit.

“Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?

“Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master in Israel, and knowest not these things?” John 3:3-10

Jesus began the conversation  by making the point blank statement that a man must be  born again to see the kingdom and Nicodemus immediately  assumed he was referring to some kind of physical rebirth.  Jesus did not deny this, but began to elaborate and tell Nicodemus that a person must go through two rebirths to see the kingdom of God.

The first rebirth is of the flesh.  A person born in the flesh is “born of water”,  for before birth a baby is completely submerged in water in the mother’s womb.  Baptism is given as a symbol of rebirth,  or reincarnation, but the real meaning here that Joseph was hesitant to reveal is that the physical kingdom  of God was not to manifest in the days of Jesus and one must be born again in the flesh (reincarnated in a future age) to see it.

Jesus also said that the kingdom of God is within us.  This is the Spiritual kingdom, and to see this one must be born again of the Spirit and receive the Holy Ghost.  Those who are born of the Spirit are like the wind, said Jesus.  You can’t tell where they come from or where they go.

What did he mean by this?  It is quite simple.  Those who are born of the Spirit as was Jesus and the prophets show up among mankind unexpectedly and the people they confront are confounded.  They wonder who they are, where they came from, and where they got their  great knowledge.  To ordinary people these avatars are like the wind.   They hear them and marvel, but don’t know where they came from or where they are going.  People are not aware when they are confronted by an advanced being that is born of the Spirit because their identities are hid as they are born again in new bodies from life to life.

Those who are born again are free to come and go on the earth as they choose as Jesus hinted at: “I am the door:  by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, AND SHALL GO IN AND OUT (of physical bodies like the wind) and find pasture.”  John 10:9

Those who are not born again are dragged in and out of mortality with little choice as to where and when they will be born.  A true disciple of Jesus has a great advantage in being able to plan his life and mission on the earth.

Nicodemus was astounded by this doctrine of Jesus.  He knew he was talking about something deeper than ordinances and exclaimed:  “How can these things be?  Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?”

If Jesus appeared to the modern day authorities in the Mormon Church and taught reincarnation would not they exclaim as Nicodemus:  “How can these things be?”

His ancient answer would still be appropriate:  “Art thou masters in Israel, and knowest not these things?”

Fortunately we are approaching: “A time to come in the which NOTHING shall be withheld, whether there be one God or many Gods, they shall be manifest.  All thrones and dominions, principalities and powers, shall be revealed and set forth upon all who have endured valiantly for the gospel of Jesus Christ.”  D&C  121:28-29   “…All shall know me, who remain, even from the least unto the greatest, and shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord.”  D&C 84:98  “And their wisdom shall be great, and their understanding reach to heaven.”  D&C 76:9  “For precept MUST be upon precept.”  Isa 28:10

Copyright by J J Dewey

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Reincarnation and Mormonism, Part 2

Joseph Dewey
This entry is part 2 of 6 in the series Reincarnation & Mormonism

DOCTRINE OF THE DEVIL?

The belief that reincarnation is the doctrine of the devil can be traced to a statement the Prophet Joseph recorded in church history.   In November 1835 a man who went by the name of Joshua paid a visit to the Prophet.  The man evidently had some truth for Joseph said he made some “excellent remarks”.   However, he was suspicious of him and discovered that he was Robert Matthias of New York who had endured trials for “murder, manslaughter, contempt of court, whipping his daughter, etc”  Despite this Joseph entertained him for a few days and finally asked him to enlighten him “on his views respecting the resurrection.”

Matthias made four statements:   (1)  He was a literal descendant of Matthias, the apostle of Jesus.  (2)  The spirit of Matthias was resurrected in him.  (3)  The scheme of eternal life was the transmigration of the spirit from father to son.  (4)  He was the Spirit of Truth itself and possessed the soul of Christ.

To this Joseph Smith said: “I told him that his doctrine was of the devil, that he was in reality in possession of a wicked and depraved spirit.”   Joseph pressed him to leave and upon his departing he said:  “And so I, for once, cast out the devil in bodily shape, and I believe a murderer.”  DHC 2:304-307

Let’s examine the four statements of Matthias and see if Joseph Smith was correct about him.  The first statement is the only one that may be true.  It is remotely possible that he was a descendant of the apostle.  Presumedly he merely assumed such because that was his last name.

On point two it’s very unlikely that he possessed the spirit of Matthias, or was Matthias reincarnated because the apostle Matthias was a just and holy man; whereas Robert Matthias was a suspected murderer and wife beater.  People generally make progress from life to life, not go backward.

