Global Warming and the Environmental Movement Pastoral Perspective Grace Community Church

Recently, our church received a magazine published by a leading evangelical university. The cover was entirely green, with bold white and green letters exclaiming, “The Greening of Evangelicals.”1 The subhead noted, “A growing number of Christians are embracing the ‘creation care’ movement. It’s not a bandwagon, they say. It’s biblical.” Inside, a full eight pages were devoted to the subject. Again, the claim was made that protecting the environment is a biblical mandate—“a growing number of Christians are warming to the idea of ‘creation care’—the notion that the Bible commands us to conserve and protect the environment.” Several of the university’s faculty and staff were interviewed in the article. Their comments underscore the idea that protecting the planet is a matter of biblical stewardship:

We were given a mandate in Scripture to care for creation, and that never went away. When you measure how many tons of carbon dioxide we pump into the atmosphere every day, and then—in a sense—belittle that fact or disregard it as being not much, then I really think it’s like an ostrich with its head in the sand…

At the end of the day, the fact that we waste and pollute might be a small matter, but Christ himself, in the parable of the dishonest steward in Luke 16, said that those who are unfaithful in small things will not be entrusted with big things…

We do not have infinite supplies of oil, aluminum, paper and so on. So if we can use these things more wisely, that’s part of the Genesis mandate: Be good stewards of what I’ve given to you…

[Our school] recognizes the importance of being good stewards of God’s creation, not because it is politically correct, but because God calls us to that kind of management of his creation.

The article goes on to note that the students at this university are taking small steps to preserve and protect the environment, such as turning off the lights when exiting a room, putting computers on standby when not in use, and recycling plastic bottles. The school’s president even drives a hybrid SUV as “a small gesture intended to make a statement about the importance of environmental stewardship.”

Throughout the article, readers are repeatedly reminded that the Christian’s “ecological responsibility” is something that God mandated for believers in His Word. The conspicuous irony is that the eight-page spread contains hardly any references to the Bible. A general reference is made to Luke 16, and Genesis 1:28 and 2:15 are each mentioned in passing. But no Scripture is actually quoted or explained in the article.

It is one thing to claim to be biblical. It is another to actually support that claim. Before we as Christians rush to embrace the environmentalist mind-set that is impacting many in evangelicalism these days, we would do well to consider the example set by the noble Bereans, examining the Scriptures to see whether these things are so.

Are Christians to Care for Creation?

We affirm that Christians have a responsibility to care  for every resource God has provided for us. With regard to natural resources, that principle was illustrated in the Old Testament when God put Israel in the Promised Land and commanded the people to let the soil rest every seventh year:

You shall sow your land for six years and gather in its yield, but on the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow, so that the needy of your people may eat; and whatever they leave the beast of the field may eat. You are to do the same with your vineyard and your olive grove (Exodus 23:10-11; cf. Leviticus 25:1-7).

God gave that command because He did not want the people to exploit the land and extract all its life. Allowing the land to rest every seven years ensured that it was replenished and would continue to provide in the future. (God similarly commanded the people to treat their animals without abuse [Deuteronomy 25:4; Proverbs 12:10]).

When the Lord gave the Israelites the Mosaic law, He warned them that if they apostatized, He would remove them from the land (Deuteronomy 28). Sadly, the children of Israel did just that and came under God’s judgment—the northern tribes fell to Assyria in 722 B.C., and the southern tribes to Babylon in 605 B.C. In fact, God designated the Babylonian captivity as a 70-year captivity so the land could rest and make up for all the Sabbath years that Israel violated (cf. Leviticus 26:33-35; 2 Chronicles 36:17-21).

So, we agree that believers must not be reckless, abusive, or irresponsible with any of the wonderful resources God has given us. Moreover, we are commanded to show love and care to the people around us (Philippians 2:1-5), as well as willingly submit to government rules and regulations (Romans 13:1-7). Such principles will necessarily affect how we interact with our surroundings.

But all of that, in fact, has very little to do with today’s environmental movement or the global warming craze that goes with it. The environmental movement is consumed with trying to preserve the planet forever. But we know that isn’t in God’s plan.

The earth we inhabit is not a permanent planet. It is, frankly, a disposable planet—it is going to have a very short life. Contrary to the teachings of evolutionary theory, the earth was created less than 10,000 years ago, and its end may be very close at hand. When God’s purposes for it are fulfilled, He will destroy it with fire and create a new earth (2 Peter 3:7-13; Revelation 21:1).

