Do catholics believe previous lives exist

  • Thread starter Thread starter augustine900
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
You could believe in the resurrection of the Christ and reincarnation for the rest of us couldn’t you? At least I do.

The idea of the resurrection of the body for ordinary human beings always seemed a bit strange to me. Did Jesus ever mention such a thing in the bible?
John 6:40 “Indeed, this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks upon the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life. Him I will raise up on the last day.”
 
John 6:40 “Indeed, this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks upon the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life. Him I will raise up on the last day.”
To me that means everyone has eternal life after death or that the soul is immortal.

It does not say anything about the physical body which will no doubt rot and decay in the grave, suddenly coming back to life on the last day or any other time.

But all this will be cleared up when the Christ returns which I expect to happen pretty soon.
 
To me that means everyone has eternal life after death or that the soul is immortal. But all this will be cleared up when the Christ returns which I expect to happen pretty soon.
That’s exactly right…after death we will enter an eternal life. That’s very clear in Jesus’ teachings. It means, too, that some will be worshiping God for eternity and then there will be others who will be eternal separation from God - being in Hell for eternity whatever that entails.

I agree that Christ will be returning very soon!!

Maranatha! Even so, come Lord Jesus!

God bless!

Rita
 
To me that means everyone has eternal life after death or that the soul is immortal.

It does not say anything about the physical body which will no doubt rot and decay in the grave, suddenly coming back to life on the last day or any other time.

But all this will be cleared up when the Christ returns which I expect to happen pretty soon.
Our Lord Jesus Christ, after his resurrection, appeared in his glorified body to the apostles. The room was locked - it wasn’t a ghost, …not too long after that Thomas was able to touch him…on another occasion after his resurrection he ate food.

1 Corinthians 15:42 “So it is with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown in the earth is subject to decay, what rises is incorruptible.”

1 Corinthians 15:52 “…in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye, at the sound of the last trumpet. The trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. This corruptible body must be clothed with incorruptibility, this mortal body with immortality.”
 
Our Lord Jesus Christ, after his resurrection, appeared in his glorified body to the apostles. The room was locked - it wasn’t a ghost, …not too long after that Thomas was able to touch him…on another occasion after his resurrection he ate food.

1 Corinthians 15:42 “So it is with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown in the earth is subject to decay, what rises is incorruptible.”

1 Corinthians 15:52 “…in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye, at the sound of the last trumpet. The trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. This corruptible body must be clothed with incorruptibility, this mortal body with immortality.”
Like I said, I believe in the resurrection of Jesus.

But the physical resurrection of the rest of us mortals, seems a bit far fetched (even if Paul may have implied it). But we will know soon when Jesus returns.
 
Like I said, I believe in the resurrection of Jesus.

But the physical resurrection of the rest of us mortals, seems a bit far fetched (even if Paul may have implied it). But we will know soon when Jesus returns.
With our omnipotent God, nothing is impossible!
 
With our omnipotent God, nothing is impossible!
Of course resurrection of dead bodies is not impossible for God (just as reincarnating humans is not impossible for him either) But I doubt if he would want to resurrect some rotten, decaying body unnecessarily.

But we will soon find out the truth of this matter when the Christ returns.
 
One more statement by Paul, I would rather have it confirmed by the Christ when he returns.
Paul, on the way to Damascus, was converted by our Risen Lord, Jesus Christ. During that time of receiving the Light of our Lord, Paul understood many things.
 
Of course resurrection of dead bodies is not impossible for God (just as reincarnating humans is not impossible for him either) But I doubt if he would want to resurrect some rotten, decaying body unnecessarily.

