Originally posted by joneschr"Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us" (Romans 8:20-23).
Just curious.
Most of the inhabitants in Noah's ark were animals, if you remember. Noah's ark was a prefigurement of the end times. "But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be" (Matthew 24:37). As Paul points out in the passage from Romans above, animals have never sinned and were subject to God's curse against their will. Therefore, when Christ returns they will fare better than unrepentant sinners will.
Originally posted by qaseemWhat do you mean by incapable of judgment? And when did the ability to judge become a requirement for entry to heaven in Christian doctrine? And why do you think it would make no difference to them where they go?
since animals are incapable of judgment therefore they're neither qualified to go to hell or heaven. And even they go to heaven/hell it won't make a difference to them...
Originally posted by twhiteheadI would say that this is based on the somewhat commonly held opinion that animals have no souls.
What do you mean by incapable of judgment? And when did the ability to judge become a requirement for entry to heaven in Christian doctrine? And why do you think it would make no difference to them where they go?
Judgment is certainly a requirement for entry into heaven in Christian doctrine. Sin is judged. The sin of believers is judged against Christ on the cross. The sin of nonbelievers is judged against them.
I do believe heaven will have animals, but don't think they'll be the same ones we had here (personally, not categorically). As was mentioned heaven is described in relation to Noah's Ark, but it is also described in relation to Eden. Both contained animals, so I'd reason that there will be animals in heaven.