Critters, there's more than meats the eye...

[Dave L]

You have muddled the scriptures Dave. God made man in his image. It was personal. Man was in God's likeness, not so the animals.
God spoke them into existence without the same intimate touch.
Your language re souls is skewed. Have you not read it's context at mans creation?? Not even man has a soul he is a soul.
The track you are on is of pagan origin and rational....it blurs the boundary between human and animal and from there the theory of evolution takes its foothold.

Do you think people are animals?

 

[Nancy]

Of course. But pets do not belong in Heaven (much as pet owners would prefer otherwise).

In this connection, it should be noted that for whatever reason, many pet owners would rather lavish love and care on pets than on human beings. Evidently pet food is prepared with as much care (or more ) than human food. And sometimes the cash spent on pets is truly outrageous, including funerals for pets. That is not what God expects.

Well, this would be the extreme. My belief is that there is nothing at all wrong in taking care of God's creatures, He commanded us to, after all.
Like I said before, if one places their pets before humans, their pets become idols IMO. They bring me much joy and I thank God for them every day and promise to care for them.
I must ask you @Enoch111 , Why would you say that "pets do not belong in heaven"? Just wonder why you say that.

 

[Enoch111]

I must ask you @Enoch111 , Why would you say that "pets do not belong in heaven"? Just wonder why you say that.

Short answer: Christ shed His blood for Adam's race.

 

[quietthinker]

Do you think people are animals?

Humans are not animals in spite of sharing a similar biology. This should be obvious to all who call God their Father.

 

[Hidden In Him]

Short answer: Christ shed His blood for Adam's race.

You're assuming God holds animals accountable for their sins then, yes?

 

[Hidden In Him]

Gordon Clark (taught philosophy at Butler University in Indianapolis) said: In one way this is reminiscent of Genesis 2:7. As God breathed into Adam’s nostrils the breath or spirit of life, so too God sent forth his spirit into the animals.

Some people are afraid to say that animals have souls. They not only have souls, they are souls. Some people are afraid to say that animals have spirit. But Genesis 6:17 and 7:15, and Psalm 104:29, as well as Ecclesiastes 3:21 ascribe spirit to animals. Animals are souls. They are not just clay.

Excellent thread. I haven't read through all the responses yet, but I personally have a hard time imagining God would not have the pets I have had in this life there waiting for me when I get to Heaven. Not only did they all have souls, each had a very distinct personality of his or her own, including the pets I have now.

God created animals to share Paradise with us in the beginning for a reason. They were to be our companions. And they will very clearly inhabit Heaven with us as well because God's intent was that Paradise be restored for humanity.

They are my greatest joy in this life, and will be in the next (outside the Lord Himself).

 

[Nancy]

Short answer: Christ shed His blood for Adam's race.

Well, I'm not asking if they are a part of the Atonement! lol...I KNOW they cannot be "saved" in the sense as we, who are made in His Image are. They cannot "sin", they live totally by instinct but, when God made all things, He declared His creation as being "very good". I believe there will be plants, trees, flowers AND animals in Heaven. I do not know at all if our "personal" pets on this earth will be a part of His kingdom...but God created them "very good"

 

[Enoch111]

I believe there will be plants, trees, flowers AND animals in Heaven.

I believe you are thinking of the New Earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Heaven is for the saints and angels.

 

[Enoch111]

You're assuming God holds animals accountable for their sins then, yes?

To the contrary, the sin issue is moot for all other creatures except mankind, made in the image and likeness of God.

 

[Hidden In Him]

To the contrary, the sin issue is moot for all other creatures except mankind, made in the image and likeness of God.

I agree. So why were you addressing the issue of Christ's shed blood in reference to animals being in Heaven? It doesn't seem to have any relation unless you meant that no living creature can get into Heaven apart from faith in Christ's shed blood.

Btw, this debate really can't be won on either side since the scriptures are largely silent on it, so it devolves into a matter of poking holes in the positions of those who attempt to base their arguments on them, LoL.