Two Kinds of Animals

Before we talk about the nature of the animal world around us, let’s get it straight in our minds about the composition of humanity.

The Bible states that man is composed of three parts: spirit, soul and body (1 Thessalonians 5:23). The human spirit is the “image of God” mentioned in Genesis One. It is our connection with the spirit dimension of God. It contains our very nature of who and what we are.
The human soul is located in the human brain and is the control panel of the intellect, the emotions and the will. And the body, of course, is the material part of us which relates to the material world around us and is controlled by the decisions made in the soul.

I like to say that I AM a spirit, I HAVE a soul and I LIVE IN a body.

Now where do animals fit in to this scheme of spirit, soul and body? Let’s start with the body – that is the simplest. All animals have material bodies, duh! No problem there!

Contrary to the American Indians and some Eastern religions, the Bible nowhere states that animals have spirits. Animals are not connected with the spirit dimension with the “image of God” as humans are.

This brings us to the “soul”. There has been much debating over the centuries over the meaning of soul and spirit. But they are different! Hebrews 4:12 says that the word of God (the Bible) is capable of showing us the division of soul and spirit. Do animals have “souls”? My interpretation of Genesis One is that some do have souls and some don’t have souls. I believe it all has to do with how God’s creatures around us relate to human beings.

There are the domesticated animals which can establish a relationship with man and HAVE A SOUL of intellect, emotion and will. These have been called “soulish animals”. They consist basically of mammals and a few kinds of birds such as the parrot and macaw. These soulish animals are called in Genesis 1:24 as “cattle” in some translations and as “livestock” in other translations. We especially see these soul characteristics in our pets – our dogs and cats.

Then there are all the other kinds of creatures we see around us which DO NOT HAVE SOULS. They have no personal relationship with man. They are called in Genesis 1:24 as “creeping things” or “creatures that move along the ground” (insects such as ants, mosquitoes, lizards, etc.). There are also what are called “wild animals” or “beasts” which have no soul and no personal relationship with man. All of these creatures without souls are governed by an implanted “instinct” in their brains. They are programmed by God to do exactly what they were made for and nothing more.

I make this distinction between animals with souls and those without souls in great part because of the Hebrew word “nephesh” which is most often translated “soul” in the Old Testament. This word “nephesh” is used four times in Genesis One for lower life forms before it is ever used for man. This indicates to me that at least some animals have “souls”.

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