Re: past lives

I'm sure you don't, but others will. If they do I'll just invite them to take it to the other forum. Anyway, here's what I've got so far:

The teachings of the Bible leave no room for reincarnation. Reincarnation is, simply put, salvation by works. I view it as an endless, hopeless, purposeless treadmill where one has “no place to go and all day to get there”.

In contrast to reincarnation, I find great hope and purpose in knowing that I only have to go through this blood-stained life once and then live in eternal bliss. The Bible makes it abundantly clear that none of us can ever be good enough by our own determination, so for it to also teach reincarnation would be to consign us to a living hell of straining for a goal we can never reach. Salvation by works and salvation by faith (Eph. 2:8-9) are hopelessly incompatible. Why would I want to trade a priceless gift for a wage that will never be enough to buy eternal happiness?

Jesus came in the flesh to die once physically, then got his new immortal body at the resurrection. He never had any other bodies and will never need any more. In the same way, the Bible says we too will trade our mortal body for an eternal immortal one:

1 Cor. 15
19If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. 20But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 23But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. 24Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. 25For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.
42So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; 43it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.
If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45So it is written: "The first man Adam became a living being"; the last Adam, a lifegiving spirit. 46The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. 47The first man was of the dust of the earth, the second man from heaven. 48As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the man from heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. 49And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we[6] bear the likeness of the man from heaven.
50I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed-- 52in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory."[7]
    55"Where, O death, is your victory?
       Where, O death, is your sting?" 56The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
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