The title of this has nothing to do with what i'm talking about really. I just don't know the answer to it and I know Kyle or Devin will answer it. Probably especially Kyle.
Everyone sins and most of the time you can hide it from other humans. I think people prefer to hide it from other people. I know I do. Not only because it's embarrassing but because it doesn't matter whether or not people know my sins. Only God needs to know. He's the only one that matters. Humans are super judgmental even though we all sin. Don't judge someone because they sin differently than you. You're not special. Eat my shorts.
Great question. No, animals do not sin. Here is why:
ReplyDeleteSin is any transgression against divine law (as defined by Google). It is essentially rebellion against God in thought, word, or deed. When God created the world he created animals, man, and every other aspect of creation. However, he made man in his own image (meaning that man is to reflect certain attributes of God). Sin was brought into the world by Adam and Eve (humans - the first men) who gave into temptation and disobeyed God - thus sinning. As a result of sin, the earth was cursed. The ground, animals, men, the whole nine yards. God's perfect creation was then tainted by sin. That sin affects animals, like it affects us, but animals themselves do not sin. They are not held to the "divine law" that we are. The reason we are held to this law is because we are everlasting beings who are made in God's image. We have souls and after we die will live forever in the afterlife (either Heaven or Hell). Animals do not have a soul (I am not saying they are not compassionate or nice or anything, I am simply saying they are not eternal). They are not held accountable to the standard that humans (being eternal) are. For instance, if a lion kills another lion, it is not murder. If a queen ant sleeps with several guy ants, she is not breaking God's law like a human female who sleeps with hundreds of guys is. Does that make sense?
^rt. Good answer, Devin. I completely agree.
DeleteHere's a good in depth source, Alex. http://www.gotquestions.org/do-animals-sin.html
I use this site whenever I have a theological question, I encourage everybody to check it out.
This is an interesting thought... It makes me sad, because I love my dog and want her to be my dog forever! But I understand that animals aren't capable of sin, and I don't believe they are eternal. We humans are special and get to live with God forever, but we also have a much greater responsibility than any other creature... It's so worth it, of course!
ReplyDeleteWhen God mad the Garden of Eden, that was how he intended our world to be. In the Garden of Eden, there were many animals. God even gave Adam the "honor" of naming the animals. It is faulty reasoning to assume that God would not intend to have all of his Creations in Heaven, when he made them and gave them a home in the Garden of Eden.
ReplyDeleteYou are right, God will restore his creation in the New Earth. But, what Devin said is right, man is different from animals. God breathed into man a living soul which was not given to the animals. Man has a soul which is held to a permanent standard; however, God does not hold animals to the same standard as he does man. While there may not be a verse in the Bible which says,"no animals shall go to heaven," it's not unreasonable to infer that humans are the only ones who are permanent in this world. However, when God restores the creation in the New Earth it is very likely that there will be animal life (*speculation*perhaps species that we've never even thought of). That doesn't mean that I should expect to see my dog, Scout, in the New Earth.
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