Man and Beast

The Scriptures tell us that animals are soulless creatures, and will perish with the rest of creation. We will not see them while our souls rest with God; when Christ returns and our bodies are resurrected, we will live in the new heavens and new earth—where there may be new, not resurrected, animals.

On the sixth day, Adam was created "in the image of God." No animals were created in God's image. Only man received the breath of God. In this way, he was given a spirit (Eccles. 12:7; 1 Thess. 5:23) so that he transcends the world of the animals.

Only man has a free will and possesses the faculty of creative thought. According to Psalm 8:5, man was made "a little lower than the heavenly beings." Only man possesses the gift of speech and of prayer in order to convey thoughts to God.

"All flesh is not the same: Men have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds another and fish another" (1 Cor. 15:39).

It is said only about man that he was not only created "by God," but also "for Him" (Col. 1:16). This high purpose is only ascribed to man. Animals are also creatures of God, but they did not receive the calling to become children of God (John 1:12).

Man is an eternal being; this means that his existence never ends, even after the death of the body (Luke 16:19–31). An imperishable body will be raised from the perishable one (1 Cor. 15:42). Animals have no soul and will perish.