Are the Laws of Karma compatible with Christianity? Let’s compare.
| LAWS OF KARMA | THE BIBLE |
|---|---|
| Karma The Great Law: Whatever we put into the Universe will come back to us. | Christianity and the Law: Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. (Galatians 2-3) |
| Karma The Law of Creation: Life does not happen by itself; we need to make it happen. | Christianity Creation: And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. (Genesis 2:7) |
| Karma The Law of Humility: One must accept something in order to change it. | Christianity Humility: The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility. (Proverbs 15:33) |
| Karma The Law of Responsibility: We must take responsibility for what is in our lives. | Christianity Responsibility: Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. (Galatians 6:7) |
| Karma The Law of Change: History repeats itself until we learn from it and change our path. | Christianity Change: Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (1 Corinthians 5:17) |
| Karma The Law of Patience and Reward: The most valuable rewards require persistence. | Christianity Work and Rewards: And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. (Colossians 3:23-24) |
| Karma The Law of Significance and Inspiration: Rewards are a result of the energy and effort we put into it. | Christianity Desires and Blessings: Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. (Psalm 37:4) |
As a Christian, the Bible teaches that we are to “put off” the old nature and “put on” the new nature. Karma is an old philosophy that has its roots in Hinduism and Buddhism which states that your good or bad actions are what decide your future. It is a system of “works” that predict what will happen in your “next life”, when you are reincarnated. It is believed to be a force inside of you that you can use to do good or bad.
Karma totally contradicts the Christian view of salvation by grace through faith because to get things in “the next life” you must follow a set of laws and do good. Grace through faith in what Jesus did on the cross to pay our sin debt does not get us another life (REINCARNATION), it promises eternal life (RESURRECTION) in that when we die on earth we join God in heaven and remain there forever (John 6:40, 1 Corinthians 6:14, Philippians 3:21, 1 Thessalonians 4:16)
So, to answer the question, “Are the Laws of Karma compatible with Christianity”? The Bible’s answer is “NO!”.
Pamela Rose Williams, Founder of Christianity Every Day, is a wife, mother, and grandmother. She and her husband, Dr. Michael L. Williams have served in Christian ministry since 2001. She has Master of Ministry in Biblical Counseling and bachelor’s in Christian education degrees and is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Biblical Studies. Most of her time is spent as a professional editor and writer, working with many Christian authors and artists. She also uses her extensive experience in information technology providing Christ-centered teaching tools and resources for people all over the world.
Thank you for this post. Yesterday, I had a coworker ask me why I don’t believe in Karma, but after some discussion, I could only give her the surface-level answer of, “because Karma is not in the Bible.” It was weak and I was ashamed that I could not represent my faith properly. This post is a great start to get me thinking and searching the Biblical responses to the Laws of Karma. I didn’t know there were 7 Laws of Karma; I had the very basic understanding that it revolved around “what comes around goes around.” I am a little more prepared to dive deeper into this topic with my coworker and hopefully represent King Jesus in the process!
Maranatha, come Lord Jesus
Hello, thank you for taking the time to comment on this article. Praise Jesus that you have been compelled to dig deeper into God’s Word and learn what He has to teach us. I was so encouraged by your words. ~Pamela Rose