Dogs in Heaven – by Eliezer Gonzalez

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May 24, 2016 4555

[A]ll are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. – Rom. 3:24

I have sometimes been asked if dogs will be in heaven. While I am sure that there will be dogs in heaven, that’s not the point. The question is really, “Is the resurrection for our pets?” (Note to cat lovers: Please substitute “cat” wherever you see “dog” in this blog, if that is even possible for you).

When we consider how affectionate and innocent our pets are, and how much they we love them and they love us in return, the question cannot help to be asked.

I know people who believe as much as they believe that the sun will rise tomorrow, that their beloved dogs will be in heaven. Others can mount deep and meaningful arguments about the soul and so forth to argue that our dogs will not inherit paradise. And of course we have that verse in Revelation (not meant to be taken literally) that says that the dogs will not be allowed into the Holy City (Rev. 22:15).

The great man Martin Luther said of his beloved dog,

Be thou comforted, little dog, Thou too in Resurrection shall have a little golden tail.

I suspect that Luther’s dog would have preferred a golden bone to a golden tail.

Another famous man, Mark Twain, said,

Heaven goes by favour. If it went by merit, you would stay out and your dog would get in.

Although Mark Twain is the darling of the atheists, he wasn’t really an atheist. He just didn’t agree with the religion of the day. And in the quote above, Twain nailed it! Doesn’t it give the lie to all attempts to reach heaven through our own merit?

When I look at my little dog, I can see the truth of it. If it was through merit, my scruffy dog Theo would make it through the pearly gates, and I would stay out.

That’s why there’s only one way into heaven – by the grace of God that has come to you through the redemption by Jesus Christ.

And if you take hold of that, and lose all your trust in self, you will find out soon enough whether your dog is there with you. I hope so.

– Eliezer Gonzalez