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Animals and the Soul

Discussion in 'General Baptist Discussions' started by Arbo, Aug 15, 2011.

  1. webdog

    webdog Active Member
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    I like what Billy Graham told a child once when asked this question

    "God will prepare everything for our perfect happiness in heaven, and if it takes my dog being there, I believe he'll be there."

    I don't know if I'll see my 4 legged daughter in Heaven or not, but knowing the character, kindness and love of my Savior, I'm pretty confident there is a good chance of it happening. If He can resurrect our sinful flesh and "make all things new", He certainly can resurrect an animal who has never sinned against Him.
     
  2. percho

    percho Well-Known Member
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    What was formed from the dust of the ground God breathed into the nostrils thereof the breath of the spirit of life and what was formed from the dust of the ground became a living soul.

    The spirit is life. Life comes from God. Without the spirit of the breath of life from God the living soul becomes a dead soul.

    There is a spirit in man by which man knows the things of man. There is a spirit in animals by which they know the things they know. Those spirits are energized by the spirit from God.

    When the spirit of the breath of life departs from man he dies. The spirit returns to God who gave it. That which was formed from the dust of the ground returns to the ground. The once living soul that stored up knowledge and memories, that loved and laughed and cried, Does it continue to do so?

    This is what is said of Jesus the Christ and I know of no other example to go by.

    Acts 2:30,31 Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in Hades, neither his flesh did see corruption.

    Does the soul continue to accumulate knowledge without a house to live in?
    2 Cor. 5:1 For we know that if our earthly house of [this] tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. What is the our here? Is it the soul, the footprint of the man that lived that life? John 14:2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if [it were] not [so], I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. Where did he go? To the grave and what was prepared.
    Acts 13:34 And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, [now] no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David. I believe this is what is spoken of in Hebrews 10:5
    Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: John 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, [there] ye may be also.
     
  3. Earth Wind and Fire

    Earth Wind and Fire Well-Known Member
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    Then in George Whitefield's sermon "The Method Of Grace" he states that animals pick up on God's quarrel with Sinful Man by being aggressive to man...... let me put it in context with his actual quote,

    "There are many poor souls that think themselves fine reasoners, yet they pretend to say there is no such thing as original sin; they will charge God with injustice in imputing Adam's sin to us; although we have got the mark of the beast and of the devil upon us, yet they tell us we are not born in sin. Let them look abroad into the world and see the disorders in it, and think, if they can, if this is the paradise in which God did put man. No! everything in the world is out of order. I have often thought, when I was abroad, that if there were no other argument to prove original sin, the rising of wolves and tigers against man, nay, the barking of a dog against us, is a proof of original sin. Tigers and lions durst not rise against us, if it were not for Adam's first sin; for when the creatures rise up against us, it is as much as to say, You have sinned against God, and we take up our Master's quarrel. If we look inwardly, we shall see enough of lusts, and man's temper contrary to the temper of God. There is pride, malice, and revenge, in all our hearts; and this temper cannot come from God; it comes from our first parent, Adam, who, after he fell from God, fell out of God into the devil."
     
  4. webdog

    webdog Active Member
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    Everything has been affected by sin, but that does not prove that animals sin nor animals attacking man is proof of original sin. That's some serious eisegesis by Whitefield!
     
  5. Earth Wind and Fire

    Earth Wind and Fire Well-Known Member
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    Yes, indeed it is! And he would probably be the only one I would venture to believe since his life was all about God & he had such humility. Interesting concept though.
     
  6. righteousdude2

    righteousdude2 Well-Known Member
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    That Was Me, via the Holy ghost

    Thanks for the compliment. It was all from my heart. God has used each and every pet to bring me closer to seeing the real me, and each pet truly made me a better person inside, as I learned to love like they loved me. Not one time in my life did I have a pet who wasn't happy to see me, no matter what. And what could be more God like than that!
     
  7. AF Guy N Paradise

    AF Guy N Paradise Active Member
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    I hope I am wrong but I just don't think so.

    God states how much more important we are then them and if humans can burn in hell for eternity then how could He allow animals in Heaven for doing nothing?

    However, I am sure I will be wrong about lots of things upon arrival and it won't matter then.
     
  8. Alive in Christ

    Alive in Christ New Member

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    AF guy...

    Maybe because they..unlike us..never sin?
     
