Do Pets Go to Heaven?
It occurred to me from time to time in my grief that if God had made Bubba, and knew and loved him even more than my family did, he could very well have some desire to bring his own treasured creation back to life someday.
The same might go for many other creatures with which God has a relationship as their Creator and Sustainer, whether we humans happened to share in that relationship or not. After all, our Savior said that not even one sparrow is ever forgotten by him.
But even if this is a reasonable conjecture, I have to come back to what the Bible does and does not say on the possibility. We know that death of any kind was never part of God's original plan, and that animals will certainly be part of the new heaven and earth, where death and tears will be no more. What we don't know is whether these will be specific animals from the old creation, including those we've known and loved.
I wish we knew.
In the meantime, it seems okay to ask God if his grace might extend that far, while doing my best to trust that heaven won't seem anything but complete regardless.
Copyright © 2012 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.
Related Elsewhere:
Previous Village Green sections have discussed being secular television shows with moral messages, pro-life and pro-death penalty, sports and violence, virtual fellowship, online dating, Muslim-Christian relations, military drones, terminal illness, marijuana morality, credit card debt, tithing during unemployment, illegal immigrants, giving to street people, the best Christmas stories, laws that ban Islamic veils, the Tea Party, Afghanistan, Bible smuggling, creation care, intelligent design, and preaching.
Previous articles on animals include:
The Problem with Westminster Kennel Club's View of Pet Adoption | The annual dog show could have served as an imperfect model of the love the Church could offer. (February 15, 2012)
Exotic Animals and Kingdom Ethics| Principles for why we should avoid treating all animals as possessions. (Her.meneutics, October 21, 2011)
Not One Sparrow | We can be 'speciesists' and show compassion for animals. (July 13, 2009)
Grieving with the Good Friday God
La complejidad hispana: Todo cambió en el 2012
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David Brewer
Randy Alcorn has an excellent article on this at: http://www.christianitytoday.com/cpt/2005/002/16.14.html. After we had to put down our dog, I jotted down a # of qualities our dog exhibited (in fact all of the dogs we've ever owned have exhibited these same qualities): was patient overlooked faults consistently showed unconditional love didn't hold grudges didn't look at outward appearance waited faithfully for us to return was upset when we left followed you around / was a consistent servant / his life centered on yours sensed when you needed encouragement, then gave it forgave quickly very rarely complained never threatened to leave us was fiercely loyal (in the case of many owners, loyal to death) was completely trusting It's amazing how God made dogs. In many ways, he was able to exhibit a Christ-like love more than most humans I know. No wonder why we miss him so much. How many people do you know who consistently exhibit all of these qualities?
Joan Prentice
I am the parent of a profoundly disabled child who does not have the mental capacity to know the difference between right or wrong, or possess moral judgement. Using your logic, does this mean that he will not be able to go to heaven because he, like an animal, was not made in God's image? Just wondering.
Steve Skeete
In regards to life in heaven the Bible offer few specifics. This information drought also relates to animals in the after life. I have no problem with those who argue for animals in the after life; however, pets are a different matter. "Wolfs living with lambs" and the other imagery of Isaiah 11: 6-9 could be emphasizing the benignity of the new heavenly order. Sin, and all associated with it, has been permanently eradicated, so parents need have no fear of their child coming into contact with the venomous cobra. In any event, most modern-day pets are neither wolves, lambs, lions, oxen or cobras. My question for the pets-in-heaven believers though is why would one need a pet in heaven? People keep pets for a variety of social (protection), physical (work and support), and psychological (companionship) etc. My understanding of heaven suggests that none of these needs will exist there. The sign in heaven, instead of reading 'no pets allowed', might inform, 'pets no longer necessary'.