Karma

What goes around comes around? As a Christian I find myself in conflict with this ideal of Karma. The reason why I am writing on this topic is this week my family was at a ball game and the little kids were there. We were playing with them and sprinkling water at each other. My mother-in-law went to get me, missed and hit the man behind us. Later on in the evening my two year old cousin spilled water all over my mother-in-law. After this occurred I said "That's Karma for you". That got me thinking. What is karma and how is it actually involved in our lives? Is it just a term we use or does it actually have meaning? Now karma itself, is a Hinduism and Buddhism term and idea fundamental to the religion. However, most people do not fully understand its nature and just assume it means what you do to others will be repaid to you. This is incorrect. Karma's definition is -the sum of a person's actions in this and previous states of existence, viewed as deciding their fate in future existences. This is part of reincarnation, which is not biblical and, in my opinion, is a way the Devil persuades people away from Jesus and the truth. 
So where do I find the conflict? If I believe this is not biblical why do I find myself even entertaining the word? Culture and misunderstanding is the answer. In general I believe in the concept of "what goes around comes around" and for years that is what I thought karma really meant. I had no idea that it related to reincarnation and a religion based on works rather than grace. Hinduism is a religion based on works and how YOU can make yourself good. This is incorrect. Only by grace through faith are we saved. People in general are inherently bad. No matter what we do even if we are a "good person", without God, we are never selfless, never "good". However if we look at this from a Biblical standpoint, what goes around does come around. 

      Luke 6:27-31

            “But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,  bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.  To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either.  Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back.  And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.

These were Jesus' own words; the ones in red in your Bible. When I see the red words, this to me screams "I am really important, listen to what I say!" Everything Jesus said was always in love, even if it was correction; it was correction in love for those who were at fault.  Jesus told the disciples that faith without works is dead. 

        James 2:14-26

            "What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?  If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?  Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.  You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!  But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?  Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar?  Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?  And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God.  You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also."

We do not need works to be saved. However, if we are saved and call ourselves Christians, it should show in our lives. 

        2 Corinthians 5:17
   "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."

We are new creations, born again. Shouldn't that be evident in our lives?

God bestows blessings onto those who are righteous in His ways. You cannot fool Him. He knows if you are doing selfless acts for Him or acts that appear to be selfless, but are truly for your self. God knows the nature of the heart. 

      Galatians 6:7
          "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap"

You cannot go around doing good trying to earn your way to heaven. An old Sunday School song, Oh You Can't Get to Heaven, addresses the many ways you cannot arrive in heaven. They are all by trying to work and earn your way. You can only go to heaven by believing in Jesus Christ and accepting Him into your heart as your savior. Even the demons believe there is a God and tremble. However, they do not believe He is the savior of the world. There is a reason why Jesus died for our sins, because we could never atone for them ourselves; we could never be sinless. So do unto others as you would have them do unto you; or better yet, do unto others and Jesus would do unto them. What goes around does come around. Be faithful to Christ and He will always be faithful to you.