Do animals have immortal souls? My take on the debate

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.
May 12, 2018
6
1
3
#1
I say yes. But no I don't think they'll set foot in heaven.


Am I saying your favorite pet will never be reunited with you? No! God meant for this world to be Good and without sin, we messed it up. When Jesus returns earth will be made again the way is was meant to be. God loves all his animals, and if you want more proof I have Bible verses.


So, you may not see Fido in heaven but, don't worry you'll see him again in the new earth.

So, I'd be glad to hear the opinions of others, do our pets have immortal souls.
 

maxwel

Senior Member
Apr 18, 2013
9,526
2,609
113
#2
My belief is that God made pets so we'd always have something to eat when we run out of food.

------
 
S

SpoonJuly

Guest
#3
My belief is that God made pets so we'd always have something to eat when we run out of food.

------
My wife's cats have got to go!
 
May 12, 2018
6
1
3
#4
My belief is that God made pets so we'd always have something to eat when we run out of food.

------
God didn't make them as food originally. Originally every living thing ate plants, but with sin things changed......
 
Jun 10, 2018
44
19
8
#5
I say yes. But no I don't think they'll set foot in heaven.


Am I saying your favorite pet will never be reunited with you? No! God meant for this world to be Good and without sin, we messed it up. When Jesus returns earth will be made again the way is was meant to be. God loves all his animals, and if you want more proof I have Bible verses.


So, you may not see Fido in heaven but, don't worry you'll see him again in the new earth.

So, I'd be glad to hear the opinions of others, do our pets have immortal souls.
My response is , well of course animals have souls.
God said in the Book of Ezekiel 18 that all souls are his. He didn't qualify that as only human souls.
Genesis 2:7 tells us God created the man , breathed into his nostrils, and then he became a living soul.
Genesis 1:30 says, 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.

Every single thing that exists seen and unseen is given its existence by the creator God. Yes, we shall be reunited with our beloved companion animals. We all came from the same place in order to find one another in this world made through God.

Colossians 1:16 16For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.
Use that verse to recall Jesus' teaching concerning our reuniting with God through repentance, faith, and our Salvation.
"Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."


 
#6
I say yes. But no I don't think they'll set foot in heaven.


Am I saying your favorite pet will never be reunited with you? No! God meant for this world to be Good and without sin, we messed it up. When Jesus returns earth will be made again the way is was meant to be. God loves all his animals, and if you want more proof I have Bible verses.


So, you may not see Fido in heaven but, don't worry you'll see him again in the new earth.

So, I'd be glad to hear the opinions of others, do our pets have immortal souls.

YOU WROTE
So, you may not see Fido in heaven but, don't worry you'll see him again in the new earth.

I ANSUER
Animals are living souls...living into fleshly bodies...
and the people are living souls...living into fleshly bodies...

the big difference is...
that...
the living soul of man...has...''EGO''...
the living soul of animal...has...no...''EGO''...

that's why...
GOD created animals...to kill and eat other animals...
and we people...kill and eat...animals...
but...that means not...that...it happens... a crime - a malefaction...

animals are...living existances ...without ''EGO'' ...like the plants...

animals and plants...are...''living machine''....''livings robots''...without ''EGO''...

only...the man...has...''EGO''...and certainly...the ''EGO''...is spiritual existance...not material existence...
the ''EGO'' of man...is...inside...his...spiritual soul...
 
7

7seasrekeyed

Guest
#7
My belief is that God made pets so we'd always have something to eat when we run out of food.

------

well, here's a little pet for you

would not want you to go hungry :giggle::giggle::giggle:

 

OneFaith

Senior Member
Sep 5, 2016
2,270
369
83
#8
I say yes. But no I don't think they'll set foot in heaven.


Am I saying your favorite pet will never be reunited with you? No! God meant for this world to be Good and without sin, we messed it up. When Jesus returns earth will be made again the way is was meant to be. God loves all his animals, and if you want more proof I have Bible verses.


So, you may not see Fido in heaven but, don't worry you'll see him again in the new earth.

So, I'd be glad to hear the opinions of others, do our pets have immortal souls.

You are not going to like my answer. I think animals, plants, even germs, etc. are either angels or demons. "A star fell from heaven named Wormwood and destroyed one third..." And I believe God will get rid of all physicality forevermore, and that the new earth is hell.
 

RickyZ

Senior Member
Sep 20, 2012
9,635
787
113
#9
When man was created he was told he could eat of all the plants - ie man (all creatures actually) was born a vegetarian. With the fall, that changed. We were allowed to eat animals - and not just us, but other animals could eat other animals. It became open season on the food chain.

Sin means the separation of the sinner from God, and their soul is then lost in the lake of fire. The only way God found possible to circumvent that among His people before He sent the Messiah, was to send the soul of an animal to hell instead - in our place. That means that animal's soul wasn't already headed for hell. And that an animal's soul does survive physical death.

