Recently I heard a message on a Christian approach to the environment and God’s creation care. It stirred some mild controversy because of our over sensitive, politically charged social culture.
Here is my take, for any of you who might be interested. What the speaker was teaching was consistent with Kingdom Thinking and God’s mandate for us in Genesis 1:28 (Amplified Bible) “And God blessed them and said to them, Be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it [using all its vast resources in the service of God and man]; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and over every living creature that moves upon the earth.”
Diane & I have always taken seriously the Biblical admonition to “possess the land” and therefore have endeavored to nurture, plant, cultivate, care for and improve the ‘land” God has given us whether purchased, leased, rented or a temporary place to lay our heads (Like hotel rooms, camp sites, places we have only visited). We believe the Lord has blessed us with favor as we have consistently done this. (A Bible Gateway search on “possess the land” in the Amplified Bible yields some interesting information from Scripture and the vast number of times God’s people are given this direction by God. In fact, because Joshua didn’t completely follow this direction, the Jewish people “still” don’t posses the Promised Land!)
It seems to us, that if Kingdom thinking believers would take the lead in the area of environmental care and activism, then some of the radical methods, advice and “politically” correct issues would be resolved in a Godly, Biblical, Kingdom thinking way. We are not recommended making an “idol” out of the environment, but rather put in true perspective how God views His creation and our role as His Body within it. In the Lord’s Prayer we see that we are to Matthew 6:9-11 (Amplified Bible) Pray, therefore, like this: Our Father Who is in heaven, hallowed (kept holy) be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread.
We believe it is God’s will that on earth everything will be good and tended to, just as it is in heaven, so that the earth can be fruitful and yield us our daily bread. Just as your beings are made up of Body, Soul & Spirit and we are to submit all to our Lord, so is the earth made up of physical, sensual and spiritual and we are to submit all unto the Lord. So, ask the Lord how you can be a better steward of His creation and don’t get hung up on the popular, social commentary we hear on the media. Whether it’s called biodegradable, organic, natural, going green, recycling or any of the other vernaculars we’ve hear over the past 50 years, it’s still God’s creation and we have a responsibility toward it. Seek the Lord and He will give you His wisdom. 1 Corinthians 10:31 (Amplified Bible) So then, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you may do, do all for the honor and glory of God.
Romans 8:20-23 (Amplified Bible) For the creation (nature) was subjected to frailty (to futility, condemned to frustration), not because of some intentional fault on its part, but by the will of Him Who so subjected it–[yet] with the hope that nature (creation) itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and corruption [and gain an entrance] into the glorious freedom of God’s children. We know that the whole creation [of irrational creatures] has been moaning together in the pains of labor until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves too, who have and enjoy the firstfruits of the [Holy] Spirit [a foretaste of the blissful things to come] groan inwardly as we wait for the redemption of our bodies [from sensuality and the grave, which will reveal] our adoption (our manifestation as God’s sons).
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