I will answer a question from a person who asks about reincarnation. I don’t usually talk about this subject; however, it is essential because it concerns the person’s soul. So I’ll answer in light of the Bible.

The doctrine of reincarnation consists of the idea that the person, after death, returns in the body of another person (or animal) so that, being indebted when they died (they were not “evolved”), they can purify their own karma, evolve and be able to leave for a superior state. Does this have a biblical foundation? I can already tell you that many passages rule out this idea.

I will focus here on the story that the Lord Jesus told about two men: Lazarus and the rich man (Luke 16:19-31). In this story, both of them died. Lazarus was taken to Heaven. And the rich man found himself in hell, in flames, tormented. When he found himself in that situation, he cried out to Abraham and said, “Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame” ( Luke 16:24). You see that this action of asking for mercy after time is very common with human beings. Man is given many chances for mercy while they are in error. Usually, the person is allowed to repent. However, they only resort to mercy when the opportunity has passed.

Then, Abraham replied: “(…) between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.” (Luke 16:26). Here, the doctrine of purgatory is also ruled out. The idea that a person goes through purgatory and then goes to Heaven does not exist in the Bible. Purgatory was sold at costly prices for indulgences (it’s in human history, and you can look it up).

Returning to reincarnation, Abraham took away the change after death idea with this statement from him. His situation after death will not change. It doesn’t matter that the person desires change; it is definite. The chance for you to change your eternity is given as you breathe in this world. With every sigh, you get the opportunity to repent, change your life, and believe in God. After death, one cannot change that decision.

Seeing that his case was lost, the rich man remembered his brothers and said: “Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment” (Luke 16:27-28). In other words, the rich man asked Abraham to “reincarnate” Lazarus so that he could tell his brothers that it was real, hell was real, and Heaven was real. The rich man asked Lazarus to return from the dead to speak with his brothers. However, Abraham denied it.

The rich man insisted: “No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent′′ (Luke 16:30). However, Abraham referred to the Word of God. The rich man’s brothers needed to hear ‘Moses and the prophets, the Word they spoke as a testament. God has left His Words as a witness so those who believe in them will not die.

So there is no chance of reincarnation. You see: if I am a reincarnated soul, I have no idea what my mistakes were in the previous incarnation. So how am I going to fix my mistakes? As appealing as this idea is, it fails the test of rationality. But the Word of God is very clear. And whoever wants Salvation must believe in the Only Son of God, whom God offered to the world as a replacement to pay for our sins, as a sacrificial offering, so that whoever believes in Him can have eternal life.

“And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). After death, judgment will come. The saved will rise to be with God, and the lost to the Last Judgment and eternal damnation (which they chose in life).

If you want an opportunity to settle your eternity, it’s here and now.