All over the world many Christians are wondering what will happen to their pets after death. Unfortunately they are often told that an animal ceases to exist after death which further burdens their grief and worse even sometimes turns them away from God, perhaps justifiably. What makes this especially tragic is that the Bible confirms that every living thing will be resurrected.
There are a lot of verses about animals in heaven (Revelation 6:2, Isaiah 11:6-9, etc.) but this particular post is about the animals who lived here on earth.
Romans 8:19-23:
For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
The apostle Paul could not have been any clearer or blunt about this. I have seen people try to argue with this verse, some have said that "creature" refers to non-Christians. Ironically those who have claimed that Paul is referring to non-Christians have also taught either eternal Hell or annihilation which contradicts their interpretation of the verses above.
Some translations use the word "creation" meaning everything but that does not change the message.
Paul wasn't the only one who bluntly said everything will receive salvation. Jesus's cousin, the wise prophet John the baptist, says this in Luke 3:6 "And all flesh shall see the salvation of God."
Some translations make this out to say every person, but the oldest Greek texts use the word "flesh" not "person" or "man".
1 Corinthians 15:22
For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.
Although many will disagree with this, there is no reason to believe animals died before Adam and Eve cursed the earth by eating the forbidden fruit. I don't think that this verse extends to just humans but also to the animals.
Revelation 21:4
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away.
I think this is another clue. Notice how he does not say "No more dying" but rather "no more death". Not only will everything stop dying but also will stop being dead.
A lot of people of people assume this verse teaches that animals simply die...
Ecclesiastes 3:21
Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?
... BUT that misconception probably comes from a lack of knowledge of ancient Judaism. In those days there really wasn't a direct answer as to what happened to anything, including people, when it died. Some believed the soul simply went back to God and merged with him, while others believed the soul went to Sheol, which we now call Hell. A lot of people who see this verse do not read what comes before it, that animals and people go to the same place:
For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity. All go unto one place
The aforementioned Ecclesiastes 3:20 confirms that animals have spirits just like human beings.
Revelation 5:13
And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.
Another argument I disagree with is that animals do not have morals nor can they believe in God. However there are verses all over the Bible that say animals worship God.
Isaiah 43:20
The beast of the field shall honour me, the dragons and the owls because I give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen.
Psalm 66:4
All the earth shall worship thee, and shall sing unto thee; they shall sing to thy name. Selah.
I have seen many arguments against animals going to heaven and I want to use this as an opportunity to disagree with them. I have seen people claiming that animals cannot go to heaven because they cannot accept Jesus (see above). However there are things in heaven that are far less capable such as the street made of gold and the waters of life.
I once read an argument that it would not be fair because there would be more animals than people in heaven since everyone is not saved, but by that logic even Christians shouldn't go to heaven because there is less of us than non-Christians.
I am going to end this post by talking about why this matters so much. When someone says an animals ceases to exist they accidentally paint God to be a heartless, neglectful villain and give other religions and atheism leverage. I think the reason why so many people hope that animals don't go to heaven is because they want to be the only ones to receive salvation. For some reason a lot of people like the thought of being the only ones in heaven (case in point, when this thread gets inevitably hijacked by people arguing and telling each other they are going to Hell over something marginal).
I could go on, but this thread is getting long enough. Have a nice day!
There are a lot of verses about animals in heaven (Revelation 6:2, Isaiah 11:6-9, etc.) but this particular post is about the animals who lived here on earth.
Romans 8:19-23:
For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
The apostle Paul could not have been any clearer or blunt about this. I have seen people try to argue with this verse, some have said that "creature" refers to non-Christians. Ironically those who have claimed that Paul is referring to non-Christians have also taught either eternal Hell or annihilation which contradicts their interpretation of the verses above.
Some translations use the word "creation" meaning everything but that does not change the message.
Paul wasn't the only one who bluntly said everything will receive salvation. Jesus's cousin, the wise prophet John the baptist, says this in Luke 3:6 "And all flesh shall see the salvation of God."
Some translations make this out to say every person, but the oldest Greek texts use the word "flesh" not "person" or "man".
1 Corinthians 15:22
For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.
Although many will disagree with this, there is no reason to believe animals died before Adam and Eve cursed the earth by eating the forbidden fruit. I don't think that this verse extends to just humans but also to the animals.
Revelation 21:4
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away.
I think this is another clue. Notice how he does not say "No more dying" but rather "no more death". Not only will everything stop dying but also will stop being dead.
A lot of people of people assume this verse teaches that animals simply die...
Ecclesiastes 3:21
Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?
... BUT that misconception probably comes from a lack of knowledge of ancient Judaism. In those days there really wasn't a direct answer as to what happened to anything, including people, when it died. Some believed the soul simply went back to God and merged with him, while others believed the soul went to Sheol, which we now call Hell. A lot of people who see this verse do not read what comes before it, that animals and people go to the same place:
For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity. All go unto one place
The aforementioned Ecclesiastes 3:20 confirms that animals have spirits just like human beings.
Revelation 5:13
And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.
Another argument I disagree with is that animals do not have morals nor can they believe in God. However there are verses all over the Bible that say animals worship God.
Isaiah 43:20
The beast of the field shall honour me, the dragons and the owls because I give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen.
Psalm 66:4
All the earth shall worship thee, and shall sing unto thee; they shall sing to thy name. Selah.
I have seen many arguments against animals going to heaven and I want to use this as an opportunity to disagree with them. I have seen people claiming that animals cannot go to heaven because they cannot accept Jesus (see above). However there are things in heaven that are far less capable such as the street made of gold and the waters of life.
I once read an argument that it would not be fair because there would be more animals than people in heaven since everyone is not saved, but by that logic even Christians shouldn't go to heaven because there is less of us than non-Christians.
I am going to end this post by talking about why this matters so much. When someone says an animals ceases to exist they accidentally paint God to be a heartless, neglectful villain and give other religions and atheism leverage. I think the reason why so many people hope that animals don't go to heaven is because they want to be the only ones to receive salvation. For some reason a lot of people like the thought of being the only ones in heaven (case in point, when this thread gets inevitably hijacked by people arguing and telling each other they are going to Hell over something marginal).
I could go on, but this thread is getting long enough. Have a nice day!
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