From: danc@procom.com (Daniel Cossack)
Subject: Re: Christianity and repeated lives
Organization: Procom Technology, Inc.
Lines: 32

smayo@world.std.com (Scott A Mayo) writes:

>>Gerry Palo writes:
>> > ...there is nothing in Christianity that precludes the idea of
>> > repeated lives on earth.

>Doesn't it say somewhere "It is appointed to man once to die,
>and then judgement?" I don't have a concordance here but I have
>some dim memory that this appears *somewhere* in the Bible.
>Given a fairly specific context for what judgement is, I'd say
>that more or less decides the issue.
>[Heb 9:27 --clh]

That depends on how this verse is read.  There are at least two
meanings of the word "once".  1) only one time, and 2) at some
other time (i.e. once upon a time).  Note that in the previous
verse, the word "once" is used with the second meaning, and also
in the following verse, "once" is again used with the second meaning.
The Greek, I am sure, uses different words for each of the two meanings
for the English word "once".  I am not a Greek scholar, but I'm sure
someone here can verify which Greek word is used here for this meaning.
If the second meaning is being used, that verse can be interpreted as:

  - for it was once given for men to die (beginning with Adam), but 
    after this [gift of atonement offered by Jesus Christ] the judgement
    [is made available], for now there is no longer death, but life
    with Christ.
-- 
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Daniel Cossack                |  danc@procom.com, 71333.2102@compuserve.com
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Procom Technology, Inc.       |  +1 714 852 1000
