Gospel to All Creature under the Sun

Yep.

I've done that, too.

I've given the good news to ducks, fish, a fox, some deer, and more animals and plants than you can imagine! Pretty much anyone I encounter. I've even stood in a forest and yelled it to anyting that could hear. It's fun to preach the good news to all creatures. A great excuse to get out into God's creation, too.

Originally posted by nickyandersonuk
That,s interesting did you get any results from the plants and animals

How about this for an idea the gospel for animals and plants is treating them with respect i.e not destroying the rain forestes, of torturing animals, etc i believe the gospel is practicle also not just a sermon.

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Who knows what response the plants and animals made to my witnessing? We can't read their minds or hearts.

And, I work in the conservation field and have been devoted to conservation of the natural world since I was 12 years old. That didn't change when I became a Christian. It is my job to protect and preserve natural areas in an area of high development pressures. About 30% of the people who work in this industry and this agency are born-again Christians. We also believe that the gospel is not just a sermon.

Originally posted by nickyandersonuk
I love nature also
i will be going to the brecon beacons this weekend to get away from the city and see more of God

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wow can I come too??

 

Ive never tried telling the gospel to animals but God has used them to bless me. somehow when people are sick even wild animals seem to know and dont back away from them in the way they would with a healthy person. Im disabled and pretty much horisontal for most of the time and this summer I lay in the garden and all the birds and squirrels started to come really close to me. It was as if they knew I wasnt a threat. strangely enought they came closest of all when I was listening to worship music on my personal stereo and praying. It was like they could feel the spirit of God upon me.. so maybe they do respond to God's word too.. I dont know, maybe it was just that I was lying so still while I was listening so they forgot I was there! lol

must be an awesome experience, Amatire, to be close to God and nature at the same time.

How about this for an idea the gospel for animals and plants is treating them with respect i.e not destroying the rain forestes, of torturing animals, etc i believe the gospel is practicle also not just a sermon.

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agree, nickyandersonuk. Harmony with nature also benefits us besides the environment, for we are part of the environment too.

Ok, let me say that I have no problem appreciating nature. I think God's creation is a wonderful testanment to Him. Also the source of general revelation.

However, there is nothing to be gained through preaching the gospel to plants and animals. Except for possisility rehearsing your technique for evangelism to people.

There are a couple of arguements I could use here but I think the simplest one is that mankind is created in the image of God. We are able to think and reason and relate to God on an intellectual and emotional level.

Also, think about this. Mankind is the only race that has fallen. All of creation has been affected by the fall but mankind is the only one that fell from God's presence.

That's my opinion. Let the flaming begin......

No flaming to be done. I just let them know that there is good news, that the curse upon all living things that was caused by Adam's fall has now been broken by Christ's death. I tell them there will come a day when there will be no death, no fear, nobody preying on anyone, and we won't have to be afraid of each other anymore. Sometimes I quote the appropriate Bible passages. I just want them to know that the curse is broken! Not because they need salvation, but because they need hope.

And they understand you?????

Look, I love animals, dogs especially, and I do talk to my dog. Does he listen? Sure he does. Does he like it when I talk to him? You bet. Does he understand me? Absolutely not. He likes the attention and the friendly voice I use but I really don't think he gets anything out of our conversation. He related better to a biscut, bellyrub, or his bone.

I'm not going to tell you that preaching the gospel to nature is sinful. I simply think it's a waste of time.

maybe that is all there is to it. the idea of beginning once again to communicate with animals like adam was able to before the fall. You said after all that your dog appreciates you talking to him. The rift between man and animals began at the fall, and christs death on the cross conquered all curses associated with it. So I guess it is part of our inheritance to claim a closer relationship with animals than the rest of mankind has.

It is a source of joy to both you and your dog and Joy was one of the reasons or the movers behind creation in the beginning. So talking to him is in a sense claiming that joy back. Talking about the reason why; that Jesus has conquered the rift between us and all the fear and death we all suffer serves to reiterate to you the reason for talking to them. Perhaps they dont understand perhaps they do.

There are stories of St francis being able to talk to animals, he talked to birds and calmed a wild wolf, and many other stories. Perhaps we underestimate how much they can understand. We do that to children all the time.

