Do pets go to heaven?

[robbymcdowell]

It is a question I've heard many times before, and I just thought of a satisfying answer yesterday randomly.

People ask: How can pets go to heaven if they cannot know and believe in Jesus? I recently realized that they don't have to believe in Jesus to be accepted into heaven, since they were never born with original sin. Man has sinful nature, but not animals. They don't know sin. Also, pets are mentioned in the book The Purpose Driven Life (a very good book), when the author, Rick Warren, writes that fulfilling your purpose gives glory to God. Animals when they live the lives that God meant for them, honor Him.

I just thought I'd post that thought in case anyone was wondering the same question.

 

[Johnboy60]

Hi, The one big reason animals or pets don't go to heaven is they don't have a soul. Humans have souls only. Would you want a snake or lion or ants to worry about in heaven? Heaven wouldn't be heaven if you had to watch where you walk in heaven because of the snakes.


Thanks, Robert

 

[Nicci]

I hope pets are in Heaven. I disagree with your (robert43) saying that heaven won't be heaven if you have to watch where you walk because of snakes. I find beauty in ALL of God's creations, and there is not one more valuable than the other (imo). If there are animals in Heaven, you won't have to "worry" about them. You just get to admire their beauty without worrying about getting eaten

 

[robbymcdowell]

"And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures of that move on the ground-everything that has the breath of life in it- I give every green plant for food."
-Genesis 1:30

So I think all animals have souls.

"So the Lord God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, 'Cursed are you above all the livestock and all the wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life.'"
-Genesis 3:14

So I don't know about snakes.

 

[Icystwolf]

I swear, answering this question was probably the biggest mistake I ever made. I got a couple of reputation points for good essays in the past, and I posted another good post about this topic in the pets forum. And to reject that animals would go to heaven....and guess what!

Everyone started giving me negative reputation points.........but it good they stopped that now.

 

[Icystwolf]

To keep people happy, remember anything is possible to God, God can make it possible. Sometimes you might need to think outside the square you live in...

I'm sure God can, if your in heaven, create your dog, that still has memory of you....but then again....I have nothing to back me up. But on the whole, God is amazing and anything is possible.

 

[pcwilkins]

I don't believe animals have souls. Nor can they feel conviction for sin, or repent, or trust in the righteousness of Christ.

But I think whether they do or not, the point is irrelevant really. The question is, will I go to heaven?

PCW

 

[Covenant Heart]

While this may raise more questions than it answers, the picture that I get from the Revelation is not of our going to heaven, but of heaven (the new Jerusalem, the holy city) decending to–and in some way that I certainly don't understand–becomes one with earth. Weird as this may sound, there are a few reminders of this in our hymnody. Some older versions of "This Is My Father's World" concludes with the line "and heaven and earth are one."

Perhaps more familiar is "Joy To the World" which, while usually sung as a celebration of Christ's birth seems more to me to be an anticipation of the consummation of his rule (He rules the world with truth and grace...) is clearly eschatological. And reading (or better yet, singing) this song, I get that same sense of the union of heaven and earth in the line, "heaven and nature sing."

This song sings the beatific vision in which the blessedness of heaven has come to earth. The "fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains" that "repeat the sounding joy" retain a clear sense of "earthiness" while declaring the final revelation of the King and his righteousness (from the Revelation) in the renewed creation (Rom 8:21). We confess the beauty and fullness of the first creation. Why would we expect less of the new creation?

I think that the fields, floods, rocks, hills and plains will team with life--plant and animals, birds and fishes. But I think that not because they "go to heaven" but because God will bring heaven to us! Come, Lord Jesus! Bring it on! Blessings!

Covenant Heart

 

[J.A.I]

I don't believe animals have souls. Nor can they feel conviction for sin, or repent, or trust in the righteousness of Christ.

But I think whether they do or not, the point is irrelevant really. The question is, will I go to heaven?

PCW

I agree with that Amen!

 

[SolomonVII]

While this may raise more questions than it answers, the picture that I get from the Revelation is not of our going to heaven, but of heaven (the new Jerusalem, the holy city) decending to–and in some way that I certainly don't understand–becomes one with earth. Weird as this may sound, there are a few reminders of this in our hymnody. Some older versions of "This Is My Father's World" concludes with the line "and heaven and earth are one."

