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Do animals live after physical death?

Neostarwcc

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I do not want to ask "are animals saved", because animals do not sin, so its not about salvation.

But are animals (well, I am asking specifically about our pets, not about some insects living in the wild) just temporal beings or do they have soul/spirit that lives after their bodies fail like ours? Will we meet them again?

I know that Bible (sadly) does not say much about this. There are few verses that are about animals (like "who knows, whether the spirit of the beast goes down" or Paul's restoration of creation), but these are quite ambiguous. So, what is your opinion or reasoning?

Animals are not without sin. An animal will basically hump anything. Have you ever seen a rabbit or a dolphin? True the marriage covenant and the have sex with only one partner rule was made for humans but it's still a sin. Not to mention there are animals engaging in homosexual behavior out there. Homosexuality is a sin. Ever had a dog bite the hand that feeds him? That's technically sin too. Animals fell with mankind too.

But Jesus also didn't die for animals he died for humanity. I haven't a clue as to whether or not animals have a life after this one or not. But I do believe that there will be new animals on the New Earth. So its possible that our pets and other animals could possibly be on the New Earth too. Idk. I guess well have to wait and see.
 
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Monk Brendan

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I do not want to ask "are animals saved", because animals do not sin, so its not about salvation.

But are animals (well, I am asking specifically about our pets, not about some insects living in the wild) just temporal beings or do they have soul/spirit that lives after their bodies fail like ours? Will we meet them again?

I know that Bible (sadly) does not say much about this. There are few verses that are about animals (like "who knows, whether the spirit of the beast goes down" or Paul's restoration of creation), but these are quite ambiguous. So, what is your opinion or reasoning?
I've been thinking about this for a couple of days.

If the entire Creation is to be restored to its original beauty and glory when the Lord returns, why would this not include animals? Is it not prophesied that the lion will lie down with the lamb?
 
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trophy33

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I've been thinking about this for a couple of days.

If the entire Creation is to be restored to its original beauty and glory when the Lord returns, why would this not include animals? Is it not prophesied that the lion will lie down with the lamb?

Yeah, but the question is whether the "lion with lamb" text:
a) is literal or symbolic
b) if literal, is it a new creation or animals that lived before the restoration?
 
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trophy33

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Animals are not without sin. An animal will basically hump anything. Have you ever seen a rabbit or a dolphin? True the marriage covenant and the have sex with only one partner rule was made for humans but it's still a sin. Not to mention there are animals engaging in homosexual behavior out there. Homosexuality is a sin. Ever had a dog bite the hand that feeds him? That's technically sin too. Animals fell with mankind too.

But Jesus also didn't die for animals he died for humanity. I haven't a clue as to whether or not animals have a life after this one or not. But I do believe that there will be new animals on the New Earth. So its possible that our pets and other animals could possibly be on the New Earth too. Idk. I guess well have to wait and see.

The fact that animals act according to their inclinations does not mean that they realize the moral problem with it. They do not have any prophets or sacred texts saying "you must have only one sexual partner".

Therefore I do not think they sin morally.

Yes, Jesus was incarnated as a human to save humans, on the other hand, the animal kingdom is given under the rule of Adam/humanity. Therefore the salvation of Adam should influence also his "household", his realm of kingship.

Yes, we will see...Let us hope and pray for it.
 
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Tropical Wilds

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I think that because my understanding of the spectrum of life and death and life after death is limited by my human mind, I can’t possibly understand it as God does. I’m sure there’s a plan for every animal, plant, person, stone, and molecule on earth, I’m sure I can’t possibly understand it, I’m sure whatever the plan is, God has it under control and I’ll be pleased with it.
 
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section9+1

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Since it also seems plant life will be in heaven does that mean every carrot or radish or potato plant I have dug will be in heaven. There's just as much evidence for that as there is for pets. Beliefs are the fruit of wishful thinking. What is truth? In modern Christianity, we cook up a belief and then conform the bible to our belief. We can find whatever we want. Truth is whatever you want it to be and the bible can always be made to support it. Just ask the gays.
 
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Tropical Wilds

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I said that I’m sure God has a plan for every living and non-living thing in this world, down to a molecular level. That doesn’t necessarily mean there will be carrots in “heaven,” but it doesn’t not mean that either.

