Do Animals Enter Condemnation or Paradise?

Thank you all for the replies so far..

A couple things that need to be pointed out, because some of us apparently don't know:

• Animals have souls
• Animals have the breath of life

In these respects they are no different than mankind. Man was placed in authority over the other living souls with the breath of life, but not because they have no soul, not because they have not the spirit of life.

Exactly the same phrase "nephesh chayyah" which literally means "souls having life" is used to describe every creature apart from plants in Genesis 1-2. Unfortunately our English translations decided to call nephesh 'creature' when it refers to anything other than man, and 'soul' when it refers to man. But that is a mistake; nephesh is soul.
There is more than one place, but as for all animals having the same breath of life, consider Genesis 7:22

A couple of you should study that out and see if what I say isn't true, and maybe reconsider your answers.

I'm think there will be animals in heaven because of the scriptures that says and the lion will lay down with the chi
Is having a soul the same thing as having a spirit?

The horses from Heaven are not mentioned after this. Neither are the horses which took Elijah to Heaven. So we should not assume that horses will remain in Heaven. They may be left on earth after the Second Coming.

The Bible seems to make a distinction between soul and spirit, tho it calls animals souls throughout Genesis and says in other places like Ecclesiastes 3 they have spirits.
It is a difficult question to ask, what is the difference between a soul and a spirit? But the scripture in some places seems to compare the soul, the mind, and the heart together, and talks of the spirit differently.

How can this comment be both sad and funny? And then we have the horses given to the Horsemen of the Apocalypse. That is definitely not funny.

Have you guys noticed?

We all 100% agree in something!
Animals do not have sin!

So we all agree that animals die as a result of Adam's sin, the cursing of the ground for his sake?
That they are subjected to frustration not by their own will, but in hope?

In re: Romans 8?


And so far we also all agree animals are not sent to hell, but we have some disagreement about whether their souls exist forever or are annihilated on physical death?

It does not matter. There is no need for the redemption of animals, since they do not sin. They do what they do because they are animals.

Redemption is for sinners, and only human beings are sinners. So only the redeemed (the saints) go to Heaven. And then there are human beings who are worse than animals, since they inflict pain and suffering as a matter of enjoyment. Only humans are evil and wicked. Not animals.

You are rather confused. Since animals do not need redemption, they do not need Heaven. There is no double standard since God does not judge the morality or spirituality of animals.

I said nothing about judging the morality of animals. Your confusion is rather ridiculous.

In your view, animals can simply cease to exist but humans cannot.

There is your double standard. Don't try to stick it on God! Own it.

My old dog was a sinner. He was a shocker when he got over excited, and this usually happened when we had visitors and was being made a fuss of ... he used to let one go

Cor stone the crows, you could power New York city on the gas he used to emit.

He was a beautiful dog, I can't give you a scripture but I do expect to see him again.

I totally agree with you here - wow, how often does that happen, brother??

What I don't agree with you about is the cessation of existence of animal souls.
This seems unjust to me, since as we both agree, they have no sin and they die not because of their own will or failure but for the sake of Adam, for our sake, because of human sin.

I think Romans 8 is speaking to this point:

Romans 8:19-22
For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected [it] in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.

I think here, when Paul says 'the creation' he's primarily speaking about all creation apart from mankind. You can see him making a definite distinction in the next verse:

Romans 8:23
Not only [that,] but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.

So possibly 'creation"is being spoken of distinct from man here, or at the least it does include the animal souls, and they are subjected to death, waiting for the appearing of the children of God in Christ, of the full restoration and redemption of all things.
Would that not mean their resurrection, just like the resurrection of all man, either to judgment or to life? And seeing these souls are without sin, but made a sinless sacrifice for the sin of man, why would God do anything other than resurrect them unto life?

Definitely can be an offense!

My Maine Coon cat Ekko does the same, but we forgive him

That's a fair point

Purple Lady and I may disagree about cessation of existence iirc, but at least when I say I don't think human souls ever cease to exist, I consistently take the same view about animals souls.

Souls are souls, IMO.
Which is still just an opinion

1 Corinthians 15:

39 All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds.

This verse does not speak directly to the specific nature of whatever kind of spirit each has; however, the passage in which it is found - this verse plus some of the verses before it and after it - may give us a clue or hint...

For starters - the passage only mentions 'flesh of men' as having a soul.

Of course, the focus of the passage is on men - 'natural body' and 'spiritual body'.

I am quite sure there is a passage somewhere in the Bible that explains/indicates/suggests that mankind is "different and special" to God (from animals, etc.) - but cannot find it at the moment...

I read in scripture God showed me where my cat Spotty went after being dead. He said his spirit rose up to the heavens and left his mortal body. If you can find that scripture I'll give you an award. So animals have spirits and they descend to heaven.