In a recent discussion about the effects of man's rebellion against God we agreed that things are not the way they were designed to be. Everything has been affected...by sin. As Wayne Grudem says, "We don't live the lives we were originally designed to live, and we don't live in the world we were originally designed to live it." Everything is different know. But the story of the Bible is the good news of God working to redeem and restore broken people in a broken world.
So I posed the question, "What role should Christians play in caring for Creation?" The response varied but drew mostly blank stares. Why? I think largely because we view God's work of redemption as a spiritual work in the spiritual world, which has little to do with our physical world. The result is that Christians focus their concern on the spiritual aspect of people. This is not bad, don't get me wrong, but is this two-fold focus, spiritual or invisible and people, a bit of a reduction of what God is doing in his kingdom through the gospel?
I notice that when Paul is talking about the future glory of those who have been made alive by the Spirit (Romans 11:19-21) he mentions more than people:
For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.
It appears more than just mankind are under the bondage of sin, everything has been affected. It also appears that the things and stuff of creation, which God said were good (Gen 1) and sing out his praises (Psalm 148), long for their redemption, restoration & future glory.
It also seems that Jesus message about initiating the reign of God (or kingdom of God) involves a universal supremacy over things seen & unseen. Consider Colossians 1:15-20):
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities- all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.
It thus seems logical that his plan of redemption involves the reordering of things seen & unseen, spiritual and physical into their created harmony. If this is the case, then Christians who have begun this new life (2 Cor 5:17) and who order their thinking around the message of the kingdom (Matt 5-7) should be involved in redemptively caring for Creation. Not because we care about plants more than people, but because we have been redeemed (in part yet awaiting our full redemption) and we are ordering our lives under God's work to redeem all of creation.
There are groups of Christians who are trying to work out the implications for everyday life of these grand ideas.
One is an upcoming Conference called Christianity & the Environment in September 2006. Here is the goal of the conference:
This conference on Christianity and the environment is being held to understand better what it means for us to demonstrate a Christian perspective as we live our lives at the interfaces of the three “worlds” (natural, engineered and human). The challenge for this conference is to articulate how we can consistently demonstrate Christian virtues (such as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control) at the interfaces of these three “worlds” in our public and private policies.
Another is a group called Care of Creation, which is trying to mobilize the church to its wholistic gospel ministry for all of creation. Here are CoC's 3 loves:
1. Loving God by worshiping him in all we do;
2. Loving God's People by sharing the good news we have in Jesus Christ, and by strengthening and empowering local Congregations to join in...
3. Loving God's World by working with and through his people to care for and heal God's hurting creation.
How now shall we live in this broken world of broken people?
6.20.2006
Is Environmental Concern UnChristian?
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3 comments:
Clay,
I've always had a passion for science growing up. Not the kind of science that tries to disprove the Bible, but science specifically in medical and chemical. I've always pondered this question but never really could find an answer, and Betsie and I have even talked on this issue a little. GOD has created this world we live, so that means any type of proton/electron was part of GOD’s plan. So creating biological substances & nuclear weapons or science evolving into cloning animals/human; was this part of GOD’s plan as well? Ok maybe were supposed to actually use nuclear power for energy only and not bombs, so is everything here for a reason and its human fault for not using the gift of wisdom to do right with what GOD has given to us? Is the issue not with the product but what the intent of the person the real question? Some people say what would GOD do, but can that even be right? Tis not right for us to make an assumption as to say what GOD would do as we are the creation of our creator. As you can see this is gray to me :) but fun to think about. I can’t win or lose the argument LOL
Eric,
The issue I am trying to raise is that of Christian Responsibility in caring for creation. Since we do believe that God spoke things into being and that he will redeem them from their broken state we know that God cares about this world and so should we. So we do have a role in our witness to sovereignty of God over all creation to care for this place.
Yeah I know I got off topic alot maybe we can talk about that another time.
I'll respond more on topic need to clear my head im at work still :)
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