  9. AF Guy N Paradise

    AF Guy N Paradise Active Member
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    My little Jack Russell sins all the time, LOL...

    She disobeys, is lazy, and even steals once in a while. And she always covets everything we eat when we are at the dinner table.
     
  10. Arbo

    Arbo Active Member
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    An update.

    Our Little Buddy Molly passed yesterday evening. She had had a rough weekend, and we decided she needed relief.

    Our home is quiet. We grieve.
     
  11. Earth Wind and Fire

    Earth Wind and Fire Well-Known Member
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    My profound sympathies to both you & your wife.
     
  12. webdog

    webdog Active Member
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    I'm sorry for your family's loss. We put our cat down last month and our dog has an autoimmune disease, so I know your pain.
     
  13. Amy.G

    Amy.G New Member

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    :tear:

    May God comfort you. :praying:
     
  14. Alive in Christ

    Alive in Christ New Member

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    Very sorry to hear of your loss, Arbo. I know that horrible quietness. My dog went missing for 3 days a while back. I cried constantly. I was convinced that she got run over by a car. Her absence was unbelievably difficult.

    She finally came back, but what heartbreak I experienced.

    You all will be in my prayers.

    And I am one who believes that we will be reunited with our dearly loved pets in heaven.

    God bless.
     
  15. righteousdude2

    righteousdude2 Well-Known Member
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    We Know Your Grief....

    It's been a short four weeks since our Eli left us. He passed away in our arms here at home. He didn't suffer, and he was amongst hie brothers and sisters, and Mom and Dad.

    We feel your silence. :tear:
     
  16. Arbo

    Arbo Active Member
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    Thank you all for your thoughts. It's kind of you to express them.
     
  17. corndogggy

    corndogggy Active Member
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    I would like to be enlightened on the difference between a soul and spirit. So humans have both, and they're two separate things? And when humans die it's not the soul that goes to the afterlife? So what happens to human's souls then?
     
  18. Amy.G

    Amy.G New Member

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    Yes. There is a difference between the soul and spirit.

    1 Thessalonians 5:23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

    The soul is who you are, you're character and personality given to you by God when he breathed life into and you became a living soul. The soul will always be a part of you even in eternity.
    The spirit is the part of you that is aware of God. You are able to communicate with God and He with you through your spirit. The soul and spirit are inseparable yet distinct. They are often used interchangeably in scripture.


    Animals are living souls, but they have no consciousness of God and therefore no spirit.
     
    #38 Amy.G, Aug 29, 2011
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 29, 2011
  19. percho

    percho Well-Known Member
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    Amy here is something you may find of interest or you may have already known.

    This is said of the animals that went into the ark.
    And they went in unto Noah into the ark, two and two of all flesh, wherein [is] the breath of life.
    From scripture4all.org [ Hebrew Interlinear OT ]
    and they are coming to Noah to the ark two two from all of the flesh which in him spirit of lives.

    Now when it gets to the men dying, part of verse 21 and 22.
    and every man: All in whose nostrils [was] the breath of life, of all that [was] in the dry [land], died.
    [ Hebrew Interlinear OT ]
    and every of the human all which breath of spirit of lives in nostrils of him from all which in drained they died.


    As you said they are all souls.
     
  20. convicted1

    convicted1 Guest

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    We(my wife Tracy and I) have the most wonderful little girl named Lexie. She is a Chinese Pug, and when she looks at us with her beautiful brown eyes, she melts our hearts each and every time. She is nothing but love, and whenever someone comes around, they automatically came to see her and not us!! She has never offered to bite anyone, but will lick them to death, if she had her way.

    That being said, I have a hard time believing I will see her in heaven. I believe that God gives us these precious gifts of love for us to enjoy here. Tracy and I can not have children, so I honestly believe that God gave her to us as our precious little girl. We had went on vacation to Tennessee last year, and decided to take her with us. She got sick on us while we were in Knoxville, so we took her to the local vet......I was afraid it was pancreatitis. Thank God it wasn't. But while they had her in the back, I hit my knees, and crying my eyes out, I asked God to heal her. He heard my cries, praise to His name!! If I do end up seeing her there, I will not be surprised one bit that she is there. But I think we will be too busy praising, singing, shouting, thanking Him for allowing us to be in His presence for all eternity.
     
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