The Environment: A Christian Perspective

It is clear looking at the Word that man has been given a great responsibility in tending to God's creation. It is important though that we remember to keep our focus on Christ, and not give too much attention to this natural world. We do not want to become like those Paul warned about when he wrote, “They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised,” (Romans 11:25).

Bill Johnson recently mentioned at the Revival Alliance Conference shown on GOD TV that the reason the world is so united behind a wrong view on the environment is because the Church has offered no strong alternative. Sadly, as I read John Davis' book Evangelical Ethics, I see this lack of an alternative to be very real. Davis wrote, “During the last century, in the wake of the publication in 1859 of Darwin's Origin of Species, the opening chapters of Genesis have often been read by evangelical interpreters with issues such as 'creation and evolution' and the age of the earth in mind. While these issues are important, debates about matters of the origins of things have led to a neglect of other crucial implications of the text, such as humanity's relationship to creation,” (Davis, 269). Here Davis overlooks a very important matter.

Understanding humanity's relationship to the Earth depends wholly on having a correct view of cosmology. The issue of our origins is directly connected to how we steward the resources God has given us. Man is created in God's image according to Genesis 1:26, and the Bible makes evident that our world was made in a period of just six days (Genesis 1:31). If it took God millions of years to create human life, as many modern environmentalists assume, then there was not truly “one man” through whom “sin entered into the world, and death through sin,” (Romans 5:12). In this case, mankind is the result of an extensive evolutionary process, and determining the first member of our race would be impossible. Therefore Adam did not sin, and Christ does not have to fulfill his place. Yet Romans 5:17 tells us, “if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.”

So we see that it is impossible for Christians to reconcile evolution with an orthodox faith. We should not want to though, because evolutionists teach that not only are all men equal – all creatures are. This is where the environmentalists' concern for “animal-rights” has come from. Naturalists believe man developed by a series of random events just as the rest of the organisms on this planet, and so we are all equal. As a result, there is often a desire for humans to lessen their impact on the planet as much as possible. Our “overpopulation” even supports the argument for legalizing abortions, according to one of my former professors of environmental science.

Global Warming is no doubt one of the greatest concerns for those pushing the environmentalist cause. Davis mentions this issue in Evangelical Ethics, but fails to show whether he thinks evangelicals should work to solve it or not. Christopher Horton, the author of The Politically Incorrect Guide to Global Warming and Environmentalism, stated that the liberals' solution to global warming is “to stop having babies, adopt a riskier lifestyle away from which we have technologically developed, and cede national energy budgets to a supranational body prescribing each nation's ration [the Kyoto Protocol].” In other words, Darwinian environmentalists see great need for man to surrender his freedoms in exchange for nature to flourish freely.

Dennis Hollinger, in laying what he believes to be the foundation of Christian ethics, also undermines the importance of believing in six-day creationism. He says, “Too often when Christians reflect on creation they become embroiled in how it happened, when it happened, and to what degree God may have utilized natural processes. In the midst of the debates, its theological significance is often lost,” (Hollinger, 70). This is faulty logic, for one can only gain a deeper revelation of the importance of creation if they study exactly how God made things. The fact that He created the world supernaturally illustrates His supernatural power to do other things, such as raise Christ from the dead. It also relates to how He can supernaturally empower us to treat our planet in an ethical way.

An evolution-based view of the planet has resulted in a great deal of alarmism. In his documentary An Inconvienient Truth, Al Gore shows the scientific evidence that global warming is taking place. He points to charts showing the temperature of the Earth millions of years ago, and compares our current unstable condition to what it was before. However, if one takes the Bible for face value when it says the world was created in six days, and then measures the amount of time that would have passed since then according to the genealogical records in Scripture, our world has been around for less than ten thousand years. All of Gore's time tables suddenly become irrelevant.

I use this example to illustrate how, because of their faulty science, large numbers of environmentalists are proposing that the problems facing our globe are much greater than is the reality. Their answers are just as poor, calling for mankind to leave a lighter footprint here. This opposes God's desire for us to multiply and spread our influence. Genesis 1:28, “God blessed them and said to them, 'Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it.'”

Yet how is one supposed to offer an alternative to the liberal version of environmentalism? First, we must establish a basic truth to base our efforts on. To sum it up, I would like to quote Bjorn Lomborg from The Skeptical Environmentalist, “Prioritization is absolutely essential if we are to achieve the best possible distribution of resources in society. The environment must participate in this social prioritization on equal terms with all other areas,” (Lomborg, 348). In other words, caring for creation is a very noble goal, and should be pursued (sometimes through the same methods liberals use). It is vital to remember that there are other dilemmas facing the nations which are of equal or higher importance. We should not use all our focus and finances to try and solve one problem. Contrary to popular opinion, the world is not going to end with man's destruction of it.

As Lomborg also explained, “The current outlook on the development of global warming does not indicate a catastrophe – rather, there is good reason to believe that our energy consumption will change towards renewable energy sources way before the end of the century. Indeed, the catastrophe seems rather in spending our resources unwisely on curbing present carbon emissions at high costs instead of helping developing countries and increasing non-fossil fuel research,” (Lomborg, 330).

Another thing that must certainly be kept in mind is that we need to handle this issue humbly and with patience. Conservative Christians cannot expect liberal secularists to understand why we are not jumping on the bandwagon to “go green.” Many of our opponents will no doubt claim that we have no concern for the life of other organisms, and that we want to remove all restraints on the destruction of natural ecosystems. This is where practicing the Sermon on the Mount comes in play.

As I see it, the Sermon on the Mount explains the ideal status for God's people to stand in until Christ's return. This message is not so much a list of commands, but a list of encouragements to those who are truly following the principles of godliness. It describes the state of faithful Christians and gives them promises of blessing.

