Cool.
You and JesusRules1 pretty much say the same thing, and I like where you guys are going with that.
What I'm trying to prove out here is that this verse...
Hebrews 9:27
"And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment"
...has nothing to do with proving or disproving Reincarnation, thus it should never be used in that context.
That being said, I've seen Christians use that verse for the specific purpose of disproving Reincarnation.
I think that is an extremely disingenuous thing to do and I may start a thread on this one day.
I just want to get a little Trial Balloon out there so I can get a good debate going.
The way I read Hebrews 9:27 is simply this...
One Death = One Judgement
In other words, after the first death, it's judgment time... no ifs ands or buts about it.
No cheating.
There you go.
I know Christians hate the idea of Reincarnation, but I'm of the belief that it really is Biblical.
Matthew 17:12
"But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them"
The Bible specifically states that it is appointed unto men once to die,then comes the judgment,which means that some people die with sins on their record,and some people die with no sins on their record,and however you die in the flesh,whether sins on your record,or no sins on your record,that is what will be your eternal state,and you do not get a second chance.
There is no coming back to try to make up for your short comings,and that is biblical,for you only get one chance to get it right.
So there is no reincarnation,because you only get one chance,according to the Bible.
John the Baptist,who prepared the way for Jesus,according to Jesus was Elijah to come,which this does not mean that he was Elijah,but that he came in the spirit of Elijah.
John the Baptist came in the spirit of Elijah,not Elijah himself.
And even of it was Elijah himself does not mean that God allows all people to be reincarnated.
But truthfully John the Baptist came in the spirit of Elijah,not Elijah himself.
And not only that but Jesus said that born of women there has not been a greater than John the Baptist,so how can John the Baptist be Elijah,for what importance is Elijah,when John the Baptist is greater than him,and would not Jesus want the greatest human being to ever live,beside Him,to prepare the way for Him.
Besides the man Christ Jesus,John the Baptist is the greatest human to born on this earth,including Moses,Elijah,David,or whoever a person cares to mention,so why would Jesus want Elijah to prepare the way for Him,the greatest of all being the man Christ Jesus,but none other than the greatest human to be born of women,John the Baptist,for it would be an insult for anybody else to prepare the way for the greatest human being to ever walk the planet the man Christ Jesus,than the second greatest person to walk the earth,John the Baptist.
John the Baptist is not Elijah reincarnated,but John the baptist in the spirit of Elijah.