Many “Christians” today are vehement that the bible does not teach “Karma” and that the laws of Karma are a pagan tradition. Sadly, there are many people who make up their own ideologies and try to twist bible verses to suit their needs.
Indeed, the bible does not teach it to the extent of the Hindu religion, but it does support the laws of karma as most humans understand it.
Karma is simply an observation about life. It is the cause – effect phenomenon. That is to say, certain things, good or bad, are a result of something you had done in the past. And your good and bad deeds tend to result in the conditions of your future life. These include thoughts, words and actions.
In this sense, Karma is divine justice, or, as the bible says, “God is not mocked, but as a man sows, so shall he reap.” Unfortunately, there are some “Christians” who think they can sow thorns and reap figs. It doesn’t work that way because such a system would give the devil grounds to mock God and God’s justice system. God’s justice system is perfect.
Aside from East Asian teachings of Karma, the karmic effect has been observed by people all over the world. It is no mystery or secret anymore that when you do good, it returns to you, and when you do evil, it also returns to you. If this weren’t the case, then there would be total chaos in the world!
The idea of karma is one of the proofs that an intelligent God created the Universe.
Here are some bible stories/verses which support the laws of Karma.
- When Cain killed Abel, he told God that “every man who sees me will want to kill me.” At that time, no one had known that Cain murdered his brother. Nevertheless, by committing this evil act, the laws of karma would predispose him to divine retribution through some divine code. This story also suggests that God can intercede at anytime and block the laws of Karma if He so pleases. In this case, God told Cain that He will put a mark on him (Cain) to warn people not to kill him as they would so desire. It can be speculated that God did this because there were few humans on earth at that time, and He wanted them to multiply and fill the earth.
- In the book of Proverbs, it is written, “whoever repays good with evil, evil will never depart from his house.” This is another example of the cause/effect phenomenon supported by the Bible.
- The bible makes it clear that “God is not mocked, but as a man sows, so shall he reap.”
- Jesus teaches that you should “do unto others as you would that they should do unto you.” He says this is a “golden” rule. The reason the word “golden” is used is that the rule has tremendous value. In other words, what you do others will be returned to you. Jesus also said that “by what mete you measure, the same shall be measured back to you.”
As you can see, these and other bible stories/ verses support the laws of the Karma. Even though the word “karma” is borrowed from a different culture, it is simply an observation of God’s divine laws and justice system.
Here is a Psalm of David which illustrates the Psalmist’s reliance on divine retribution. In lamenting against his enemies who took him captive and mocked, the Psalmist says, “happy the one who repays you as you have served us.” Yes, God repays us as we serve others. As Jesus put it, “do unto others as you would that they should do unto you. For this is the golden rule.”
1By the rivers of Babylon,
There we sat down, yea, we wept
When we remembered Zion.
2We hung our harps
Upon the willows in the midst of it.
3For there those who carried us away captive asked of us a song,
And those who plundered us requested mirth,
Saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”
4How shall we sing the Lord’s song
In a foreign land?
5If I forget you, O Jerusalem,
Let my right hand forget its skill!
6If I do not remember you,
Let my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth—
If I do not exalt Jerusalem
Above my chief joy.
7Remember, O Lord, against the sons of Edom
The day of Jerusalem,
Who said, [a]“Raze it, raze it,
To its very foundation!”
8O daughter of Babylon, who are to be destroyed,
Happy the one who repays you as you have served us!
9Happy the one who takes and dashes
Your little ones against the rock!