For instance, Jesus said in Matthew 5:6, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” One who goes against the flow of the masses by refusing to accept the alarmism of environmentalists would usually do so with a desire for purity. These believers view it as more important to uphold the authority of the Bible than to accept a loose interpretation of it that agrees with society's values. They long to be filled with heavenly rewards, rather than to receive a good reputation among men. The Lord ensures they will have their satisfaction.

Christ also said in verse 9, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.” We can gather from this that true saints do not make a habit of judging their enemies rather than loving them. One cannot take it for granted that unbelievers will understand our position on environmental ethics. We must be as patient, gracious, and explanatory as possible in our discussions with others about this topic. When we are, many will recognize that there is a Spirit operating in our lives that they do not have. Even if our peers do not have a change of mind, they may realize on a heart level that we are “sons of God” because of our ability to walk in complete contradiction to others – and still genuinely care for them.

Another thing Jesus stated was, “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven,” (Matthew 5:10). Liberal environmentalism is probably accepted more widely than evolutionism. Because of this controversy is unavoidable for those seeking to oppose it. Numerous people are going to treat Christians as insane if they reject the common approaches to this ethical issue. Only an “ultra-conservative” or hard-core “fundamentalist” would even suggest that the environmentalist movement is generally too extreme. So conservatives are going to experience some hostility in this age, but they can know that the coming Kingdom will be much more pleasant.

One may ask, “What are some practical ways to counter the world's ethical views on creation?” Besides seeking to walk in the lifestyle portrayed in the Beatitudes, and in the fruits of God's Spirit required to do so, we must have specific activities we engage in to work toward positive sociocultural change. Dennis Hollinger offered nine models for implementation of our ethics, several of which may be particularly helpful when dealing with the issue of the environment.

One model that should be foundational to our efforts is evangelism. It may be difficult for many people to find any basis of agreement with us on the environment until they are right with the Lord and have a faith in His Word. So sharing about Christ is a given.

Another model that could be used for addressing the environment is for Christian leaders to make prophetic pronouncements about it. A number of men did this with the “Evangelical Declaration on the Care of Creation” in 1994. Unfortunately, the document did not significantly distinguish itself from a liberal political agenda. It could be helpful if a group of prophetic voices released a statement that did so.

Lobbying is another model of influence Christians should take advantage of. There are already many conservative groups seeking to impact our government through this method. If clergymen and Christian influentials would use their platforms to raise up an army of concerned citizens, millions of people could be sending letters to their representatives and calling them. Together we could all show our political officials our disapproval of the huge spending on environmental concerns, and hopefully offer some better solutions as well. As one large voting block the Church could hold a measurable sway on the decisions government makes.

Political groups are also a valid means for advancing our cause. Many Christians tend to avoid association with political groups, either out of fear of appearing too “one-sided” or because they do not want to get too entangled with a fallible institution. Yet if a majority of God's people would all begin supporting one party, and support one another within that party, the institution could be used as a force for good in changing our world. There is strength in numbers.

Hollinger also mentioned the basic approach of utilizing individual impact to make a difference. Schools and businesses frequently look for ways to promote “going green,” especially on the celebration of Earth Day. This is a great opportunity for businessmen and students to make conversation about what the Bible says concerning creation. It would be even more helpful in many situations if God's people were well studied on the historical and scientific evidence against liberal views on the environment.

One other model of influence that Hollinger did not mention is intercessory prayer. Carrying out spiritual warfare is very practical in seeing society changed. This is often an over-looked approach to influence. Because it does not deal with people primarily, but the spirits that impact them, some Christians do not invest their time and energy in this practice as much as they would with more direct methods. However, Zechariah 4:6 warns us that true accomplishment will come, “'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty.” 2 Corinthians 10:4 adds to this, saying “The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.”

It could be very helpful for Christians to hold more prayer vigils with the purpose of coming against the naturalistic, abortionist, and even pantheistic spirits that have gained so much power in the environmentalist movement. (I say “pantheistic” because many people, such as Wiccans, Hindus, and transcendentalists – support environmentalism as part of their religious worship of the Earth). If we can break the authority these demonic principalities have over people then the minds of many will be changed much more easily.

In conclusion, there are several things Christians need to keep in mind when considering how to approach environmental ethics in a biblical way. First, our philosophy on stewarding the earth should not conflict in any way with scriptural creationism. That also means that there should not be limits put on the advancement of our race. Second, we ought to avoid proclaiming that Doomsday is ahead if extreme measures are not taken to address environmental problems. Third, we must pray to always carry the gentle and persevering heart of Christ as displayed in the Beatitudes. Lastly, we should use the above listed models to become proactive in bringing sociocultural change. The environment is an issue that many of our fellow citizens are heavily confused about, and only we can expose the reality.

The Lord reminds us in His sermon, “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men,” (Matthew 5:13). We need to do what we can to make our society tasteful in God's sight, by exalting His values among our peers. This is one of our main purposes for being here.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Davis, Jefferson. Evangelical Ethics. Phillipsburg, New Jersey: Presbyterian and Reformed

Publishing, 2004.

Holy Bible, New International Version.

Hollinger, Dennis P. Choosing the Good: Christian Ethics in a Complex World. Grand Rapids,

Michigan: Baker Academic, 2002.

Horned, Christopher C. The Politically Incorrect Guide to Global Warming and

Environmentalism. Lanham, Maryland: Regnergy Publishing, 2007.

Lomborg, Bjorn. The Skeptical Environmentalist: Measuring the Real State of the World.

Cambridge, United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press, 2001.