It means I believe that God had and has an intent and plan for everything that he created and I’m not going to presume to guess what it is, because with a human mind and human understanding, I can’t ever know or understand it. Frankly. I don’t find it hard to think that there is space for the energy that’s created through growing and nurturing a plant and the means it takes to survive so that it that will nurture our body, or some sort of an acknowledgement of the circular force of interconnected living that make up our world. I’m not one who thinks God created without rhyme and reason so and that means there is an ultimate arc for every part of our universe.
 
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Neostarwcc

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The fact that animals act according to their inclinations does not mean that they realize the moral problem with it. They do not have any prophets or sacred texts saying "you must have only one sexual partner".

Therefore I do not think they sin morally.

Yes, Jesus was incarnated as a human to save humans, on the other hand, the animal kingdom is given under the rule of Adam/humanity. Therefore the salvation of Adam should influence also his "household", his realm of kingship.

Yes, we will see...Let us hope and pray for it.

Oh no they don't realize that their sinning. I hope I never gave the impression that they were aware of it. What I was saying was that animals were originally created perfect like Adam and Eve were but animals fell with mankind. This whole world is tainted with sin.

However unlike humans I believe that animals aren't held accountable for their sins because it wasn't the fault of the animals that they fell.

But Yeah we very well could be reunited with our pets and children. Its just that scripture is mostly silent on the issue. Which is a shame because I would LOVE to be with my childhood pet when I die. It would seem like kind of a shame if the short lifetime that animals have is all they get when humans get to live forever. So id assume that maybe just maybe there's a slight chance of it.
 
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section9+1

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Read Lev. 20:16. Regarding if a woman has sex with an animal they both shall be put to death. Their blood will be upon their own heads. It seems here the animal shares the sin and shares guilt and punishment for what it does.
 
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trophy33

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Read Lev. 20:16. Regarding if a woman has sex with an animal they both shall be put to death. Their blood will be upon their own heads. It seems here the animal shares the sin and shares guilt and punishment for what it does.
Hm, interesting... animals can be guilty.

Is this a word of God or a word of Moses?

Does that mean a separation from God? Do a salvation of the owner influence also his "household", including animals? If some animals are good and some bad, is their fate different? Will animals be judged "according to its deeds"? Or are they just accepted similarly to children?

I wonder if there is some source we can get such information from...
 
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salt-n-light

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I do not want to ask "are animals saved", because animals do not sin, so its not about salvation.

But are animals (well, I am asking specifically about our pets, not about some insects living in the wild) just temporal beings or do they have soul/spirit that lives after their bodies fail like ours? Will we meet them again?

I know that Bible (sadly) does not say much about this. There are few verses that are about animals (like "who knows, whether the spirit of the beast goes down" or Paul's restoration of creation), but these are quite ambiguous. So, what is your opinion or reasoning?

We will find out when we get there.
 
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SkyWriting

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I and countless number of other people have different experience and we had intelligent and good animals that were friends to us.

Which has nothing to do with souls. All animals and plants are for food, per scripture.

2 The fear and dread of you will fall on every living creature on the earth, every bird of the sky, every creature that crawls on the ground, and all the fish of the sea. They are delivered into your hand. 3 Every living creature will be food for you; just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you all things.
 
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trophy33

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Which has nothing to do with souls.
"And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living souls"
Gen 1:24

"And God formed the man [of] dust of the earth, and breathed upon his face the breath of life, and the man became a living soul. "
Gen 2:7

No difference in souls.
 
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Blade

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Yes... they will be with you in Heaven.. well one.. Everything GOD makes is LIFE... God is a God of the living. You think YOU love that animal more then the one that created it? You really think if it DIES here its all over? They were here before the fall... is man the same.. before Christ.. if man died.. its over?

I really dont think that they are just FLESH and blood of this world. Your not. Even with out Christ.. if you die.. your not gone.. just wont be with Him
 
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ToServe

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Being with animals in the after life sounds like Hinduism. In Hinduism your cat in the afterlife could be reincarnated into a mouse and you maybe reincarnated into a cat.

There is no animal resurrection in Christianity. Resurrection after the fall is through the Cross of Christ and animals do not have access to the Cross.
 
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