Will our pets go to heaven?

[EricH]

Scripture in no place addresses this directly

[kcalbat1]

I have been wondering this as well.

My thoughts are from what I've read that God is a personal God and if He cares as much to reunited us with our personal family and friends, then why not our pets.

I mean, I dont see my pets as possessions like materials, since these are living creatures He created. Doesn't He care for every life He made?

I mean, He made us each individually and personally, why would that change when we go to Heaven? I understand we will not want or desire, nor have a need to care, but I just think God is personal enough to allow us to reunite with our pets.

Of course, there is nothing to back this up. Its just a thought.

[Ovedya]

I have been wondering this as well.

My thoughts are from what I've read that God is a personal God and if He cares as much to reunited us with our personal family and friends, then why not our pets.

I mean, I dont see my pets as possessions like materials, since these are living creatures He created. Doesn't He care for every life He made?

I mean, He made us each individually and personally, why would that change when we go to Heaven? I understand we will not want or desire, nor have a need to care, but I just think God is personal enough to allow us to reunite with our pets.

Of course, there is nothing to back this up. Its just a thought.

God is not a respecter of persons.

[kcalbat1]

Sorry if I got that in the wrong context.

I wasn't thinking on terms of respect...thats something we don't deserve.

But He seems to care enough about us individually to reunite us with our families and friends, why not our pets?

[Ovedya]

Sorry if I got that in the wrong context.

I wasn't thinking on terms of respect...thats something we don't deserve.

Don't think so low of yourself. Are you not the daughter of the King of Kings?

But He seems to care enough about us individually to reunite us with our families and friends, why not our pets?

Well first I would ask where in Scripture that it says we will be "reunited" with our family and friends. The human concept of being "reunited" is one of finding in the heavenlies a glorified form of the human personalities we've grown to love while here on earth. In other words, it's the concept that, when I "get to heaven" my mother, father, brothers, sisters, friends, etc., will all be the same persons as they were here on earth - with their same sense of humor, compassion, love, behaviors and human qualities. Yet none of these human qualities are likely to be present in the glorifies state. See, as human beings living in the seen realm we have grown to know only those things which appeal to our senses and our humanity in its fallen state. However, transformation, glorification, ascension, all indicate that these frail and corruptible forms are fleeting, temporary, and unreal in terms of the spiritual, the unseen realm. They will be transformed into the highest aspect of these human virtues by the very divine life which transforms and conforms the believers entirely.

As members of the Body of Christ we are all already united. We have been made one by the resurrected Christ (Eph. 2:15; Col. 3:10; 2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 6:15). We share in the same life and nature (2 Pet. 1:4; John 11:25; Gal. 2:20). We are His people, citizens of the heavens already (Eph. 2:19; Phil. 3:20). The simple fact is, in eternity it will not matter one way or another if we are with the people and things (animals included) that we have grown to love in a human way on the earth, for no such desires will exist in the heavens.

Why do you think the Lord said, "If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, and moreover, even his own soul-life, he cannot be My disciple." (Luke 14:26)? Do you think that the Lord wants us to actually hate our own father, mother, wife, children, brothers and sisters? Or do you suppose that these human affections are directly related to our soul-life? Well they very much are related to our soul-life, aren't they? We love them in our soul. But God's standard is much higher. He desires that we give our all - our everything - to Him and Him alone. Again, Lot's wife: In the day of the Lord's return, will you turn back to see that your loved ones are with you in resurrection, or will you look away unto the One who is resurrecting you? It is a very sobering, and frankly, a fearful thought, that even one longing look back could disqualify us from a portion reserved for the overcomers in the Millennium.