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FIRST CENTURY BELIEFS  CONCERNING REBIRTH
The Christian world has been in a state of
disagreement from the time Jesus died
to the present. While Christianity has
thousands of sects; the Jews remain
substantially united.  Even their
differences of opinion does not destroy
their unity. One difference concerns
the doctrine of rebirth. The strictly
orthodox tend to reject it and deny it
a place in early Jewish philosophy.
Others, including some orthodox rabbis,
accept rebirth as an integral part of
Judaism.

In the first century the Jewish historian
Flavius Josephus speaks of rebirth in his
famed work The Jewish War. Josephus
was a general in the campaign against
the Roman commander Vespasian. 
Addressing some Jewish soldiers who
were about to commit suicide rather
than be captured by the Romans, he said:

"The bodies of all men are indeed mortal
and are created out of corruptible matter
but the soul is ever immortal and is a
portion of the divinity that inhabits our
bodies. Do you not know that those who
depart out of this life according to the
law of nature enjoy eternal fame; that
their houses and their posterity are sure;
that their souls are pure and obedient
and obtain a most holy place in heaven
from whence in the revolution of ages
they are again sent into pure bodies;
while the soul of those whose hands have
acted madly against themselves are
received by the darkest place in Hades?"

This would suggest that the doctrine of
rebirth is generally known and if this
is true it could explain numerous passages
in both the New and Old Testaments.

Matthew 17: 12-13:  "But I say to you
that Elijah has already come and they
did not know him and they did to him
whatever they wished. Likewise the Son
of Man is also about to suffer at their
hands." Then the disciples understood
that He spoke to them of John the Baptist.

(John 17: 5) "And now, O Father, glorify
Me together with Yourself with the glory
which I had with You before the world was."

(John 14: 12-13) "Most assuredly, I say to
you, he who believes in Me, the works that
I do he will do also and greater works than
these he will do because I go to my Father.
If you ask  anything in My name, I will do it."

(John 10:34)  Jesus answered them, "Is it not
written in your law, I said, You are Gods."

(Ephesians 1: 4-5)   Just as He chose us in
Him before the foundation of the world
that we should be holy and without blame
before Him in love, having predestined us to
adoptions as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself,
according to the good pleasure of His will.

(Ecclesiastics 1: 9-11)  The thing that has been
is that which shall be; and that which
has been done is that which shall be done;
and there is nothing new under the sun.
Whosoever speaks and says, Look, this is
new, should know that it already has been
in the ages which were before us. There is no remembrance of former generations: neither
shall there be any remembrance of
generations that are to come with those
that will come after.

If a generation is a lifetime, could this simply
mean that we have no remembrance of former
lives, nor will we have any remembrance of
future lives?  Could only the behavior in
the life we are living determine our reward
for this life. Could our behavior in one life
determine our challenges or rewards for any
subsequent life? These are questions one must
ask, not of others but only of oneself. I would
suggest that you ask the Holy Spirit to teach
you; Not man made indoctrination but God's
laws.

Josephus also tells how the three chief
schools of Jewish Philosophy regarded
immortality.  The Sadducees apparently
believe that the soul dies with the body.
The Pharisees say that all the souls are
incorruptible but the souls of good men
only are removed into other bodies: the
souls of bad men are subject to eternal
punishment. (With the Jews, "eternal"
did not mean everlasting but a very
long time)

Jesus warned against the teaching of
both Pharisees and Sadducess.

(Mathew 16: 11-12) How is it that
you did not understand that I was
not talking to you about the bread
but to beware of the leven of Pharisees
and the Sadducess? Then they
understood, that he did not say
that they should beware of the
leven of bread but of the teaching
of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.

The Sadducees believed that the soul
died with the body. The Pharisees
believed that only good men's souls
would be reborn. It sounds like
Jesus is warning against the belief
that the soul dies with the body, also
that only the good men's souls may
be reborn. Could Jesus be teaching
that every soul may redeem itself
after a time of punishment?

(John 10:16) I have other sheep also
which are not of this fold: Them too
I must bring and they will hear my
voice and all the sheep will become
one flock and one shepherd.

Could this mean that Jesus is
saying that all religions that
believe in God will be gathered
into one flock? Jesus is the Son
Of God. Who better to let us
know that the God that sent Him
is the same God that other religions
pray to and the name they call
Him isn't important?

In Antiquities of The Jews, Josephus
repeats that the Pharisees believe
that souls have an immortal vigor
and that the virtuous shall have the
power to revive and live again, "on
earth," on account of which doctrines
they are able to greatly persuade
the body of the people.

Could this mean that the more times
you have been reborn, the more you
have learned and are able to
persuade people?  Could this be the
reason why so many famous people,
both past and present believe
in rebirth.  General Douglas
McCarthur is one example. He
believed he had learned military
strategy in other lives he had lived.

In Die Christlich Mystik, J. V.
Gorres says: The Kabala was held
in high esteem particularly by the
Essenes and rebirth is basic in
kabalistic thinking.