This earth was never ever intended to be a permanent planet—it is not eternal. We do not have to worry about it being around tens of thousands, or millions, of years from now because God is going to create a new heaven and a new earth. Understanding this fact is important to holding in balance our freedom to use, and responsibility to care for, the earth.

Christians, Climates, and Conservation

In light of the temporal nature of this earth, what should Bible-believing Christians think about global warming and the environmentalist movement that undergirds it?

The goal of this chapter is not to examine the scientific data (about which there is considerable debate, at least regarding the implications of recent findings2). Rather, our intention is to look to the Scriptures for guidance in thinking through the issue in a way that really is biblical. The Word of God, not scientific hypotheses or popular opinions, must be our authority on these matters. Special revelation (in Scripture) has been given to us to help us understand and rightly approach general revelation (in creation)—meaning that in His Word, the Creator has revealed for us all we need to know for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3,19).

With that in mind, here are five considerations—derived from Scripture—which can help us develop a framework for thinking about global warming in a way that is distinctly biblical.

1. We Must Rightly Divide the Text

It has become increasingly popular in evangelical circles to take verses (or parts of verses) out of context in order to make them mean something they don’t really mean. The apostle Peter warned of those who would “distort” the meaning of “the Scriptures” (2 Peter 3:16), and Paul instructed Timothy to “be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). All believers are to carefully examine any message that claims divine authority (1 Thessalonians 5:20-22; 1 John 4), looking to see if it corresponds to what Scripture really says (Acts 17:11). Christians, and teachers especially (James 3:1), must be careful to rightly divide the text. Taking verses out of context makes Scripture mean something it was never  intended to mean, and thus ascribes to God that which God did not actually say. Such is a dangerous practice (Deuteronomy 12:32; Proverbs 30:6; Revelation 22:18-19).

This is one of the primary concerns we have with much of the evangelical literature written about protecting the environment. Isaiah 24:4-6 is one passage that is sometimes used to defend a pro-global-warming perspective. The verses read:

The earth mourns and withers, the world fades and withers, the exalted of the people of the earth fade away. The earth is also polluted by its inhabitants, for they transgressed laws, violated statutes, broke the everlasting covenant. Therefore, a curse devours the earth, and those who live in it are held guilty. Therefore, the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men are left.

Some climate-concerned Christians have interpreted these verses as referring to the devastating effects of global warming. From a superficial reading of these verses, the passage might seem like a good fit. The pollution of the earth’s inhabitants not only evidences their guilt, but also leads to massive heat-related destruction and subsequent population decline.

But those who use these verses to affirm the occurrence of global warming fail to consider the context. Most obviously, verses 1-3 indicate that God is the one who causes the happenings in verses 4-6. Verse 1 says, “Behold, the LORD lays the earth waste, devastates it, distorts its surface and scatters its inhabitants.” And verse 3 notes that it is according to the word “the LORD has spoken.” If Isaiah 24:4-6 refers to the current climate controversy, then verses 1-3 make God responsible for the rising temperatures.

Moreover, verse 5 speaks of moral pollution (not smog or carbon emissions), as defined by the next phrase: “for they transgressed laws, violated statutes, broke the everlasting covenant.” In other words, mankind’s sin (against God) will result in His fiery judgment. Finally, these verses must be interpreted in an apocalyptic context. The parallels with other apocalyptic texts (such as Revelation 6, 8–9, 16) take this particular passage out of the realm of current events and put it squarely into a category of future prophetic judgment. In fact, the entire section of Isaiah 24:1–27:13 is apocalyptic.

In any case, this is just one example of how scriptures can be taken out of context to mean something that the Spirit never intended. (Along those lines, we would caution those who take the stewardship passages in the New Testament and apply them to issues that go far beyond the intent of the text. We would also caution those who might try to apply texts aimed solely at Old Testament Israel to New Testament Christians.) The bottom line is that we must be careful not to impose our views on Scripture, but rather, we must allow the Bible to determine our beliefs.

2. We Must Remember Whom We Worship

There is no doubt that the glories of nature reveal the glory of God (Psalm 19:1-6). He created the world in such magnificent splendor that His creative hand is seen at every turn. The vastness of the ocean (Job 38:16), the beauty of the stars (Psalm 8:1-4), the majesty of the mountains (Psalm 65:5-9), the wonder of the rain (Psalm 147:7-8)—these and so much more point to the awesome handiwork of the Creator.

Though cursed through the Fall, God’s creative work is still resplendent. The problem comes when fallen man rejects the Creator, and instead worships the creation. The apostle Paul warned of this in Romans 1:20-25:

Since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

In many ways, these verses describe those in the secular environmentalist movement today. Instead of worshipping Father God, they worship “Mother Nature.” They exchange praise for the Creator with praise for His creation (cf. Deuteronomy 4:16-18).