Perhaps more familiar is "Joy To the World" which, while usually sung as a celebration of Christ's birth seems more to me to be an anticipation of the consummation of his rule (He rules the world with truth and grace...) is clearly eschatological. And reading (or better yet, singing) this song, I get that same sense of the union of heaven and earth in the line, "heaven and nature sing."

This song sings the beatific vision in which the blessedness of heaven has come to earth. The "fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains" that "repeat the sounding joy" retain a clear sense of "earthiness" while declaring the final revelation of the King and his righteousness (from the Revelation) in the renewed creation (Rom 8:21). We confess the beauty and fullness of the first creation. Why would we expect less of the new creation?

I think that the fields, floods, rocks, hills and plains will team with life--plant and animals, birds and fishes. But I think that not because they "go to heaven" but because God will bring heaven to us! Come, Lord Jesus! Bring it on! Blessings!

Covenant Heart

In terms of scripture, the one verse that comes to mind that echoes this would be somewhere in Isaiah in which the prophecy is that the lamb will lie down with the lion. That is so far removed from our present reality that it does seem more like a heaven on earth.

 

[He put me back together]

Do spiders go to heaven? What about ring worms? ticks? noooooooo ticks will burnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn

oooooo what about plants?

 

[SolomonVII]

Like people, mammals are capable of loving. This is at least true of higher mamals. If love is the key to heaven, because pets love and are loved, it is at least possible that they will share heaven with us. For some people, it would not seem like heaven without their pets.

 

[marc]

I think if people loved their neighbors as much as they do their pets alot more people would come to a saving knowledge of Jesus.

As far as the original question, well any answer is unknowable. Period.

I do love my dog Mariah, she is precious.

In Christ

Marc

 

[bound2him]

what about how the lion will be at peace with the lamb? there have to be animals around for that? I hope my dog gets to come too.... i'm always telling him about jesus, and he prays with me at night.... its sooo cute!

 

[marc]

what about how the lion will be at peace with the lamb? there have to be animals around for that? I hope my dog gets to come too.... i'm always telling him about jesus, and he prays with me at night.... its sooo cute!

There will be animals in heaven. But scripture definitely does not indicate that they will be resurrected animals.

 

[Rafael]

Only God knows if His creation has a soul or not. I've heard dry scientific articles on animal behaviour, but I prefer to believe God has enough room in heaven for our pets - some that show admirable patience, love, and zeal for life. I've met some animals with some very great character - one being my Mom and Dad's West Highland, Barney.

 

[SirFei]

I don't come with an answer as of yet, I'm afraid... I have heard from others that have read the Bible more in depth that because animals have no soul, they won't meet us in Heaven. But then I think of the pets I've had and I grew a trust and bond with, and I can't see a heaven without them bounding beside me up there with me. They are God's creation aren't they?

This is a question that I wonder about also, and I may look into it myself. If I find a passage that may point to one or the other, I will post...
God Bless,

~Marc

 

[SavedByGrace3]

God deals with every living creature:

Genesis 9:13-15 KJV
13 I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.
14 And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud:
15 And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.


Mark 16:15 KJV
15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

Colossians 1:23 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;


More accurate translations render "creature" "creation".

 

[garlik]

Probably like to think that pets get to go to heaven. But then there is that whole beast factor, so how can we say...

 

[marc]

I don't come with an answer as of yet, I'm afraid... I have heard from others that have read the Bible more in depth that because animals have no soul, they won't meet us in Heaven. But then I think of the pets I've had and I grew a trust and bond with, and I can't see a heaven without them bounding beside me up there with me. They are God's creation aren't they?

This is a question that I wonder about also, and I may look into it myself. If I find a passage that may point to one or the other, I will post...
God Bless,

~Marc

Ecc 3:21 "Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?"

This is a big verse used to defend animals not being resurrected, but anyone who stands on this or any other scripture is creating a doctrine that just isn't clear. Believe what you like, because you won't find it difinitive in the scriptures.

In Christ

Marc