Question from Anna:
I hope I can get your opinion on this: do dogs have a soul and do they go to heaven?
Answer from Pastor Bob:
Anna, Genesis 1:27 says that humans are made in God's image, and Genesis 2:7 says that when God made Adam, the man became a living soul. However, nowhere does the Bible say that animals have souls.
Several passages in scripture imply that animals will be in heaven, such as Isaiah 11:6 which describes a future paradise of the wolf and lamb, leopard and goat, calf and lion living together in peace. Revelation 21:1 says there will be a new heaven and new earth in the last days, so I believe God will have animals in heaven for the enjoyment of mankind. However, animals are not made in the image of God nor do they have souls like human beings, for only human beings can have a personal relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ.
Showing posts with label heaven. Show all posts
Showing posts with label heaven. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Is it correct to tell someone their loved one went to heaven?
Question from Lianne:
I have been wondering lately is it biblically wrong or correct to tell someone that has lost a loved one that they have went to heaven or to a better place? And if you can, can you please back your answer up with scripture? I have been saying this but I am wondering if we should be saying this. The reason I say that is because we really do not know where our loved ones are going after they pass on or do we? I mean we can believe that they are going to heaven, but we do not know for sure, do we?
Answer from Pastor Bob:
Lianne, when speaking to a person who has lost a loved one, you always want to be encouraging and comforting, but you do not want to say something that is beyond what scripture says.
The key to answering your question is: do you know that your friend's loved one has given a clear testimony of having trusted in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord?
Scripture says in 2 Corinthians 5:8 that we are confident that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord, and in 1 John 5:13 that if you believe in the Son of God (Jesus), then "you may know that you have eternal life." Paul himself speaks with confidence about going to heaven when he dies (Philippians 1:21-23), and he talks to Christians about going to be with the Lord, using the plural "we" in 1 Thessalonians 4:17. So if you know that your friend's loved one has trusted in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, then yes, it is very appropriate to say that the person has gone to heaven.
But what if you are uncertain whether or not your friend's loved one was a believer? Maybe you have not heard, or their testimony was unclear. In that case, I would suggest that you focus on the hope that we have in Christ, without being specific about the individual who is deceased. In other words, you can say, "What a comfort it is to know that when we believe in Christ, we will see one another again in heaven."
Finally, if you are fairly certain that the deceased was not a believer, you may want to say something like, "I'll be praying for God to give you comfort during your time of loss," and if the grieving person is also an unbeliever, you can ask for an opportunity to share the hope that you have in Christ and how they can know that they can go to heaven.
I have been wondering lately is it biblically wrong or correct to tell someone that has lost a loved one that they have went to heaven or to a better place? And if you can, can you please back your answer up with scripture? I have been saying this but I am wondering if we should be saying this. The reason I say that is because we really do not know where our loved ones are going after they pass on or do we? I mean we can believe that they are going to heaven, but we do not know for sure, do we?
Answer from Pastor Bob:
Lianne, when speaking to a person who has lost a loved one, you always want to be encouraging and comforting, but you do not want to say something that is beyond what scripture says.
The key to answering your question is: do you know that your friend's loved one has given a clear testimony of having trusted in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord?
Scripture says in 2 Corinthians 5:8 that we are confident that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord, and in 1 John 5:13 that if you believe in the Son of God (Jesus), then "you may know that you have eternal life." Paul himself speaks with confidence about going to heaven when he dies (Philippians 1:21-23), and he talks to Christians about going to be with the Lord, using the plural "we" in 1 Thessalonians 4:17. So if you know that your friend's loved one has trusted in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, then yes, it is very appropriate to say that the person has gone to heaven.
But what if you are uncertain whether or not your friend's loved one was a believer? Maybe you have not heard, or their testimony was unclear. In that case, I would suggest that you focus on the hope that we have in Christ, without being specific about the individual who is deceased. In other words, you can say, "What a comfort it is to know that when we believe in Christ, we will see one another again in heaven."
Finally, if you are fairly certain that the deceased was not a believer, you may want to say something like, "I'll be praying for God to give you comfort during your time of loss," and if the grieving person is also an unbeliever, you can ask for an opportunity to share the hope that you have in Christ and how they can know that they can go to heaven.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
What is the "third heaven?"
Question from Danny:
I read in 2 Corinthians 12:2 that a man was "caught up into the third heaven." What does that mean?
Answer from Pastor Bob:
Apparently Paul was speaking about a vision he himself had, and "third heaven" was an expression for being in the presence of God in heaven itself (first heaven would refer the atmosphere, second heaven would refer to the planets and stars, and third heaven would be God's presence.) Verse four says he "was caught up into paradise." Since paradise and heaven are one and the same, we can gather that "third heaven" means the same thing that we would normally call heaven.
Some religious groups teach that there are three different heavens, and that some people go to one heaven and some to another, but that is a misunderstanding of the expression in this passage.
I read in 2 Corinthians 12:2 that a man was "caught up into the third heaven." What does that mean?
Answer from Pastor Bob:
Apparently Paul was speaking about a vision he himself had, and "third heaven" was an expression for being in the presence of God in heaven itself (first heaven would refer the atmosphere, second heaven would refer to the planets and stars, and third heaven would be God's presence.) Verse four says he "was caught up into paradise." Since paradise and heaven are one and the same, we can gather that "third heaven" means the same thing that we would normally call heaven.
Some religious groups teach that there are three different heavens, and that some people go to one heaven and some to another, but that is a misunderstanding of the expression in this passage.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Will animals be in heaven?
Question from Nick:
What happens to animals during the rapture and will they also be killed during the 7 bowls of judgment and the seals and etc.?
Answer from Pastor Bob:
What happens to animals during the rapture and will they also be killed during the 7 bowls of judgment and the seals and etc.?
Answer from Pastor Bob:
Nick, I'm not sure, but the Bible talks about heaven being a wonderful place with all of the good things on earth there, only better, and Isaiah talks about how great heaven is and describes it as "the wolf lying down with the lamb" (Isaiah 11:6) and talks like animals could be there.
So I'm not sure, but I think if is likely that animals will be in heaven, but they will not hurt anybody.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
