The Bible teaches that all human beings are made in the image of God and are therefore of inestimable intrinsic worth. Based on this biblical teaching, some Christians reason that it is wrong to call even vicious human beings “animals.”
The following sampling of various relevant biblical statements shows that this position is not true.
Eze 22:27 Her princes in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, and to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain.
Zep 3:3 Her princes within her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves; they gnaw not the bones till the morrow.
Mat 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
Mat 10:16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
Luk 10:3 Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.
Luk 13:32 And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.
Act 20:29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
Tit 1:12 One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies. 13 This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith;
2Pe 2:12 But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;
Jud 1:10 But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.
The prophets (Ezek. 22:27), Jesus (Matt. 7:15; Luke 10:3; 13:32), and the apostles (Acts 20:29; 2 Peter 2:12) all spoke of certain human beings being animals or like animals. Even unbelievers have validly done so (Titus 1:12).
The Bible does not support the view that it is wrong to call vicious people “animals.”
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