Christian Karma

Are you like this?

I have noticed an alarming amount of Christians believe in karma, in one way or another. There belief is either very functional, just hoping someone "gets theirs", or they believe in as why they need to be a good person. To begin, there is no teachings of Karma in Christian Doctrine. None. Zippo. Nada. Karma is a belief system that has been introduced to the greater world by way of the Eastern Religions, notably Buddhism and Hinduism. The idea of karma in these systems is that you have to have more "good karma", whether that come through becoming enlightened or helping an old lady cross the street, than bad karma so that you can escape the endless cycle that is reincarnation, in which you are reincarnated into something else based on your past life's karma. If you were good, you may be a rich man, if you were bad you may end up being a caterpillar.  Being released from this cycle is called Nirvana, where rather than being reincarnated to work on your karma, you cease to exist and have found perfect enlightenment. Since there is no belief in reincarnation in the Christian tradition, it is curious that so many Christians, particularly Western Christians, have latched onto this idea.

The real question is, why have many Christians grasped this idea as their own doctrine?

This can be seen as simple as poor exegetical skills on the part of a believer. One verse that is in particular taken out of context to conform to the ideology of karma is Galatians 6:7. This verse says:
\

" Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap." (Galatians 6:7 ESV)

Now at first this may seem like a kind of slanted way of saying that you get what you have coming. But the problem is, it doesn't have to do with Karma, rather it has to do with punishment for our sins. Rather than it being "You were a terrible person, so now you'll be born a slug!" it really is showing how our sins and actions have adverse reactions. It is much like breaking the law. If you rob a bank should you be surprised if you get arrested and sent to jail? Nope. You performed a trespass against the law, so you had to pay the penalty for that.

Another problem is that we think that with this we can sow enough good that it negates our bad. That is simply not true. We cannot save ourselves anymore than a person can perform open heart surgery on them self! Our good deeds are a means of obedience to God for what he has done for us, not as a means for saving ourselves. The only way to be covered from "bad Karma" (or in our case, sin) is by accepting the sacrifice of Jesus. Going to the next passage we see it say

"For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life." (Galatians 6:8)

We sow destruction with our sin, but we reap eternal life when we trust in the Holy Spirit for salvation, rather than our own actions. No matter how many old ladies who help cross the street or homeless guys you give a sandwich, you wont do enough to outweigh your sin.