Expert: Eleanor Edwards - 8/28/2008

Question
Hello, and first off, God bless you! I'm so happy people like you are doing evangelism like this! It's great, glory be to God!

Ok so, I'm not sure if this is the right section to ask this in, and I'm sorry if it's not, but any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!!

So I was saved Sept 07, and have been transformed by the Holy Spirit since. I know the verse "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him" -1 John 2:15 (NKJ)
Well does that Include animals? Like I'm not talking about having animals as Idols, or worshiping them in any way, But loving them (to no extreme). It might seem like a foolish question, I just don't want to profess something that goes contrary to God's word.
Thank you for any suggestions!
God bless

Answer
Hi Brittany,
Many thanks for writing and your interesting question. To be totally honest, it's not something I've ever thought about when reading this verse but I can understand why you might reason it like this.

These verses are warning of the dangers of getting so comfortable in the world, we forget that it is not our home. Life here on earth is but a heart beat compared to what we have to look forward to when we go to heaven.

I don't know how old you are but when I used to hear 'old people' say things like that, I'd think that it was OK for them, they'd had their life. I wanted to get married, have children, see my children have children etc. Most of these people who were longing for heaven were well in their 70s but sat here at the age of 30, I've now reached a point that if all of my friends, loved ones, colleagues, people I vaguely know, got up and got saved all at once, I'd be glad to go to heaven right now!

But too many people I love aren't going there yet. Too many people I've never met aren't going there yet either and so now my daily prayer is that the Holy Spirit will spread Himself across this world and touch people's lives in a real, heart-changing way.

But to answer your question, I believe it is acceptable to care for animals in the way you might care for a pet dog or cat. There is a verse I read just a couple of weeks ago in which God expresses concern for the animals living with the Israelites. I can't remember where it was or how I came across it, otherwise I would quote it (if and when I find it, I'll add it here for you) but this verse tells me that it is acceptable for us to have concern for the welfare of animals.

I hope that helps reassure you. I'll search for that verse and add it but in the meantime, if I can ever help you again, feel free to ask again or send me an e-mail.

Changing the subject for a moment ... so you were saved 2007. That's fabulous :) How are you doing? Do you have a good, bible-believing church supporting you as you grow?

Many thanks again for getting in touch and for your encouraging words.
In His love,
Eleanor
eleanor@eleanoredwards.co.uk

Romans 12:1-2
"So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you."