In the
News: headline reads, Do all dogs go to
heaven? Pope Francis says yes. “One day, we will see our animals again in
the eternity of Christ. Paradise is open to all of God’s creatures.” Pope
Francis
According to the news story, the Pope told a
boy who misses his dog that all creatures are welcome in heaven. Am I the only one when hearing this on the
news became concerned? I love my two dachshund
babies Riley and Missy very much. They
are spoiled rotten little bed hogs. I
will cry and miss them very much when they die, or as some say cross over the
rainbow bridge. When our last dog Snoopy
a black dachshund that had been unable to walk for 7 years died in my arms, yes
I cried. I still miss him, but I am not planning on seeing him in heaven when I
die. This is a beautiful thought but not biblical. I may
not even see some of my friends or family member either. To me that is even more concerning.
The difference between man and animals are
that we are created in God’s image.
Animals have a body, while we have a body, soul, and spirit. Jesus Christ died on the cross for my sins,
and rose from the dead for man. John
3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, what
whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Snoopy did not believe this, so I will not
see him in heaven. Romans 5:8 “But God
demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ
died for us.” John 14:6 “Jesus said to
him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father,
but through Me” Ephesians 2:8,9 “For by grace you have been saved through
faith; and that not of yourselves, it is a gift of God; not as a result of
works, that no one should boast.
I
received this grace through faith- gift back in 1975 at the age of 23. I am sure if I would have heard the pope say
this before 1975, I would have believed this. My childhood dog Mookie would be
waiting for me in heaven. I was baptized
as a catholic, attended catholic school, planned on becoming a catholic nun
until my mother intervened, attended mass every Sunday and holy days. I was a good catholic girl, and I even confessed
my sins to the priest. I prayed the prayers- Hail Mary…, Our Father.., and Now
I lay me down to sleep.. I hoped if I died in my sleep that I would go to
heaven and not hell. I did not have the
assurance that I now do.
But
I was not going to heaven and did not have eternal life, since I was relying on
my works, catholic baptism, and catholic religion. I was not going to see Mookie in heaven, since I was a
sinner. “For all have sinned and fall
short of the glory of God” Romans 3:23.
I was not even going to heaven. Once I read what the Bible had to say
that morning in 75, and that I must individually receive Jesus Christ as Savior
and Lord. I prayed and became His child
that morning. “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become
children of God, even to those who believe in His name, John 1:12.
As His child, he has given me my dogs to
love and comfort me during my time on earth.
He never did give me any cats, but that is ok with Pat. He tried to have a cat before we were
married, but the cat did not stay around too long. I have my memories and pictures of my past
dogs-Mookie, Buffy, Lolly, Carmel, and Snoopy.
When I heard the pope making his comment,
I of course thought that I hope he is not telling kids about Santa Claus and
the Easter Bunny. I pray that he will
preach to his followers the Bible reason for Christmas and Easter. I also pray that things will change in the
catholic church, that the church will no longer tell their followers that their
baptism and good works will get them to heaven.
The pope should have used this news
opportunity to tell the boy about how God loves him and offers a wonderful plan
for his life. Man is sinful and
separated from God. Therefore, he cannot
know and experience God’s love and plan for his life. Jesus Christ is God’s only provision for man’s
sin. Through him you can know and
experience God’s love and plan for your life.
We must individually receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord; then we
can know and experience God’s love and plan for our live.
If that boy heard that and believed then
he would spend eternity in heaven, but not with his dog. Along with this boy, those hearing the pope
share what the Bible says about salvation may believe also like I did back in ’75. To those friends and family who just might
read this blog. If you do not have
assurance in where you will be spending eternity in heaven or hell, or have
never accepted God’s wonderful plan for your life. Read those Bible verses again and pray and
accept His Grace through Faith!
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