Therefore, the concept of ‘karma’ is nothing less than a tool of the devil, designed to make o… The Bible tells us that it is not possible to work ones way to heaven, or out of judgment (Romans 3:20; Galatians 2:15-17; Ephesians 2:8-10). Do you want award-winning journalism with a Christian worldview, delivered to your inbox? Karma is associated with reincarnation, which basically says what you do today will determine your next life. Western culture, influenced by Christianity, holds a notion similar to karma, as demonstrated in the phrase "what goes around comes around". Karma (what comes around goes around) in Islam: Let us look at what Allah Almighty said in the Noble Quran: "Mischief has appeared on land and sea because of (the meed) that the hands of men have earned, that (God) may give them a taste of some of their deeds: in order that they may turn back (from Evil). Still, early Christianity had some groups that held to some kind of rebirth, no doubt from eastern influences and esoteric schools, so philosophically 'karma' and 'rebirth' (reincarnation) are reasonable, except when coming into conflict with a more dogmatic orthodox brand of Christian theology crystallized later, whose eschatology and soteriology could not … God, the gods, the Universe, your subconscious Mind, or quantum cartoon waves emanating from your head will see to it that good deeds are eventually rewarded, and bad deeds eventually punished. Karma says we can do good and receive our due after this life, but the Bible says there's nothing we can do in this life to make us worthy of receiving goodness in this life and in the life to come. Christian Truth. Karma relies on our own effort to add weight to the scale of "good" in our life. Therefore, according to karma, if you lived a good and kind life on earth, then you will have a fortunate life after reincarnation. It's like gravity; it works because it's a law of the cosmos. We all only get one go-around on planet Earth, and after that we … Karma is not a Christian or biblical idea, although it does have some parallels to the Bible phrase "reap what you sow." Simply put, karma teaches people to believe that they will always get what they deserve: if they do good, good things will naturally come their way. This is an excellent question. If Karma were applied as a teaching of Christianity, Karma would be all Law. The basis of ‘karma’ is that a person has the ability to save themselves. Let's talk about that. Karma is a religious concept found in Buddhism and Hinduism. The exact nature of karma differs depending on religion, but inherent in every idea of karma is the process of reincarnation wherein acts from a previous life can determine the situation of the next. If you do evil, then you'll reap evil or suffering. The idea with karma is that, whether in this life or the ones previous, our actions have direct repercussions. As God’s special creation, humans are unique among creatures, and unique in regards God’s dealings with His creation. Some see karma as a natural universal law, whereas others allow for a deity to control or dispense the effects of karma. Karma Vs. Bible Truth. But this judgment will not lead you into heaven or hell, but into another life on earth. Karma is a belief in Hinduism and Buddhism, something that is not mentioned in the Bible no matter what translation, version, or language you use. The Bible, on the other hand, tells us that we are saved only by the grace of God, not by what we can do. (Ephesians 2:4-9). 2 John 1:9-11 ESV / 60 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful. What do Buddhists believe? While Karma suggests that it is all about our work, grace suggests that it is all about the work of Jesus. What do Hindus believe? In more popular terms, we get what we deserve or "what goes around comes around." Regardless of the flaws of the legal and economic systems, Justice will win out in the end. In its most basic concept, karma is the belief that our actions bring corresponding reactions. Not only is it not compatible with Christian doctrine, but it's just plain illogical. They do not believe in reincarnation. On Karma and Christianity. Friends, karma teaches us to work our way to a perceived-but-false salvation. As Christians, we … Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. (2 Corinthians 10:4-6 emphasis mine). Is it really? Copyright 2011-2021 Got Questions Ministries - All Rights Reserved. Karma is some kind of judgment. The karma yogi has to do works but has to remove the desire of the results of works because krishna explains in bhagabat gita that deeds are not the cause of suffering for mankind.the desire coming from deeds is the cause of sorrow and so the desire or attraction or lust coming from works has to be avoided, and thats why the karma yogi works only but does … Is it really? The Bible, however, says that we can only live if we believe in the Son of God (see Romans 6:23; John 3:16-17). Jesus once said, "A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things." The best way to do this is to get some clarity on just what the term actually means in Eastern thought, and what the Christian faith has to say about such matters. According to the Ancient History Encyclopedia, karma is the belief that good and bad experiences in this life are the sum result of deeds done in both the current, and previous, lives. What is the Christian doctrine of regeneration. But is karma taught in the Bible, as some claim? There