IMHO animals know and have always known Jesus as their Creator. (Psalm 150:6..."let everything that hath breath praise the Lord..." Rev. 5:13 "And every creature which is in heaven and on earth and under the earth and such that are in the sea and all that are in them I heard saying, Blessing and honour and glory and power be to Him that sitteth upon the throne and to the Lamb forever and ever..." To me, if animals praise God, surely they know Him and they must have souls.)....let heaven and nature sing....
Do they know Him as their redeemer?
Counterpoint to something mentioned earlier in this thread, I believe they do not need to know Christ for their spiritual redemption in the same sense as humanity because after all, THEY didn't sin against God, we did. Again, I think they have always known Him.
Animals are not vain, they are not vengeful, they do not cheat, they do not lie, they do not judge, they do not curse, they do not lust, they do not boast, they are not prideful, they are not lovers of money, they do not worship idols, they do not hate, they are grateful for every new day - every moment, no matter what their condition may be.....(etc.)....Can the same be said of man?
Consider also the following poem by Katherine Lee Bates (who also penned America The Beautiful) written about her collie after he had died. She examines the very question this thread poses.
Lowly the soul that waits
At the white, celestial gates,
A threshold soul to greet
Beloved feet.
Down the streets that are beams of sun
Cherubim children run;
They welcome it from the wall;
Their voices call.
But the Warder saith: "Nay, this
Is the City of Holy Bliss.
What claim canst thou make good
To Angelhood?"
"Joy," answereth it from eyes
That are amber ecstasies,
Listening, alert, elate,
Before the gate.
Oh, how the frolic feet
On lonely memory beat!
What rapture in a run
'Twixt snow and sun!
"Nay, brother of the sod,
What part hast thou in God?
What spirit art thou of?"
It answers: "Love,"
Lifting its head, no less
Cajoling a caress,
Our winsome collie wraith,
Than in glad faith
The door will open wide,
Or kind voice bid: "Abide,
A threshold soul to greet
The longed-for feet."
Ah, Keeper of the Portal,
If Love be not immortal,
If Joy be not divine,
What prayer is mine?
Do they know Him as their redeemer?
Counterpoint to something mentioned earlier in this thread, I believe they do not need to know Christ for their spiritual redemption in the same sense as humanity because after all, THEY didn't sin against God, we did. Again, I think they have always known Him.
Animals are not vain, they are not vengeful, they do not cheat, they do not lie, they do not judge, they do not curse, they do not lust, they do not boast, they are not prideful, they are not lovers of money, they do not worship idols, they do not hate, they are grateful for every new day - every moment, no matter what their condition may be.....(etc.)....Can the same be said of man?
Consider also the following poem by Katherine Lee Bates (who also penned America The Beautiful) written about her collie after he had died. She examines the very question this thread poses.
Lowly the soul that waits
At the white, celestial gates,
A threshold soul to greet
Beloved feet.
Down the streets that are beams of sun
Cherubim children run;
They welcome it from the wall;
Their voices call.
But the Warder saith: "Nay, this
Is the City of Holy Bliss.
What claim canst thou make good
To Angelhood?"
"Joy," answereth it from eyes
That are amber ecstasies,
Listening, alert, elate,
Before the gate.
Oh, how the frolic feet
On lonely memory beat!
What rapture in a run
'Twixt snow and sun!
"Nay, brother of the sod,
What part hast thou in God?
What spirit art thou of?"
It answers: "Love,"
Lifting its head, no less
Cajoling a caress,
Our winsome collie wraith,
Than in glad faith
The door will open wide,
Or kind voice bid: "Abide,
A threshold soul to greet
The longed-for feet."
Ah, Keeper of the Portal,
If Love be not immortal,
If Joy be not divine,
What prayer is mine?
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