Quoting from Josephus' The Jewish
Wars: "They smiled in their very
pains and laughed to scorn those
who inflicted torments upon them
and resigned up their souls with
great alacrity as expecting to
receive them again. For their
doctrine is this, that bodies are
corruptible and that the matter
they are made of is not permanent;
but that the souls are immortal
and continue forever; and that
they come out of the most subtle
air and are united to their bodies
as to prisons, into which they are
drawn by a certain natural
enticement; but that when they
are set free from the bonds of flesh,
they then, are released from a long
bondage, rejoice and mount upward.
These are the divine doctrines of
the Essenes about the soul, which lay
and unavoidable bait for such as once
had a taste of their philosophy."

This suggests that the Essenes knew
they would live again. Another
witness to this period is the
Alexandrian philosopher, Philo
Judaeus. In his DeSommuus (1:22)
he said: "The air is full of souls:
those who are nearest to earth
decending to be tied to mortal
bodies, return to other bodies,
desiring to live in them."

In De Giantes (2et.seq..) he wrote:
"The company of disembodied souls
is distributed in various orders. The
law of some is to enter mortal bodies
and after certain prescribed period to
be again set free. But those possessed
of a diviner structure are absolved
from all local bonds of earth. Some
choose confinement in mortal bodies
because they are corporeally inclined.
Yet, those who are wise, like Moses,
are also living abroad from home
because they choose this expatriation
from heaven in order to acquire
knowledge and so came to dwell in
earthly nature. While here they urge
men to return to their original source."

(Matthew 16: 13-16)  When Jesus came
into the country of Caesarea Philippi
he asked his disciples saying, What do
men say concerning me, that I am
merely a son of man? They said, "There
are some who say John the Baptist,
others Elijah and still others Jeremiah
or one of the Prophets." He said to
them; Who do you say that I am?
Simon Peter answered saying,"You
are the Christ, the Son of the living God.

Why was Jesus asking His disciples who
men thought He was?  Why did they reply
with names of men who were long dead?
It sounds like Jesus was taking for granted
that people knew they would be born again.
Can you think of any other explanation?

(Matthew 16:20) Then He charged His
disciples not to tell any man that He
was the Christ.

With the premise that rebirth is
generally known; examine the
following Bible verses:

(John 3: 12-13) If I told you about
earthly things and you do not believe,
how will you believe me if I tell you
about heavenly things? No man has
ascended to heaven except him who
came down from heaven even the
Son of man who is in heaven.

It sounds like Jesus is saying we all
come from Heaven.

(John 6:64) It is the spirit that gives life:
the body is of no account: the words
which I have spoken to you are spirit
and life.

Could Jesus be saying that we put too
much emphasis on the physical body;
That the physical body is just a house
where the Spirit resides and is not
important in and of itself?

(John 9:1-3) And as Jesus passed by, he
saw a man who was blind from his
mother's womb. And his disciples asked
Him, saying, Teacher, who did sin, this
man or his parents, the he was born
blind? Jesus said to them; Neither
did he sin or his parents but that the
works of God might be seen in him.

Jesus didn't say what they asked was
impossible.  All He said was it was
neither the fault of the son or the
parents why this man was blind.
Then He went on to tell why the man
was born blind. Jesus did not seem
surprised at the question. If rebirth
was not generally known, wouldn't this
have been the perfect time for Jesus
to comment on the question?
Jesus had already said to beware
of the teaching of the Sadducees
who say the soul dies with the body.
If the man had been born blind
because of his sin and he had not lived
before,where was he when he sinned?
Do you believe there is sin in heaven?
Jesus said we all descended from heaven.
This also refutes the teachings of the
Pharisees that only the souls of good
men are removed into other bodies.
This seems consistent with Jesus'
earlier remarks.

(Matthew 26:52) Then Jesus said to
him. Return the sword to its place;
for all those who take swords will
die by the sword.

How many people do you know that
never seem to have to account for their
misdeeds. We no longer have capital
punishment in most states. People who
murder are no longer being put to
death. Could Jesus be saying that sooner
or later everybody will have to atone
for their misdeeds or as you sow so
shall you reap? "What goes around,
comes around," is a popular saying
today.

(Revelation 3:12) He who overcomes,
I will make a pillar in the temple of
my God, and he shall not go out again:
and I will write upon him the name
of the new Jerusalem which comes
out of heaven from my God; and I will
write upon him my new name.

(Psalms 121: 7-8) The Lord will
preserve you from all evil: he will
preserve your soul. The Lord will
preserve your going out and your
coming in from this time forth
and for evermore.   Sister Beverly Parks

"EXPECT A MIRACLE"


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Jesus is calling all of His Flocks In.
It is time to honor All men and women.
Respect all faiths. Only God knows
The future. Only God knows The Truth.
Who are we to Play God and Judge others?
Jesus said, "We are all God's Children."


(John 10: 16)

I have other sheep also, which are not
of this fold; them too I must bring and they
will hear My voice and all the sheep will
become one flock and One Shepherd.




RULES FOR LIVING ON PLANET EARTH

Love is the force that guides the universe.
Your Thoughts set the force in motion.
Treat everyone as you want to be treated.
The thoughts you send out to the world
will be returned, so be very sure you
want them back.
All men and woman are created equal.
Feelings of superiority and inferiority
come from the same source, fear.
Freedom of speech does not give
us freedom of slander.
Honor your father, mother,
teachers and legal authority.
Freedom of Religion means
Freedom for all Religions.
You are accountable for your own
thoughts, actions and responsibilities.
Work on correcting your own flaws.
They are the only ones you can change.

Beverly Parks






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