God never said how we are made different from animals. He said that we were made in his image and no other animal was. Does that mean that he didnt give animals brains capable of understanding human communication? (bearing in mind that the vast majority of communication is non verbal. Does that mean that you can preach the gospel with your body language? certainly approaching an animal with the sense that you are friendly and not going to hurt them is an indication of the embodiment of the Gospel. Love for all and reconcilliation being 2 of its most important themes.) I always understood the phrase "made in the image of God" to mean that we had 3 parts as God has three parts. Body soul and spirit. whereas all other created things have but two. Angels have a body and a spirit. Animals have a body and a soul.

Our soul is the seat of our mind our understanding, that would indicate that animals have the capacity to think and feel and understand, it is a proud presumtion of ours that just because we have not yet learnt how to communicate with them that they are not capable of understanding us if we tried. In fact people who have tried teaching signlanguage to various species of ape and dolphin have found that they are capable of understanding abstracts aswell as basic nouns and verbs.

Its not so much a matter of can we speak to them as how do we? and surely the spirit of God is the best communicator of all.. he is after all called the "advocate" (a mediator between 2 parties in a court of law; and a defender and conveyor of one particular party's point of view).

still that is all conjecture
if nothing else, it helps you practice your evangelistic techniques.

Armitire,
I'm not about to argue with you regarding the Christian's relationship with the animal kingdom. Though I will challenge you to find Scripture that supports your claim that we have a closer relationship to creation.

This discussion started over the passage in Col 1:23. Let's look at a couple different translations of this.

NIV
23 if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.

NASB
23 if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister.

AMP
23 [And this He will do] provided that you continue to stay with and in the faith [in Christ], well-grounded and settled and steadfast, not shifting or moving away from the hope [which rests on and is inspired by] the glad tidings (the Gospel), which you heard and which has been preached [as being designed for and offered without restrictions] to every person under heaven, and of which [Gospel] I, Paul, became a minister.

KJV
23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;

NKJV
23 if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.

YLT
23 if also ye remain in the faith, being founded and settled, and not moved away from the hope of the good news, which ye heard, which was preached in all the creation that [is] under the heaven, of which I became -- I Paul -- a ministrant.


Note that not every translation says all creatures. For example the NASB says "all creation under heaven." The Apmlified actually says every person. Needless to say I don't believe that this verse is a call for us to preach the gospel to animals.

If we really want an answer to what this verse says maybe we should go back to the original greek text. Are there any seminary students out there who know this?

yes I did wonder about the various translations.. as far as the original meaning of the specific word used; I am a young student at new testament greek so I dont know if I will be able to help as much as someone else, but I will do some research into it. may take some time tho.

I'll do some digging myself. Whenever I get time.

Originally posted by Knight
And they understand you?????

Look, I love animals, dogs especially, and I do talk to my dog. Does he listen? Sure he does. Does he like it when I talk to him? You bet. Does he understand me? Absolutely not. He likes the attention and the friendly voice I use but I really don't think he gets anything out of our conversation. He related better to a biscut, bellyrub, or his bone.

I'm not going to tell you that preaching the gospel to nature is sinful. I simply think it's a waste of time.

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Who knows what they understand? They don't tell me. But God is capable of making my words into a language they understand.

And I'm not going to say that this is productive in any way. Or that animals get saved. And I don't go out of my way to do it, I just sometimes do it when I'm alone in the woods anyway.

Hey, if Jesus commanded it, that's good enough for me!

Originally posted by lambslove
Who knows what they understand? They don't tell me. But God is capable of making my words into a language they understand.

And I'm not going to say that this is productive in any way. Or that animals get saved. And I don't go out of my way to do it, I just sometimes do it when I'm alone in the woods anyway.

Hey, if Jesus commanded it, that's good enough for me!

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Jesus practiced what He preached. To the letter in fact. Where in scripture does it say that He ministered to animals?

Minister? What are you talking about?

Minister = Preach the gospel.

Originally posted by lambslove
Yep.

I've done that, too.

I've given the good news to ducks, fish, a fox, some deer, and more animals and plants than you can imagine! Pretty much anyone I encounter. I've even stood in a forest and yelled it to anyting that could hear. It's fun to preach the good news to all creatures. A great excuse to get out into God's creation, too.

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Just so you know, if you happen to live around me, and I see you preaching the Gospel to plants and animals, I'm calling the nearest funny farm to come pick you up. Just kidding...sort of.

Originally posted by agnostic front
Just so you know, if you happen to live around me, and I see you preaching the Gospel to plants and animals, I'm calling the nearest funny farm to come pick you up. Just kidding...sort of.

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Accepted. And just so you know, I'm careful not to do it where someone might see me and call the funny farm!