Though evangelicals can and should appreciate the creation, glorifying God as a result of it, they must be careful not to adopt the secular, naturalistic, evolutionary mind-set that characterizes our world. Nature can be inadvertently idolized when conserving it is given a higher priority than obeying the clear commands of the New Testament—starting with the greatest commandment, which is to love the Lord God wholeheartedly (Mark 12:29-30). As Isaiah 42:5,8 reminds us:

Thus says God the LORD, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and its offspring, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it…“I am the LORD, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another.”

3. We Must Rightly Understand the Creation Mandate

In Genesis 1:28, God commanded Adam to “subdue” the earth and “rule” over it. This included the responsibility to “cultivate” the earth (Genesis 2:15), as well as the authority to name the animals (2:19-20). The earth was created for mankind, and not vice versa (cf. Genesis 8:21–9:3). Hence, man was to make use of the earth’s natural resources as he worked to tend and tame his world.

The dual tasks of subduing and cultivating became increasingly difficult after the Fall, since the creation—which was originally created perfect (Genesis 1:31)—came under God’s curse (Genesis 3:17-19; Romans 8:20-22; cf. Revelation 22:3). We are still experiencing the effects of the Fall today. The ground no longer yields its fruit so easily (Genesis 3:19), animals view mankind with terror and suspicion (Genesis 9:2), and death for all remains a constant threat (Romans 5:12ff). Though creation is no longer man’s willing subject (cf. Hebrews 2:5-8), God’s mandate to subdue the earth has not changed (Genesis 9:1-3).

The commands found in Genesis 1:28 and 2:15 (cf. Genesis 9:1-3) give broad details as to how man is to subdue and cultivate the earth—by populating it and using its natural resources for his own preservation and advancement (cf. Psalm 115:16). Though some have attempted to read specific environmentalist concerns into these texts, their interpretations reflect their own biases and read more into the text than is actually there. (Ironically, many of these same people refuse to take Genesis 1–2 literally, yet they appeal to these chapters to support an environmentalist agenda.)

Because the creation mandate commands human beings to be fruitful and multiply (Genesis 1:28), to dominate the earth (1:28), to cultivate the earth (2:15), and to use both plant and animal resources for food (1:29; 9:1-3), we would necessarily reject any conservationist position that opposes population growth, gives a higher priority to environmental concerns than to the well-being of human beings, unduly restricts the cultivation of the earth for  food, or mandates a vegetarian diet. Environmentally minded evangelicals often cite the creation mandate of Genesis to support their views; but in so doing, they must be careful not to inadvertently violate the very commands to which they appeal. Policies that stifle legitimate opportunities to subdue and cultivate the earth and its resources run contrary to, not parallel with, the Genesis mandate.

4. We Must Define Sin and Salvation Accurately

On February 14, 2005, the National Council of  Churches USA published a document entitled, “God’s Earth Is Sacred: An Open Letter to Church and Society in the United States.”3 The letter calls on Christians to repent of their “social and ecological sins.” According to the letter, citing Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew,

[T]o commit a crime against the natural world is a sin…for humans to degrade the integrity of Earth by causing changes in its climate, by stripping the Earth of its natural forests, or destroying its wetlands…for humans to contaminate the Earth’s waters, its land, its air, and its life, with poisonous substances…these are sins.

The document goes on to assert that too many Christians have bought into “a false gospel that we continue to live out in our daily habits—a gospel that proclaims that God cares for the salvation of humans only and that our human calling is to exploit Earth for our own ends alone.” In recounting the sins that must be repented from, the authors state the following: “We confess that instead of living and proclaiming this salvation through our very lives and worship, we have abused and exploited the Earth and people on the margins of power and privilege, altering climates, extinguishing species, and jeopardizing Earth’s capacity to sustain life as we know and love it.”

But such statements reflect a view of sin, salvation, and the gospel that is far different than that presented in the New Testament. The biblical gospel centers on the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ (1 Corinthians 15:3-4) as the sole means (John 14:6; Acts 4:12) through which individual sinners (rebels against God’s moral law—Romans 3:10-18,23) can be reconciled to God (2 Corinthians 5:17-21; Colossians 1:21-22). It is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes (Romans 1:16), such that those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ will be saved (Acts 16:31). As Paul explained to the Romans, “If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation” (Romans 10:9-10).

