THE TRUE CIRCLE OF LIFE

In the movie The Lion King, there is a reoccurring theme that seems to suggest some form of reincarnation.  The animal dies, the carcass fertilizes the soil, the soil produces plants, herbivores eat the plants, carnivores eat the herbivores, and so on.  In some ways, the movie sort of reminds me of the New Age philosophy of karma:  "what goes around, comes around."  We as Christians do not believe in karma, and yet, the Apostle Paul said something like that when he wrote, "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap" (Gal. 6:7).  In Paul's case, karma simply meant we are accountable to God for what we say and do.

In reality, our salvation is sort of the result of a circle of life.  God decided to create the human race (Gen. 1:26-27), but before Jesus created the Universe (Jn. 1:1-3; Col. 1:16; Heb. 1:1-2; etc.), God, being Omniscient (Ps. 147:5; 1 Jn. 3:20), knew the consequences of making man, in that He knew man would sin and in order to pay the penalty for sin, Jesus would have to die (Jn. 3:16; Rev. 13:8).  He knew that man would not seek Him, or care about the things of God (Rom. 3:11).  He knew that He would have to draw man to Himself (Jn. 6:44).  He knew that in order to do that, the Holy Spirit would have to convict the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment (Jn. 16:7-11).  He knew He would have to provide man with the faith necessary to trust Him (Eph. 2:8).  He knew that in order to do that, He would have to demonstrate His trustworthiness; He knew that for man to know about His trustworthiness, He would have to record evidence of it in a book, in the Bible (Jn 20:21).  He knew that when some men heard what the Bible said about Him, they would place their trust in Him (Jn. 1:11-12).  He knew that when they placed their trust in Him, He would make them "new creatures" (2 Cor. 5:17).  And, He knew His new creatures would sin (Rom. 7:15-29).  He knew that born again believers would confess their sins and that He would again make them as righteous (1 Jn. 1:9)

The true circle of life summed up in one verse:

"These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God" (1 Jn. 5:13).