Yesterday was Earth Day. Earth day is an annual holiday, celebrated on April 22nd. It is set aside each year to increase awareness and demonstrate support for environmental issues. It was first celebrated in 1970 and it brought 20 million Americans out into the spring sunshine for peaceful demonstrations in favor of environmental reform.
Sounds kind of good, or does it?
There is more behind what has been designated as Earth Day than planting trees, reducing pollution, and conserving natural resources. Of course, a lot of what is promoted on this day certainly sounds admirable. Furthermore, Christians are to be good stewards in caring for the earth (Genesis 1:28). But there is a lot more to Earth Day than meets the eye.
For example, material can be found on how to worship “Mother Earth.” For many people, this day is really a religious service for the New Age movement. While we may be responsible for caring for the earth, we are not to worship it. We are to use it for man’s good—and to God’s glory.
Gaylord Nelson, the founder of Earth Day, stated, “The fate of the living planet is the most important issue facing mankind.”
In reality, the most important issue facing mankind is what will happen to them if they die without accepting Christ as their Savior.
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23
Many are worried about the fate of the planet. While we are responsible to care for the earth, its fate is not really in our hands. It belongs to the Creator (Psalm 24:1), and we are His stewards. We care for the creation, which was once “very good” (Genesis 1:31), but now suffers from the curse of sin (Genesis 3).
We live in a cursed world. The once perfect creation is affected by sin. (Romans 8:22). Things you hear about global warming and climate changes, those are all a part of this curse. Yes, there has been some evidence for slight global warming at times. This is a natural occurrence in today’s fallen world. However, it will not lead to the doomsday events that people are predicting. How do I know? 2 Peter 3:7-10 tells us that it is God who will end this present world when He determines it is the right time and He will create a new heavens and earth.
Should Christians care about the earth? Of course! We have a duty given to us by God to be good stewards of the Lord’s resources. (Psalm 24:1, Colossians 3:23) Also, we are commanded in Genesis to care for God’s creation. We are to use it for man’s good and God’s glory. (Genesis 1:26-28)
However, we are also cautioned not to put the creation over the Creator. Romans 1 warns against worshipping the creation, and yet many Earth Day celebrations are founded in evolutionary ideas. We must remember that nature is not perfect. God cursed the ground in Genesis 3:17. Thorns and thistles came into existence because of the curse.
“They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.” Romans 1:25
Earth Day and its founders and proponents are at war with the gospel because they promote false worship. The Christian response should be this simple thought: Jesus Christ is the Creator, and He alone is to be worshipped. He created man as the pinnacle of creation and determined that humans would be the only part of creation to be made in the very image of God, and that man as the image-bearer of God would rule over the earth.
The Bible has a great deal to say about our use of the resources of the world and our relationship to the earth. Of all people, Christians who honor the Creator should have a passion for creation. It is the duty of man to cultivate, wisely manage, and carefully steward the earth because God made it and assigned man to care for it.
Saving the planet will not save man or ensure him a future on this planet. You cannot save the earth. But man can be saved. Salvation is found in Jesus Christ — the Creator! It is this Creator through whom we live and breathe and have our being. (Acts 17:28) It is the very power of His Word that holds the worlds together.
Romans 5:8 "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
Romans 10:13 "For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Romans 10:9-10 "That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."
Some ideas in this post come from Ken Ham and http://www.answersingenesis.org/
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