Number three is also false doctrine since the scheme of things is not to have one’s spirit passed down from father to son.  One is often reincarnated in a body unrelated to a previous life.  Eventually we will incarnate on other worlds.

Number four is also false; he certainly did not possess the soul of Christ.

Interestingly, we who believe the true doctrine of reincarnation can say along with the Prophet Joseph that the teaching of Robert Matthias is the doctrine of the devil, or from a deceptive source.

A second major objection to reincarnation comes from a misunderstanding of the doctrine.  Many think that anyone who believes in the teaching fear they will come back as a cow, a dog, or even a rock.  This is simply not so.  We use a series of embodiments to gain the experience and knowledge necessary to take us from the man to the God kingdom.  Thus we are in a constant state of eternal progression.

An exception would be a wicked person who  refuses learn from his mistakes.  Concerning this man  Brigham Young said that  “They will be THROWN BACK TO THEIR NATIVE ELEMENT from which they originated, TO BE WORKED OVER AGAIN.”  Journal of Discourses 2:12

“When the elements in an organized form do not fill the end of their creation, THEY ARE THROWN BACK AGAIN, like brother Kimball’s old pottery ware, to be ground up, AND MADE OVER AGAIN.”  Journal of Discourses Vol 1; Page 275.

The sons of perdition, according to Brigham Young, will have to begin their progression all over again and to get back to where we are now will take  “Myriads of years.”

This conforms to the  doctrine of reincarnation which is this:  That we reincarnate again and again on the earth until we manifest God.  On the other hand, those who are very selfish and evil cut themselves completely off from the Spirit of God and are broken down to their native element and eventually begin their progression over again on another physical world ages and ages hence.

The third major objection to multiple lives comes from the Bible.  In Hebrews 9:27 we read: “And as it is appointed unto man once to die, but after this the judgement.”

The “once to die” sounds like an absolute statement not open to debate until we realize that it is boldly contradicted by the scriptures themselves: “Broad is the gate, and wide the way that leadeth to THE DEATHS…”  D&C 132:25

“They (the dead) were judged every man according to their works.  And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire.  THIS IS THE SECOND DEATH.   And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast (to suffer a second death) into the lake of fire.”  Rev 20:12-15

Modern day revelation sheds further light on exactly what the second death is: “Wherefore, I the Lord God, caused that he should be cast out from the Garden of Eden, from my presence, because of his transgression, wherein he became spiritually dead, which is the FIRST DEATH EVEN THE SAME DEATH WHICH IS THE LAST DEATH, which is spiritual, which shall be pronounced on the wicked when I  shall say:  Depart ye cursed.”  D&C 29:41

What was the first death???  It was being cut off from the presence of God and being placed in a state of probation in a MORTAL STATE subject to death and disease.  We are told here with startling clarity that the last or second death is the same as the first.  Therefore, those who suffer the second death will be (1)  Cut off from the presence of God and (2) Suffer disease and PHYSICAL DEATH all over again. If that is not reincarnation we do not know what is.

After we are told that man only dies once the scripture says “BUT after this the judgement.”  The word “but” comes from the Greek ALLA which literally means contrariwise. In other words, it indicates that the information that is forthcoming may contradict that which has just been said.

That would  mean that “after this the judgement” may have an opposite meaning to “it is appointed unto men once to die”.  It would indicate an exception as in the sentence:  “I rise every morning at 8:00 A.M., except when the alarm does not go off.”

We shall see that when we examine the Greek word for “judgement” that the second half of the sentence does indeed contradict the first.

The word  “judgement”  here comes from the Greek word KRISIS. This is one of the most misunderstood words in the entire Bible.  Translators don’t quite seem to know how to handle it and have rendered it according to their bias rather than the actual meaning.  In the King James version it is translated as: accusation, condemnation, damnation, and judgement, but none of these portrays the word accurately.

The modern English word “crisis” (which is derived from the Greek word KRISIS) is a more accurate rendering than the Bible translations.  The actual Greek word implies a decision that brings correction. It is hard to give the meaning of this word with one English word, but the word “correction”  would probably be the closest.

The best scripture to help us understand the KRISIS is from John  5:28-29:   “The hour is coming in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation (KRISIS).”

Here Jesus divides all resurrections into two categories.  The first he calls the “resurrection of life” and the second “the resurrection of  damnation”.  “Damnation” is a mistranslation.  The Greek KRISIS is more correctly rendered “correction” or “judgement that forces  correction” and generally refers to the second resurrection.

