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Mike Shreve was a teacher of yoga at four universities. (The portrait above was drawn by one of his students in 1970.) Then a spiritual rebirth brought him into a real relationship with God and drastically changed his heart, his life and his belief system. Read his story here.
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Which is the correct view of the future: endless cycles of creation and destruction (the view of Hinduism and other Far Eastern worldviews) or one ultimate, universal change (the view of Christianity)? As brought out in the second section of this book (under Cycles, Ages and the Ultimate State of the Universe), classical Hinduism maintains that the universe is destined to pass through repetitive cycles of creation and destruction, manifestation and non-manifestation…ad infinitum. (See Kaushitaki Upanishad 3,3.) Astrology also teaches a cyclical view of the future, foretelling the unfolding of a number of astrological ages that repeat themselves endlessly. Jainism, Sikhism and other religions of Far Eastern origin also view the future cyclically. In all of these cases, there is no lasting conclusion and no hope for any final, victorious outcome. Some advocates of this cyclical view contend that once a soul is liberated from samsara (the cycle of rebirths) it will never be subjected to this process again. Others maintain that all spiritual entities (including gods) will face the inevitable and be ‘pulled under’ by this spiritual ‘undertow,’ again and again, eternally. At the end of each "day of Brahma," when this Creator god causes the creation to pass into an Unmanifest state (after an era of Manifestation lasting 4,320,000,000 years) all beings—even gods and demigods—will also, in a sense, be ‘dissolved’ into an Unmanifest state. They will then begin samsara afresh (the cycle of rebirths) with the beginning of the next period of Manifestation. Again and again, they will be forced to ascend step-by-step up the evolutionary ladder. Whichever view is held, there is still no ultimate state of stability promised for the universe as a whole. One of the basic doctrines of Buddhism is the impermanence of all things (anicca). Primarily this speaks that nothing has a lasting condition of existence. The universe is in a constant state of flux. Creation will never reach any place of unchanging, unalterable constancy. Christianity and its root source, Judaism, offer a different view altogether. Both teach a final dissolution of all things that will result in a New Creation, containing a New Heaven and a New Earth. Once God’s people are resurrected and glorified they will live forevermore in absolute, unchanging perfection. Ultimately their dwelling place will be New Jerusalem, the permanent capital city of the permanent New Creation. God has promised concerning this eternal state, "Behold I make all things new." (Revelation 21:4–5) Of all the opposing religious scenarios for the future mentioned in this book, this is undoubtedly the most glorious. |
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"In Search of the True Light" ©2002 copyright
by Mike Shreve.
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