Today,
the reply is on whether animals and other living creatures have
“souls”. At Creation, dominion over the earth was granted to
mankind; the awe, humility, and submission shown to man by other
creatures is to display and make visible what is to be humanity’s
relationship with GOD who remains invisible and unseen. While all
that exist and are alive on the earth have come into presence through
GOD, consciousness and self-will within all created beings and living
creatures may be dominated by the operations of sin. The holy
writings do not include instruction that divinity responds to every
living thing as having equal ability and presence with GOD, yet,
there are many acknowledgments of the Creator’s
concern, grace, and provision to even the least of them. It is
written: Psalms 84: 1-3, King James Version (KJV): 1 How amiable
are thy tabernacles, O LORD of hosts! 2
My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD:
my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God. 3 Yea, the
sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O LORD
of hosts, my King, and my God. Also: Job 38: 35-41, KJV: 35 Canst
thou send lightnings, that they may go and say unto thee, Here we
are? 36 Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? or who hath
given understanding to the heart? 37 Who can number the clouds in
wisdom? or who can stay the bottles of heaven, 38 When the dust
groweth into hardness, and the clods cleave fast together? 39 Wilt
thou hunt the prey for the lion? or fill the appetite of the young
lions, 40 When they couch in their dens, and abide in
the covert to lie in wait? 41 Who provideth for the raven his food?
when his young ones cry unto God, they wander for lack of meat. One
of the writers in the “Yahoo! Answers” forum using the ID
“Josephette Maria (Level 1 with 162 points) posted the following:
Do
only mammals have souls? What about simpler creatures like birds,
turtles and fish?
THE
GOLDEN ARROW: And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them
that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.
But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he
hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear
him. Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of
them is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your head
are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many
sparrows. Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before
men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God:
But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels
of God. (Luke 12: 4-9, KJV)
THE
DOUBLE DAGGER: Fully Communicating Human Potential? (09/30/2019);
Divine Spirit Within Animals? (09/05/2019); Was Creation A Failure?
(05/13/2019); How Did Noah Know? (10/14/2018); A Species of Animal?
(01/31/2017); GOD’s Peculiar
People (12/11/2016); Spirit, Spirit Beings, Spirit Persons?
(10/13/2015); Another Gospel? (10/19/2013); A Visit from an Angel?
(10/20/2013); The Head Not The Tail? (10/21/2013)
“Josephette
Maria”, relying on the holy writings for guidance and instruction,
many mature Christian believers agree that a “living soul” is
a created being or living creature whose form has been fashioned by
divinity, and who has been infused with consciousness, self-will (we
also say, willpower), and inseparable spirit substance from the
makeup of GOD. Included are angels, animals, mankind, and the sacred
beasts of heaven. Diverse finite abilities, properties and tools are
found among them such as alertness, intelligence, logic, carnal
reason, and discursive thought. Only divinity is immortal and
incorruptible. Through the operations of sin, death and mortality
continue as a condition of challenge and limitation for all living on
the earth; and the duration of celestial creatures (who are neither
mortal nor immortal) is on the basis of divine prerogative, eternal
purpose, and the sovereign will of GOD.
The
earth is to be inhabited, and was created as a home for Adam, who was
fashioned to be a companion to divinity. Of the many creatures on
the earth, only mankind has received life essence in his
nostrils (as breath; spirit; word) imparted from GOD. However,
through transgression of sacred law, there now is enmity between the
created and the Creator. Following the flood survived by Noah and
the animals on the ark, new covenant relationships were provided for
those on the earth. Even so, only humans are allowed to become
reborn through operations of the Holy Spirit to exist as offspring,
and the children of GOD. Acknowledging Jesus Christ as the Son of
the Highest, the Lamb of GOD, sinners may receive fresh endowments of
divine DNA, so to speak. Then, as developing Christian believers,
joint-heirs with Jesus Christ, and the new creation, repenting
sinners are to display the image of GOD, and are to resemble,
reflect, and reveal the character and likeness of Jesus Christ.
Consider again the following that uses language from the Bible, and a
selection from the praise, prophecy and music ministry of Steve
Amerson:
(1.)
Genesis 2: 4-7, King James Version (KJV): 4 These are the
generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created,
in the day that the LORD God made the earth and
the heavens, 5 And every plant of the field before it was in the
earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the LORD
God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was
not a man to till the ground. 6 But there went up a mist from the
earth, and watered the whole face of the ground. 7 And the LORD
God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into
his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
(2.)
Ezekiel 18: 20-23, KJV: 20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die.
The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the
father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the
righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall
be upon him. 21 But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that
he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is
lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. 22 All his
transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned
unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live. 23
Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord
GOD: and not that he should return from
his ways, and live?
(3.)
Ecclesiastes 3: 19-21, KJV: 19 For that which befalleth the sons
of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one
dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a
man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity. 20
All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust
again. 21 Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the
spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?
(4.)
John 1: 10-14, KJV: 10 He was in the world, and the world was made
by him, and the world knew him not. 11 He came unto his own, and his
own received him not. 12 But as many as received him, to them gave
he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe
on his name: 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of
the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word was
made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory
as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
There
is far more that should be said, correctly examined, and spiritually
apprehended. (For example, (5.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yd8nVLtnAA.) Even
so, I trust this fragment will be useful. Be it unto you according
to your faith.
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