Taking this into consideration let us retranslate Hebrews 9:27: “And as it is appointed  unto mankind  once to be dying, but on the other hand, after this comes (the resurrection of) correction.”

Paul also said that God “will have ALL MEN to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.”  I Tim 2:4  Is God’s will not all powerful?  Does he not have power to fulfill it?  Therefore, will not all men eventually  be saved and return to his presence?  If not then God is powerless, which thing can never be.

The resurrection of  life, or “endless lives” as Joseph called it,  is not as easy to attain as people think.  We are told that in  the days of Paul “only” Jesus had attained immortality. (See I Tim 6:15-16) Paul also tells us that he had not attained it because he was not yet perfect: “If by any means I might ATTAIN unto the resurrection of the dead.  Not as though I had already attained, either were already PERFECT:  but I follow after.”  Phil 3:11-128

The writings of Joseph Smith are in perfect harmony with Paul.  In fact, he makes the resurrection of life sound even more difficult to attain.  Most Latter-Day Saints assume that when they are exalted they will automatically receive the resurrection, but obviously they have not read the teachings of their founder:  “You have got to learn how to be Gods yourselves, and to be kings and priests to God, the same as all Gods have done before you, namely by going from one small degree to another, and from a small  capacity to a great one; from grace to grace, FROM EXALTATION TO EXALTATION, UNTIL YOU ATTAIN TO THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD.”  DHC 6:306

We  not only have to be exalted once, but a number of times before we overcome death.  After all Paul said: “The LAST enemy that shall be destroyed is death.”  I Cor 15: Concerning those  who receive an exaltation it is written  “And they SHALL (not have) overcome all things.” D&C 76:60 Thus even after one receives an exaltation he has to overcome many things, and the LAST thing to overcome is death,  and this only occurs after passing through numerous exaltations.

All those who have not passed through numerous exaltations will therefore attain another type of resurrection called the resurrection of KRISIS or correction.  These are the inhabitants of the telestial, terrestial, and some of the celestial kingdom, but    not the sons of perdition.  These sons of perdition will attain no resurrection in this sphere of activity, but will be sent back to  their native element to start all over again.

The scriptures tell us that the celestial inhabitants can choose whether or not to be subjected to death or endless life:  :”Wherefore, all things are theirs, whether LIFE OR DEATH, or things present, or things to come, all are theirs and they are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.”  D&C 76:59

This is a very subtle scripture but there is no escaping the fact that the choice of either “life or death” belongs to celestial inhabitants.  After all, that is what it says in black and white.

If a celestial inhabitant can choose death again then obviously he would have to be reincarnated at some time or another.

Brigham Young clearly tells us that Adam was one of those members of the celestial kingdom who chose death instead of life:  “When Father Adam came into the garden of Eden, he came into it with a CELESTIAL BODY…He helped make and organize this world.”  JD 1:50

He further quoted Adam as saying: “I once dwelt on an earth something like this IN A MORTAL STATE, I was faithful, I received my crown and exaltation.  I have the privilege of extending my work, and to its increase there shall be no end.”  Deseret News; June 18, 1873; Page 308.

We are clearly told that the celestial inhabitants have the are the only ones with any type of immortality: “For man is spirit.  The elements are eternal, and spirit and element INSEPARABLY CONNECTED, receive a fulness of joy.”  D&C 93:3

Who receives a fulness of joy?  We know the son of perdition does not and of the telestial inhabitants it is written: “These are they who are thrust down to hell.  These are they who receive NOT of his fulness…”  D&C 76:84&86

The terrestial inhabitants also miss this fulness: “These (those in the terrestial world) are they who receive of his glory, BUT NOT OF HIS FULNESS.”

Immortality in either of these two lower worlds is impossible according to D&C 93:33 because they do not have fulness of joy; therefore, their spirits and bodies are NOT inseparably connected.

Where does one receive a fulness of joy? “In thy presence is fulness of joy.”  Psalms 16:11  “They shall inherit the kingdom of God…and their joy shall be full forever.”  II Nephi 9:18

These scriptures indicate that a fulness of joy only takes place in the presence of God or the celestial kingdom.  Therefore, the celestial  is the only one of the three revealed  kingdoms where the spirit and body is “inseparably connected”.  Thus, of the three kingdoms, only the celestial has any degree of immortality and even there immortality is by choice.  They can choose “life or death”.  In other words, they can live in an immortal state until they feel they need some new challenge.  Then they choose mortality or “death” as did Adam.

