If suffering is a test, why do animals suffer too? They don’t have free will or sin.

1. Understanding All Creation under a Single Fall

Genesis describes how human disobedience introduced corruption into a world originally created “very good” (Genesis 1:31). According to Genesis 3, the consequences of this Fall did not merely affect humans but extended to the ground, the natural order, and ultimately to animal life. In Genesis 3:17, God declares that the ground is “cursed because of” man’s sin, and in verse 18, thorns and thistles emerge as part of this curse. Although animals neither sin nor possess human moral accountability, they dwell in an environment impacted by human rebellion, and so they share in the resultant corruption.

Romans 8:20–22 underscores this reality: “For the creation was subjected to futility, not by its own will, but because of the One who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay… We know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until the present time.” This indicates that all creation, including animals, experiences groaning and suffering due to the broken state introduced by humanity’s fall.

2. The Distinction between Human Sin and Animal Suffering

While Scripture consistently affirms that humans are uniquely responsible for sin (Romans 3:23), the biblical record equally affirms that the impact of sin transcends human life alone. Animals do not commit moral evils nor do they stand guilty before God in the same sense as humankind. Nevertheless, God gave humans dominion over the earth (Genesis 1:28), making humanity’s fall the pivotal turning point for all living creatures. As a result, animals endure corruption, death, and suffering in ways that were not part of the original creation design.

Evidence from the fossil record—when interpreted through a young-earth perspective—indicates that violent traits and predatory behavior found in various animal species align with a post-Fall reality. In a designed world that has experienced a cosmic rupture, creatures are not as they once were nor as they ultimately will be in the future new creation.

3. Why Animals Face Hardship If They Are Not Tested

The idea of suffering as a “test” typically refers to human beings, who, as moral agents, face trials and make decisions with eternal ramifications. Animals, lacking this moral agency, are not tested in the same way. Instead, their suffering is a consequence of residing in a world subjected to decay and death.

1. A Collateral Impact. Similar to how innocent children can be harmed by societal wrongdoing, animals likewise experience consequences of humanity’s fallen nature.

2. Romans 8 Framework. Paul’s emphasis in Romans 8:21–22 is that the “creation itself” will one day be liberated from its present suffering. While animals are not morally responsible, they remain part of the created order that awaits redemption.

3. Shared Environment. Just as natural disasters affect both believers and unbelievers (Matthew 5:45) without regard for personal guilt, animals share an environment where disease, pain, and predation exist as features of the current fallen state.

4. The Goodness of God and Animal Life

Even in a fallen world, Scripture repeatedly affirms that God cares for His creatures. Psalm 104 details how God provides food for the animals and meets their daily needs. Jesus proclaims in Matthew 10:29 that not even a sparrow “will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father,” highlighting a kind of divine oversight and compassion.

In addition, various anecdotes throughout history demonstrate human care for injured or mistreated animals, reflecting that part of what remains in the human conscience is an echo of God's original design for compassion and stewardship. Outside literature and historical accounts, such as certain medieval monastic documents, show Christians establishing animal shelters and hospitals. These acts reflect the biblical command to display kindness to all living things (Proverbs 12:10).

5. Future Restoration and the Hope of Creation

Scripture expresses God’s plan to renew creation in a future age, extending deliverance beyond humanity to include the animal kingdom. Isaiah 11:6–9 offers a prophetic glimpse: “The wolf will dwell with the lamb,” and “They will neither harm nor destroy on all My holy mountain.” This portrayal indicates a time of harmony among animals and between animals and humans.

Revelation 21:4 declares that God “will wipe away every tear,” signaling a future in which mourning and pain are abolished. Although this passage focuses primarily on redeemed humanity, it nonetheless supports the promise of an existence free from the original curse. Since creation was subjected to decay due to Adam’s transgression, Scripture anticipates a day when the Son of God will fully restore all that was lost (Ephesians 1:9–10).

6. Philosophical and Theological Perspectives

From a philosophical standpoint, suffering among creatures that do not sin underscores a larger cosmic disruption that goes beyond individual testing or punishment. It demonstrates the pervasive nature of a fallen creation and amplifies the need for divine restoration. In behavioral science, studies of empathy and moral concern for animals illustrate that humans sense a responsibility toward other creatures. This innate moral longing—seen across cultures and times—points to a metaphysical reality in which caring for creation was the intended norm.

From an apologetics standpoint, the scope of animal suffering is not contradictory to God’s goodness but part of an overarching narrative in which God permits creation to experience brokenness while providing a profound remedy in Christ (Romans 8:32). This remedy ultimately extends hope to all of creation, attesting to the unity and coherence of the scriptural message.

7. Practical Insights for Addressing Animal Suffering

1. Human Stewardship. Genesis 1:28 highlights humanity’s role in caring for and overseeing creation. Even in a fallen state, acts of compassion, conservation, and responsible stewardship can mitigate suffering.

2. Points of Redemption. Many Christians throughout history have recognized that showing mercy to animals is part of living out biblical ethics. Acts of kindness toward animals echo God’s desire that His stewards care for all living things.

3. Testimony to God’s Character. Demonstrating empathy for suffering animals can mirror God’s own mercy and patience with His creation, affirming that while suffering may still occur, the ultimate goal is redemption.

8. Conclusion: A Creation Intertwined in Redemption

Although animals are not endowed with free will in the same sense as humanity, Scripture describes a world in which the effects of sin reverberate throughout all life on earth. They suffer not because they are tested or because they sin, but because they exist within a creation subjected to decay due to human disobedience. The pervasive presence of suffering highlights a broader need for deliverance—a deliverance promised through Christ’s redemptive work.

Because of this hope, believers anticipate a redeemed creation free from corruption. As Romans 8:21 states, creation itself “will be set free from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.” This grand narrative affirms a God who takes into account even the smallest creature’s plight and promises that the struggle of the present is not the final chapter for His handiwork. The ultimate resolution to all suffering, including that of animals, will come in the consummation of God’s kingdom, a reality foreseen in the harmony depicted by Isaiah’s prophecies and secured by the resurrection of Christ.