Paul said that all creation groans for redemption, and Jesus said that if the people were silent in the face of His coming then the rocks would cry out. Redemption is not just for humans, but for all creation. The lion will lay with the lamb on the new earth. Yes our animal companions will be there.

But - they will not be our pets. God says that on the new earth none of this old one will be remembered. And all life will be submitted to Christ, not men. Our companions will be a part of that life, and we will interact with them. Just not as we do now.
 
7

7seasrekeyed

Guest
#10
You are not going to like my answer. I think animals, plants, even germs, etc. are either angels or demons. "A star fell from heaven named Wormwood and destroyed one third..." And I believe God will get rid of all physicality forevermore, and that the new earth is hell.

I have no feels for your answer with regards to liking or disliking

but is does seem somebody did not read Genesis where God created the animals and had Adam name them

other than that, I am slightly astounded at how folks continue to mess up simple things
 
Feb 7, 2017
1,605
140
63
#12
It's a good question, considering that Romans 8.19-22 says:

  • "For the earnest expectation of the creation waiteth for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to vanity, not of its own will, but by reason of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the liberty of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now." (Romans 8.19-22).
 

hornetguy

Senior Member
Jan 18, 2016
7,179
1,801
113
#13
I do not believe animals have souls. I believe animals were put on this earth for our use, enjoyment, and companionship.

Why would God tell Peter to rise up, kill (an animal) and eat? If God told Peter to kill and eat an animal, that had a soul, why are we not allowed to kill and eat other humans?

So, Fido and Fluffy, no matter how cute and loveable they are, do not have souls, any more than Bossy the cow, or Bambi the deer have.
 

blue_ladybug

Senior Member
Feb 21, 2014
70,924
9,673
113
#14
I do not believe animals have souls. I believe animals were put on this earth for our use, enjoyment, and companionship.

Why would God tell Peter to rise up, kill (an animal) and eat? If God told Peter to kill and eat an animal, that had a soul, why are we not allowed to kill and eat other humans?

So, Fido and Fluffy, no matter how cute and loveable they are, do not have souls, any more than Bossy the cow, or Bambi the deer have.

Ummm, people kill and eat animals every day. People also kill and (sometimes) eat other people every day too... It says right in the bible that every living thing has the breath of life. So it makes absolute sense that there WILL be animals on the new earth. Definitely. :) (y)
 
M

Miri

Guest
#15
I don’t believe animals have either souls or free will. They live by instinct in accordance with the nature God has given them.

We know God can command and control animals. We see this with Baleems donkey, Jonah and the great fish, the ravens who fed Elijah for example.

Plus all those animals walked into the ark.

So no I don’t think animals have souls.

If animals did have souls then either they are all going to live in eternity with Christ as none have them has ever done anything wrong, in that they do not know the difference between good and evil and just live by instinct. Or they do know the difference and Christ died for them also and each needs to turn to Christ. So which is it?
 

blue_ladybug

Senior Member
Feb 21, 2014
70,924
9,673
113
#17
I don’t believe animals have either souls or free will. They live by instinct in accordance with the nature God has given them.

We know God can command and control animals. We see this with Baleems donkey, Jonah and the great fish, the ravens who fed Elijah for example.

Plus all those animals walked into the ark.

So no I don’t think animals have souls.

If animals did have souls then either they are all going to live in eternity with Christ as none have them has ever done anything wrong, in that they do not know the difference between good and evil and just live by instinct. Or they do know the difference and Christ died for them also and each needs to turn to Christ. So which is it?

God created animals, so obviously they have souls. Maybe a different soul than ours, but they DO have a soul. :)
 

blue_ladybug

Senior Member
Feb 21, 2014
70,924
9,673
113
#18
I don’t believe animals have either souls or free will. They live by instinct in accordance with the nature God has given them.

We know God can command and control animals. We see this with Baleems donkey, Jonah and the great fish, the ravens who fed Elijah for example.

Plus all those animals walked into the ark.

So no I don’t think animals have souls.

If animals did have souls then either they are all going to live in eternity with Christ as none have them has ever done anything wrong, in that they do not know the difference between good and evil and just live by instinct. Or they do know the difference and Christ died for them also and each needs to turn to Christ. So which is it?

Animals "live by instinct" according to the fallen nature of this world. God did NOT give them a kill or be killed nature. Pretty sure humans and animals co-existed in harmony before evil ruined it for us all...
 
C

claysmithr

Guest
#19
You are not going to like my answer. I think animals, plants, even germs, etc. are either angels or demons. "A star fell from heaven named Wormwood and destroyed one third..." And I believe God will get rid of all physicality forevermore, and that the new earth is hell.
Are you Gnostic? Did you not read the bible?

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation 21&version=ESV

The whole point of the bible is a restoration of heaven and earth, and there is nothing inherently wrong with physicality, the problem is sin.
 
C

claysmithr

Guest
#20
I'm not sure they do have immortal souls, but that wouldn't stop them from being ressurected in the New Earth.