The “future” in the context of the Bible and Karma

The past, the present, and the future are tied together. The past and the present were once futures, and the future will someday be present and then become the past.

While our brains find it easy to dwell on the past and deal with the present, we are acutely aware of the future and all the possibilities and inevitabilities that it carries with it. At the back of our minds, we picture a future encompassing pleasing events, great experiences, fulfilling developments, and all that the mind can imagine. And yet we are also helpless to the fact that the future is inherently uncertain. For example, in the 1980s and 1990s, it was difficult to imagine having a group meeting virtually. It was hard to imagine that payments could be made via a mobile device using digital technology. And yet, presently, living without a mobile phone is very difficult to imagine. Emailing and inboxing messages have become our daily routines. Suffice it to say that the future is at the mercy of a wide range of factors and that these factors influence how we relate and how we socialize.

These factors influence our economic status and the social classes we attain while alive. While the world is aware of the fact that factors like technology and climate change will influence the future, at an individual level, we are resigned to fate and destiny, both of which are futuristic in nature. Our future is thus a realm of possibilities, and outcomes are predisposed to our actions, decisions, and the connections of variables that may seem limitless to our thinking and imagination.

In order to explain the future, Scholars have offered various concepts, three of which closely tie into religious beliefs and practices. The three are the concept of determinism, which suggests that the future is predetermined by existing conditions, such as the laws of nature or a divine plan; the concept of free will, which proposes that individuals have the ability to make choices that can influence the course of their future; and the concept of causality, which asserts that events are connected by cause-and-effect relationships and that understanding these causal links allows us to make predictions about future outcomes based on past and present circumstances. These three concepts tend to agree on the role that we humans play in shaping personal and collective destinies, given that future events are inevitable. They also highlight the dynamic interplay between humans, natural processes, and the future.

The unpredictability and intricacy of the future are fertile ground for the mind’s desire to find answers to weighty mysteries that have fascinated and even mesmerized our thoughts and inquisitiveness. As a result of the intricate nature of the future, religion has birthed varying beliefs and practices related to it. Belief in a Supreme Being, Universal God, or Supreme Divine Authority is a common characteristic of the world’s major religions. Oxford University thus defines religion as “a belief in a superhuman controlling power, especially in a Personal God or gods entitled to obedience and worship.”

Many religions try to explain the future through prophecies or texts that provide intuitions or forecasts about the future. Some of the teachings and prophecies come in the form of divine warnings. Renowned Scholars have affirmed the importance of religion to mankind. For example, after studying the history of mankind through the ages, Arnold Toynbee wrote in the Observer on October 24, 1954, that “he had come back to the belief that Religion holds the key to the mystery of existence”. Religion connects to and irrigates our spirituality as we work towards having a relationship with some power greater than ourselves and as we search for meaning, a sense of purpose, and a better understanding of what the future holds.

Even though Christian theology seems to vary among different denominations, The Bible generally addresses the future via a number of premises, teachings, and prophetic messages. Biblical prophecies foretell a future paradise ruled by God through His son and king, Jesus Christ. The existence of this Kingdom dominates the Book of Daniel, which generally includes prophecies about empires and the end times. Revelation, the last book of the Bible, has well-organized apocalyptic literature that discusses the end times, cosmic battles, and the new heaven and new earth. It gives details of beliefs that talk about the final judgement, the resurrection of the dead, and the establishment of God’s kingdom in the future. The Messiah (anointed one) will bring salvation and establish God’s kingdom on earth. Because mankind is sinful in nature, this Kingdom (some wrongly call it heaven) is a future reward for the obedient and good humans, while hell is presented as a future punishment for the rebellious people. In connection with these two future destinations, The Bible provides ethical and moral teachings that guide individuals in their present actions and decisions. The Bible thus offers hope, restoration, and renewal for humans and the world. Biblical teachings point to a future where God’s purposes are fulfilled and creation is reconciled.

Karma is a religious doctrine of Hinduism or Buddhism that enshrines the idea that reasonable moral efforts have a cause-and-effect relationship with benefit and welfare in this life and in the next. In other words, there is a sense in which a man’s behaviour dictates or even controls his destiny. The Law of Karma dictates that we always get what we deserve based on our actions and intentions. This law seems to guarantee a fair and just outcome for all, sooner or later in the future. Inherent in the law of Karma is the idea that people are rewarded or punished by the natural consequences of their actions in this life or hereafter.

Belief in karma can significantly influence our understanding of the future by shaping our perspectives on causality, moral accountability, and the potential outcomes of our actions. Karma adherents thus make an effort to live ethically and morally, considering the possible karmic consequences of their actions, which could lead to positive or negative future outcomes. Belief in Karma is like an incentive for humans to engage in good behaviour and avoid harmful activities for a better future. In such a setup, challenging situations tend to be viewed as opportunities to work through past negative actions in order to build positive karma for the future.

In conclusion, while several theories try to explain the future, the complexity of the future and its multifaceted nature will continue to captivate human curiosity for centuries to come. The concept of the future will continue to attract philosophical, scientific, and speculative ideas as humans make an effort towards understanding the concepts of time, causality, uncertainty, and the possibilities that lie ahead. It is also important to appreciate the role of Christianity and Karmic beliefs, and by extension, a range of other religions that originate from different cultures and traditions. The fact that these religious beliefs share concepts like ethics, compassion, and personal responsibility indicates the effort of humans to embrace positive actions and attitudes that promote well-being and harmony for better future outcomes.

References (for further reading)

Banerjee K., Bloom P. (2017) You get what you give: Children’s Karmic Bargaining

English Standard Version Bible (2001) ESV Online. https://esv.literalword.com/

Erwin W. Lutzer, Christ among Other Gods (Chicago: Moody Press, 1994), pp. 63

King James Bible (2008) Oxford University Press. Original work published 1769

Schelling, T. C. (1978) Micromotives and macrobehavior, WW Norton & Company

The Observer (October 24, 1954)

Tracy J. Trothen, Winning the Race? Religion, Hope, and Reshaping the Sports Enhancement Debate (Macon, GA: Mercer University Press, 2015), pp. 25–26.