Nowhere in the New Testament are sin, salvation, or the gospel ever defined in terms of corporate (or even individual) ecological responsibility. Rather than being consumed with the things of this earth, believers are commanded to focus on the life to come. The apostle  Peter, speaking of the destruction of this earth, vividly makes the point:

The day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with an intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up. Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells (2 Peter 3:10-13).

As Christians, we are not called to focus our resources on preserving this current planet. Instead, we are to keep our eyes on Christ (Hebrews 12:1-2) as we anticipate the world to come (Philippians 3:20; Hebrews 11:13-16), living this life in holy conduct and godliness (cf. 1 Corinthians 6:9; Ephesians 5:5). When the National Council of Churches suggests that “in this most critical moment in Earth’s history, we are convinced that the central moral imperative of our time is the care for Earth as God’s creation,”4 we could not disagree more.

The central moral imperative for the church in this age was articulated by Christ Himself in the Great Commission:

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age (Matthew 28:19-20).

We are to take the true gospel (that individual sinners can be reconciled to God through faith in Christ) to lost and dying souls. Saving the world, for Christians, is not about saving the planet, but the lost. Moreover, the greatest legacy we can leave the next generation is not a greener world, but the truth of the gospel (cf. Deuteronomy 6:5-9; 2 Timothy 3:14-15). Instead of being distracted by attempts to save our broken planet, we should focus on the primary mission God has given to the church. We can then look forward to the day when He will create a new earth that will last forever (Revelation 21–22).

5. We Must Rest in God’s Sovereign Purposes

It is not a cop-out to entrust God with the global destiny of our planet. To be sure, God’s sovereignty never excuses man to be lazy or irresponsible. But knowing that He is in control should guard Christians from the doomsday mentality that characterizes the global warming movement. After all, whether the ice caps are melting or not, God specifically promised that He would not flood the earth again (Genesis 9:11).

God has already revealed to us how this world is going to end—with Christ’s return (1 Thessalonians 4:13–5:3) and reign (Revelation 20:1-6), followed by the creation of a new earth (2 Peter 3:10; Revelation 21:1-7). During the Great Tribulation, God Himself will do much worse to this planet than mankind ever could. There will be famine (Revelation 6:5-6), pestilence (6:7-8), cosmic disasters (6:12-17), vegetation that is burned up (8:7), sea life that is destroyed (8:8-9), waters that are contaminated (8:10-11), demonic “locusts” (9:1-12), deadly plagues (9:13-21), terrible sores (16:2), seas and rivers that are turned to blood (16:3), scorching heat (16:8-9), darkness and pain (16:10-11), drought (16:12-16), and total devastation (16:17-21). After these divine judgments, Christ will come and establish His kingdom by force (19:11-21). A thousand years later (20:1-6), as the millennial kingdom transitions to the eternal state, God will ultimately destroy this world with fire (20:9; cf. 2 Peter 3:10-12) and create a new heaven and earth (21:1; cf. 2 Peter 3:13).

In spite of society’s best attempts to cool down the planet, the Bible tells us how the world is going to end. It is going to get hot, but not because of carbon emissions. When God’s divine fury is finally poured out on the world, no amount of environmental protection will be able to stop it.

Our Lord’s words about anxiety, though specifically with regard to physical provision, serve as an appropriate reminder for those Christians who have allowed environmental fears to distract them from their God-given mission.

Who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?…Do not worry then, saying, “What will we eat?” or “What will we drink?” or “What will we wear for clothing?” For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own (Matthew 6:27,31-34).

In that same context, Jesus notes that the birds of the air and the lilies of the field need not worry, because God is taking care of them (verses 26-29). Just as the Creator oversees the animals and plants He has made (such that they need not worry about their future), He will also take care of those who give first priority to His kingdom purposes.

The Importance of an Eternal Perspective

The church must not get caught up in the doom-and-gloom mentality fueling much of the contemporary hype about global warming and environmentalism. While we should be good citizens (as we submit to government restrictions), good neighbors (as we are sensitive to the needs of others), and good stewards (as we invest the resources God has individually bestowed to us into His kingdom work), we should not become preoccupied with agendas or concerns that distract us from our primary mission in this world. Though the message we preach is foolishness to the world (1 Corinthians 1:18), it is the wisdom and power of God (1 Corinthians 2:6-9; cf. Romans 1:16). The sinners we seek must understand that they are in rebellion against a holy God, and unless they repent and believe, they will spend eternity apart from Him in hell. Though having an eternal mind-set does not excuse us from temporal responsibilities, it should help keep them in right perspective. With that in mind, let us press forward with the truth and be faithful to the King.