“And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27).
There is a simple, five-word question that serves to occupy the minds of small children, elderly adults, and virtually everyone in between: “What happens after we die?”
One popular answer involves the doctrine of reincarnation. Those who believe in reincarnation hold that our personal, non-material essence (sometimes defined as the soul) migrates to another human (or nonhuman) entity after death. This view is closely associated with the idea of “karma,” or the belief that our good and bad deeds affect the positive/negative spiritual balance we accumulate in life. That positive or negative balance subsequently determines our fate in the next life.
Despite their popularity, the Biblical Scriptures reject these beliefs. In addition to the passage from Hebrews 9:27 quoted above, we should note something Jesus said to a criminal who was crucified alongside Him as He hung on the cross…
“Then [the criminal] said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ Jesus replied, ‘I assure you that today you will be with me in paradise'” (Luke 23:42-43 CEB).
Notice that Jesus did not present this man with an opportunity to absolve his debt through reincarnation or work off his negative karma. Instead, the repentant criminal went to be in the presence of Christ immediately following his death. There are several other Scriptures that stress the finality of our choices and decisions when we pass from this earthly life. Those passages include Matthew 16:27, Luke 12:4-5, Luke 16:19-31, John 5:28-29, 2 Corinthians 5:10, and Revelation 20:11-15 among others.
So, Hebrews 9:27, along with the other passages cited above, excludes the possibility of reincarnation and its related belief systems. Barring a miraculous intervention, the lives we live today are the only lives we will possess before we enter eternity. This has led one source to conclude…
“It is axiomatic that man dies once. Exceptions do exist: Enoch and Elijah of the Old Testament, the New Testament saints who will be alive at Christ’s return who will never die, or Lazarus and others who have been raised from the dead and died twice. But no exceptions concerning God’s judgment can be cited. There is no reincarnation; every person gets one chance to prepare for God’s judgment.” (1)
Therefore, we would do well to follow the counsel given to us in the New Testament book of Ephesians…
“Therefore consider carefully how you live—not as unwise but as wise, taking advantage of every opportunity, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:15-16 NET).
(1) Edward E. Hindson and Woodrow Michael Kroll, eds., KJV Bible Commentary (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1994), 2562