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| Do all dogs go to heaven? |
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"Where does my pet go when it dies? Will I see him/her again?"
Some may fall under the camp that animals "have no souls" or "stay in the ground", while others can imagine God having a petting zoo in paradise.
I would argue that yes, animals in heaven is a possibility, but perhaps not for the common reasons others may think.
Some may fall under the camp that animals "have no souls" or "stay in the ground", while others can imagine God having a petting zoo in paradise.
I would argue that yes, animals in heaven is a possibility, but perhaps not for the common reasons others may think.
While animals don't require salvation like humans do (animals and humans are separate in natural purpose), animals are, in fact, living breathing souls. Take Genesis 1:29-30, for instance:
And God said, "Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food." And it was so. (Genesis 1:29-30 ESV).
God breathed life not only to Adam but also to all the living creatures on the earth. What separates humans from animals is that humans were made in God's image, have the ability to discern right from wrong, and have a responsibility to utilize this moral compass while having dominion over the earth and its creatures. Animals have a separate purpose to help keep our planet alive and serve our needs. Plus, they add to the natural beauty of our world and are a gift from God.
Scripture also prophesied about animals, even mentioning them together in harmony in the new heaven and new earth (see Isaiah 11:1-9; Isaiah 65:17-25), and even Revelation paints us an image that, in a way, mirrors that of the Garden of Eden from the beginning (see Revelation 22).
Also, consider this: animals were sacrificed as a temporary atonement of sins before Christ (a.k.a. the Lamb of God) took that place permanently. Sacrificing any other human would have been in vain due to humanity's inherent sin. Animals do not have this inherent sin and are, thus, innocent (hence, "scapegoat"), only being temporary due to their own mortality.
Personally, I believe there's no harm in believing in the possibility of seeing your pet or any animal in the afterlife, as this does not affect our own salvation. Our personal feelings on the matter does not change God's grace and good character, and with Christ paradise will be perfect.
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Curious Questions to Consider:
Do you believe animals go to heaven? Why or why not?
Is there any problem with believing a pet will be in paradise?
How do you cope with the loss of a pet?
Do you believe animals go to heaven? Why or why not?
Is there any problem with believing a pet will be in paradise?
How do you cope with the loss of a pet?
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Leave your thoughts in the comment section below. Feel free to share your own stories, experiences and insight in relation to the topic.
Be sure to be respectful and considerate of your word choice in regards to whatever details you choose to share. We're not here to gossip or backstab. Refrain from using specific names. Do not use this topic as an excuse to bash on those who may agree or disagree on certain views regarding animals and the afterlife. No flame wars. Please keep it clean and civil.
God bless and thanks for sharing!
Be sure to be respectful and considerate of your word choice in regards to whatever details you choose to share. We're not here to gossip or backstab. Refrain from using specific names. Do not use this topic as an excuse to bash on those who may agree or disagree on certain views regarding animals and the afterlife. No flame wars. Please keep it clean and civil.
God bless and thanks for sharing!
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Author's Notes:
Cover image courtesy of cottonbro.
(Written on September 15, 2019.)
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I believe there are animals in Heaven. (Jesus will be coming back on a white horse and the angelic army He leads will all be riding one.) However, it is unclear if those horses are special angel horses or if they were once earthly animals.
ReplyDeleteI personally believe there are animals in Heaven. The only thing I am unclear about is if those animals were ever on Earth first.
I believe animals of some kind will be part of eternity but there is no scriptural support to believe pets or any other animal that dies goes to heaven. Our human relationships will not carry into heaven, as Jesus clearly stated marriage does not come into play and scripture is clear the marriage contract ends at death. The point is, heaven will be a completely different existence than what we experience here.
ReplyDeleteAlso, we have theological difficulty with inferring pets go to heaven. What qualifies a pet for heaven? Our love for it, it's obedience? What about a pet that mauls it's owner, does that animal go to hell? What about a dog who steals dinner off the table when he knows it's wrong?
I personally feel the idea of pets going to heaven cheapens grace and makes a mockery of Christ's sacrifice.
Not a popular position, I know, and I almost say this one out because this is such a sensitive topic for some.
Tackling tough questions is important.