But we will soon find out the truth of this matter when the Christ returns.
You might doubt that God would want to “resurrect some rotten, decaying body unnecessarily”, but Jesus was the one who taught the people about the resurrection of the dead. At one point, some of the Sadducees approached Him in the temple. They didn’t believe in the resurrection, either. So, they wanted to trick him with a hypothetical question about seven brothers who all had the same wife, and each one of them died.
[34]"Luke 20:33 In the resurrection therefore, whose wife of them shall she be? For all the seven had her to wife.[34] And Jesus said to them: The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage: [35] But they that shall be accounted worthy of that world, and of the resurrection from the dead, shall neither be married, nor take wives.If Jesus was not speaking of all people being resurrected, then what was He talking about, here?
[36]Neither can they die any more: for they are equal to the angels, and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection. [37] Now that the dead rise again, Moses also shewed, at the bush, when he called the Lord, The God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; [38] For he is not the God of the dead, but of the living: for all live to him."Jesus was clearly referring to all who would be saved through Him, would also be resurrected and live, never to die again. All the souls that have ever lived, including Moses, Isaac, and Abraham, are awaiting the resurrection of the dead, for their souls to be reunited with their bodies.

So, the question to you remains, which of your ‘bodies’ would be resurrected if you think you are ‘reincarnated’ many times, yet only possess one soul? This is why it makes no sense for you to believe in Jesus Christ, if you also choose to believe in reincarnation, because those two belief systems are completely incompatible.
 
You might doubt that God would want to “resurrect some rotten, decaying body unnecessarily”, but Jesus was the one who taught the people about the resurrection of the dead. At one point, some of the Sadducees approached Him in the temple. They didn’t believe in the resurrection, either. So, they wanted to trick him with a hypothetical question about seven brothers who all had the same wife, and each one of them died.
[34]"Luke 20:33 In the resurrection therefore, whose wife of them shall she be? For all the seven had her to wife.[34] And Jesus said to them: The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage: [35] But they that shall be accounted worthy of that world, and of the resurrection from the dead, shall neither be married, nor take wives.If Jesus was not speaking of all people being resurrected, then what was He talking about, here?
[36]Neither can they die any more: for they are equal to the angels, and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection. [37] Now that the dead rise again, Moses also shewed, at the bush, when he called the Lord, The God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; [38] For he is not the God of the dead, but of the living: for all live to him."Jesus was clearly referring to all who would be saved through Him, would also be resurrected and live, never to die again. All the souls that have ever lived, including Moses, Isaac, and Abraham, are awaiting the resurrection of the dead, for their souls to be reunited with their bodies.

So, the question to you remains, which of your ‘bodies’ would be resurrected if you think you are ‘reincarnated’ many times, yet only possess one soul? This is why it makes no sense for you to believe in Jesus Christ, if you also choose to believe in reincarnation, because those two belief systems are completely incompatible.
I think Jesus was just talking about life after death when he said resurrection of the dead. I don’t think it means resurrection of the physical body (most of us don’t even like our physical bodies).

Believing in reincarnation does not mean there is no eternal life afterwards. Once you are perfected as a human being, you will no longer need to reincarnate, then you are free from life on earth - but you don’t need a physical body any more.

Of course, if you believe you are perfect already (or will become perfect after a stint in purgatory) then you don’t need to reincarnate at all.
 
I think Jesus was just talking about life after death when he said resurrection of the dead. I don’t think it means resurrection of the physical body (most of us don’t even like our physical bodies).

Believing in reincarnation does not mean there is no eternal life afterwards. Once you are perfected as a human being, you will no longer need to reincarnate, then you are free from life on earth - but you don’t need a physical body any more.

Of course, if you believe you are perfect already (or will become perfect after a stint in purgatory) then you don’t need to reincarnate at all.
The physical bodies of those who died in Christ will become a glorified body. No pain, no disease, and with the abilities of Christ’s resurrected body, and seeing God face to face in His love.

The physical bodies of those who died without sanctifying grace will rise, be united with their bodies, and be separated from the Lord forever. (what they have chosen.)
 
The physical bodies of those who died in Christ will become a glorified body. No pain, no disease, and with the abilities of Christ’s resurrected body, and seeing God face to face in His love.