is no way you can accept the message of Jesus and also accept the idea of karma. There are other issues, specifically for the Christian, with regard to karma. The Bible simply says that all of us deserve nothing good for what we've done and how we've lived. Before making any response to this question you’ll want to make sure to ask a few of your own and find out what they mean by “Karma.” One is strictly religious and pretty obviously separate from Christianity. The Merriam-Webster dictionary says Karma is "the force created by a person's actions that is believed in Hinduism and Buddhism to determine what that person's next life will be like" or "the force created by a person's actions that some people believe causes good or bad things to happen to that person". Karma, which literally means "action, work or deed", is the law of cause and effect. But we have to be wary of them, and be aware of their religious roots, too, lest we … study the bible, study the truth, not the counterfeit . But the Bible is very clear that reincarnation is not actually a thing. When you really look at it, karma is just about cause and effect. The word karma means action or performance. Karma: what an appealing concept! Answer: Karma is a theological concept found in the Buddhist and Hindu religions. Karma says, “If you do something bad today, something bad will happen to you tomorrow.” Some even have karma as a picture of a beaver being killed by a tree because beaver cut down trees all the time. Strictly speaking, “karma” (from Hinduism and Buddhism), refers to all the good and bad deeds in one “incarnation” of a person’s life that roll over, if you will, into the 401k, so to speak, of another “incarnation,” so that when something good or bad happens in this life, a Hindu or Buddhist will judge it to be the mysterious “karma” of a previous existence. The Merriam-Webster dictionary says Karma is "the force created by a person's actions that is believed in Hinduism and Buddhism to determine what that person's next life will be like" or "the force created by a person's actions that some people believe causes good or bad things to happen to that person". Many Christians wrongly believe in karma, saying that the principle of sowing and reaping and karma is the same. No good fortune is capricious, and no tragedy is undeserved. In my view, the problem with Karma is that people take it as a concept, and think on it by deduction and logic, using it as a formula, which in reality explains nothing. Bible verses about Karma. Many answers appear to fall back to the simple mentality of “Christianity is false so nothing in it matters” instead of having a conversation with actual depth. It's a comforting, just thought that our choices control our destiny. It also gives us rationalization for the cycles of birth and death. Our actions can't win a better afterlife for us – only the blood of the Son can. Karma is the Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, and Jainist belief that either through a deity or the laws of nature, good acts bring blessings and harmful acts bring curses. If you do good then you'll reap inner joy and peace. The idea with karma is that, whether in this life or the ones previous, our actions have direct repercussions. While the idea of having good come round again for the good things we do and having bad come round again for the bad things we do sounds like the sowing and reaping principle of Galatians 6:7, it really isn't: Karma insists on receiving the returns of what we do today in the afterlife, something like "if you're a bad man today you'll be a dirt-eating fly in the next life.". If you are unselfish, kind, and holy during this lifetime, you will be rewarded by being reincarnated (reborn into a new earthly body) into a pleasant life. 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But let me offer the longer answer to this question. Karma is the core idea of many eastern religions. This relates to the judgment of God in scripture and the tenant of Christianity that we ultimately reap what we have sown. Speaking very personally, the IDEA of Karma is pretty useless to … What's more, karma says all of us will live again, to either a better or worse life based on what we do today. Karma is supposed to help us make sense of why we may be going through certain situations. Many Christians wrongly believe in karma, saying that the principle of sowing and reaping and karma is the same. The truth is that Christianity doesn’t believe in Karma. Those who teach Karma believe that every action or thought has a corresponding reward. christianity and karma In our multicultural world, it is almost inevitable that some words from other cultures and even religions will creep into people’s vocabulary. But karma is impersonal—a cosmic principle without a personal face. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not of yourselves. Is there a difference between religion and spirituality? Karma is a belief in Hinduism and Buddhism, something that is not mentioned in the Bible no matter what translation, version, or language you use. Karma, a Sanskrit word that roughly translates to "action," is a core concept in some Eastern religions, including Hinduism and Buddhism. There is no need for God, or any god, because it all rests in the control, and actions, of the individual. It's a comforting, just thought that our choices control our destiny. As mentioned above, karma is part of the cycle of reincarnation.