The church has taught from the beginning that the earth is a part of the telestial kingdom.  During the temple ceremony in the telestial room the speaker reveals: “Brethren and sisters, this room represents the telestial kingdom, OR THE WORLD IN WHICH WE NOW LIVE.”

The description of the telestial world given in the Doctrine and Covenants  correlates with the information given in the temple  revealing that  planet earth (and possibly other physical planets) is the real telestial kingdom.

The highest inhabitants of the telestial world “shall be servants of the Most High.”  D&C 76:112 and the lowest “are they who suffer the wrath of God ON EARTH.”  D&C 76:104

We are further told that the telestial inhabitants receives “the administering of angels (as did Joseph Smith) who are appointed to minister for them, or who are to be ministering spirits for them; for they (us here on the earth now, the telestial inhabitants) shall be heirs of salvation.”  D&C 76:88

The original temples were built with three rooms representing the three kingdoms.  The saints progressed from one room or kingdom to another thus demonstrating with profound clarity that we pass from one life to another until we leave the telestial and go to a higher world, the terrestial, and finally, the celestial.

But that is not all.  The celestial is NOT the highest.  The scriptures tell us there are realms higher than this:   In the celestial kingdom “the white stone mentioned in Revelation 2:17 will become a Urim and Thummim to each individual who receives one, whereby things pertaining to A HIGHER ORDER OF KINGDOMS will be made known.  D&C 130:10

Higher orders of kingdoms than the celestial???  That’s something we were not taught in Sunday School, but there it is in the scriptures.  No revelation has elaborated on these higher kingdoms, and why should they?  The telestial kingdom that we are presently in  “surpasses all understanding”.  A description of any kingdom above the celestial would have no meaning to us in our present state of consciousness.

Those who fall short of the highest resurrection (the resurrection of life) and yet do not become sons of perdition go to the resurrection of KRISIS or correction and generally come back in another life to this telestial world.  When we fall short of the perfection of Christ the scriptures tell us that our defiled bodies will be destroyed and there will be a continuing separation of body and spirit until we overcome all things.   The word of God decrees:  “And when separated (spirit and body), man cannot receive a fulness of joy.  The elements are the tabernacle of God; yea, man is the tabernacle of God, even temples; (referring to our bodies)  and whatsoever temple (body) is defiled, GOD SHALL DESTROY THAT TEMPLE.”  D&C 93:34-35

Now we understand why it is written that “the wages of sin is death.”  Rom 6:23 When we sin and our bodies are defiled we are clearly told they will be destroyed.  This is why we are told that “the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.” I Cor 15:26  We live life after life in the telestial kingdom each time sinning and falling short of the glory of God, leaving our bodies behind to be destroyed until we finally “come to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ” (Eph 4:13) and manifest the glory of God through a life of sinlessness.  At that time we “put on immortality” as did Jesus.

The Bible agrees with modern day revelation on this subject:  “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?  If any man defile the temple of God (sin), HIM SHALL GOD DESTROY; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.”  I Cor 3:16-17

Paul talks about the two resurrections and informs us that one will bring “corruption” and the other “life everlasting”: “For every man shall bear his own burden…Be not deceived; God is not mocked:  for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.  For he that soweth to his flesh shall OF THE FLESH REAP CORRUPTION; (the resurrection of KRISIS or rebirth in mortality) but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting (or the resurrection of life).” Gal 6:5-8

The word “corruption” here comes from the Greek PHTHORA which is derived from PHTHEIRO the same word that is used when Paul said that God shall “destroy” the defiled temples.  PHTHORA indicates a state of “decay”.

Thus Paul is simply telling us over and over that if our mind is centered on carnal things we will not put on immortality but reap corruption, decay, and eventually have our bodies destroyed.  How else can this scripture be fulfilled unless we are born again and put  on mortality instead of immortality?  How can we “of the flesh  reap corruption” in the telestial kingdom if the inhabitants are all immortal and there is no corruption or decay?

How do we escape the resurrection of KRISIS? “He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life (the resurrection of life), AND SHALL NOT COME INTO CONDEMNATION (“Condemnation” comes from KRISIS and means the resurrection of correction):  but is passed from death to life.” John 5:24

CONCLUSION:  The scriptures plainly tell us that there are two resurrections.  In the resurrection of life we put on immortality, but still have the free will to choose death.  In the resurrection of KRISIS we  will continue to live in a mortal state where our bodies are subjected to decay and destruction.

Copyright by J J Dewey

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