The physical bodies of those who died without sanctifying grace will rise, be united with their bodies, and be separated from the Lord forever. (what they have chosen.)
OK, but we shouldn’t be surprised if the Christ, when he returns, says you need a little more work before you get your glorified body. After all, we are not all Mother Teresa:)
 
OK, but we shouldn’t be surprised if the Christ, when he returns, says you need a little more work before you get your glorified body. After all, we are not all Mother Teresa:)
That is why we have purgatory.
 
That is why we have purgatory.
With the impending death of my father at any time, let me tell you, I am so grateful to the Lord for His overwhelming mercy by giving us a time of purgation.

I get it now, just how MERCIFUL, this is.
 
OK, after a stint purgatory, we will all become like Mother Teresa - good luck!
Yes, we will be purified from any stain of sin. We must be or we cannot enter heaven. We are all called to be like Mother Teresa right now. God did not make Mother Teresa or any other saint better than the rest of us. It is just that they have responded with the totality of their lives, when many of us hold back. You and I have received the same calling - to be a saint.
 
I think Jesus was just talking about life after death when he said resurrection of the dead. I don’t think it means resurrection of the physical body (most of us don’t even like our physical bodies).

Believing in reincarnation does not mean there is no eternal life afterwards. Once you are perfected as a human being, you will no longer need to reincarnate, then you are free from life on earth - but you don’t need a physical body any more.

Of course, if you believe you are perfect already (or will become perfect after a stint in purgatory) then you don’t need to reincarnate at all.
I apologize if any of the verses I share have already been used but I felt I needed to add my 2 cents worth (probably worth a lot more since the price of a lot of things have gone up lately - but I digress) to this discussion.

I am so glad that I am promised only one death and that is only if Jesus does not return in my lifetime. I live in constant chronic pain, cognition problems (the ability to think and speak logically as well as remember things) as well as fatigue - and these are just a few of the issues that stem from the disease with which I live. I thank God for His blessings each and every day because He suffered far more than I care to even dream about. He set an example, actually, that I look to and try to the best of my ability to emulate. I cannot even imagine the thought of having to do a “do-over” in order to become a more perfect Christian. I don’t have to because that’s what He did for me as He became the last perfect sacrifice - we know this because at the moment Christ breathed His last the veil in the temple was torn from top to bottom - He was the final sacrifice!!

3 days later he was resurrected - bodily - not just His soul and in the same way we, too, will be resurrected when He returns!!

1 Corinthians 15:16-17 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised;
17 and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; ayou are still in your sins.


1 Corinthians 15:42-44 42 So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; 43 it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.

Philippians 3:21 * who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.*

I can not and will not reject the words that are given to us by Paul. I may not like my body now but when it is resurrected I will be bathed in the Light of our God and what my body looks like will be of no consequence - that I will no longer be in pain and suffering is of major consequence to me!

I will never be perfected on this Earth - if I were to be reincarnated I would still be born with Original Sin and would definitely fall short of God’s Glory. But thanks be to God that His Son took my sins and the sins of all of us on that cross in order to be that final Sacrifice. His blood which He shed on Calvary has become the propitiation for me!! Imagine that!! He did that for ME!! and you and for all people on Earth. Unfortunately there will be those who cannot or will not for whatever reason believe that He did this and will not accept it.

I’m so excited to be with Him!

God bless!

Rita
 
Yes, we will be purified from any stain of sin. We must be or we cannot enter heaven. We are all called to be like Mother Teresa right now. God did not make Mother Teresa or any other saint better than the rest of us. It is just that they have responded with the totality of their lives, when many of us hold back. You and I have received the same calling - to be a saint.
Actually i understood (may be I am wrong) that when the Christ returns there will be no more purgatory and people will go directly to heaven.

How will that work - will we just become ‘saints’ instantly? Especially since I expect the Christ to return in less than two years.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top