What does the Bible say about pets inside your home? That’s a debate many Christian pet owners are having.
Scripture never directly addresses indoor pets. But there are relevant principles to guide our approach.
Faithful believers land on different sides of this decision. What biblical truths should shape our view?
Some stress Old Testament purity laws seem to advise against animals inside. But does New Testament grace change this?
Others highlight responsible pet stewardship. But what level of obedience does that require?
And underneath it all – how do we keep our pet affection from becoming actual idolatry?
Let’s explore this conversation about biblical wisdom for our furry friends inside our homes. There are insights that impact our daily walk with God.
God’s Original Plan for Animals
In God’s original perfect creation, animals and humans coexisted peacefully. Genesis 1:30 states that to “every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” Animals were not afraid of humans, but rather lived in harmony with them.
However, after Adam and Eve sinned, the world changed. Animals and creation were subjected to the curse of sin along with mankind (Genesis 3:14-19). Relationships between animals and humans became more difficult.
Principles About Purity and Cleanliness
There are laws and regulations in the Old Testament about purity and cleanliness that may relate to having pets inside the home.
For example:
- Anyone who touched carcasses of unclean animals became ceremonially unclean (Leviticus 11:24-40). This illustrates how close contact with animals could transfer ritual impurity.
- The Israelites were to maintain hygiene and cleanliness standards within their living spaces (Leviticus 14:33-48). Allowing animals free access indoors could compromise efforts to keep homes clean for health and religious reasons.
So based on these verses, some argue that pets could compromise the cleanliness or purity of a home environment.
However, it is debated if these ceremonial purity laws apply fully to believers under the new covenant today. So other Christians give freedom in this area.
Also Read: What Does “Beguiled” Mean in the Bible?
Principles About Responsibilities and Priorities
Below are some additional biblical principles about responsibilities and priorities that relate to whether pets belong indoors:
Stewardship
If pets are brought indoors, owners should exercise responsible stewardship. This includes:
- Properly containing waste to keep the home clean
- Avoiding damage to furnishings
- Not allowing pets to dominate space meant for humans
Owners who fail to properly care for indoor pets display poor, slothful stewardship.
Idolatry
While pets can provide great companionship, affection for them can sometimes rise to an unhealthy level.
- We must ensure pets do not replace relationships with God or other people in priority in our hearts. That is a form of idolatry.
- Exodus 20:3 states we should have “no other gods before Me.” This includes misplaced affection towards pets.
Self-Control
Allowing pets unrestrained indoor access can enable laziness in owners. Self-control is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), and owners should leverage it to establish proper boundaries.
- Pets should not be given free license to soil floors, beg at tables, take over beds and furnishings.
- Giving them unrestrained access enables poor habits in pets and bad behavior.
So in summary, the Bible does not give definitive yes or no answers about indoor pets. As with many topics, biblical principles can support different applications. Wisdom and logic should be used to determine what works best for each home situation.
Below are some additional commonly asked questions related to pets inside the home and biblical insights on them.
Also Read: What Were the High Places in the Bible?
Frequently Asked Questions
Should pets sleep in bed with me?
While the Bible does not specifically address where pets should sleep, some considerations around this question would include:
- Does allowing your pet to sleep in your bed demonstrate self-control over your domain? Or does it cede territory meant for humans?
- Does having your pet sleep in bed with you or a spouse negatively impact intimacy or connection? If so, that could conflict with principles about prioritizing marriage over other relationships (Ephesians 5:31).
- Does having pets sleep in human beds violate any biblical calls to uphold cleanliness or purity standards in living spaces? This is debated among Christians.
So in determining pet access to beds, biblical wisdom would suggest owners prioritize human needs first in these areas. If none are compromised, it may be fine. But that assessment depends on each specific situation.
Is having pets indoors unclean?
Regarding uncleanness, Old Testament regulations focused mainly on the ceremonial purity required to enter God’s presence in temple worship. There were rules about isolation after touching dead animals (Leviticus 11:24-40). But the New Testament indicates these ceremonial stipulations transitioned after Christ’s sacrifice on the cross (Colossians 2:16-17).
Under grace, believers today have direct access to God through faith in Christ apart from external purity rituals. So ceremonial cleanliness codes may not strictly apply the same. However, this does not negate biblical calls for responsible stewardship and hygiene in home maintenance. Pet owners should still be diligent.
So the verdict on pets causing spiritual or hygienic “uncleanness” depends on biblical interpretation and individual living context. But leaning towards grace and responsible care is usually the best path.
What if a pet is damaging my possessions like furniture?
Stewardship over God-given resources is clearly a biblical priority. Failing to train a pet who damages furnishings is arguably poor, slothful stewardship.
Consider Proverbs 27:23 which advises: “Know well the condition of your flocks and pay attention to your herds.” This principle applies to responsible pet ownership stewardship as well.
Additionally, wastefulness often enables further sin. John 6:12 illustrates this after the feeding of the 5,000: “When they had had their fill, he said to his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.” Allowing pets to damage household items could qualify as wastefulness that violates concepts of stewardship.
So in summary, responsible biblical guidance on pets suggests owners should maintain command over their pets to avoid property damage as an issue of stewardship. grace allows room for mistakes, but patterned negligence enables waste and poor habits.
Conclusion & Application
In closing, the Bible does not expressly prohibit or condone pets dwelling inside homes. Principles of stewardship and order provide guidelines believers can reference to make contextually-appropriate decisions for their households.
With grace and wisdom guiding application of biblical truths, some faithful Christians may permit indoor pets with boundaries, while others may prefer to have companion animals reside only externally.
Loving one’s pets while maintaining priorities #, exercising self-control, and pursuing responsible care brings glory to God no matter where the pets dwell. The Lord grants freedom in areas of wisdom and conscience, so decisions regarding indoor pets allow room for the Spirit to guide.
What other questions do you have? What factors most influence your views on having indoor pets?
