God’s involvement in creations is shown in all aspects of the creation in the Bible. With each aspect of creation, God expressed pleasure in what He created. God’s pleasure in his creation reveals the need for Christians to care for the environment. God shows man’s mandate given by God for creation in Genesis 2: 19-20. Since God gave the mandate to rule over the earth, man is also responsible for the environment. Global warming has affected the planet which is and has caused a climate change on earth. Natural disasters have increased due to the climate change. Christian’s responsibility for creation is to restore its landscape, agriculture, animal life, and human livelihood. Christians have a responsibility to preserve creation by recycling, proper disposal of hazardous waste, and create protection agencies for wild life. Christians have a responsibility to take care of creation, restore, preserve, and protect creation in all aspects which God has commanded man to do.
God’s involvement in creation is understood for Christians in the Bible starting at Genesis 1. The Bible shows at the beginning God’s hand is expressed in all aspects of creation. The first day of creation God made space, time, earth, and light. On the second day, God created the atmosphere of the earth which then making it possible for life on earth. The third day, God made dry land and called it “earth.” God names the water “sea.” God also created the vegetation, plants that produced seeds for reproduction, fruit with seeds in the fruit, and trees. The fourth day, God created the Sun, moon, and stars. The purpose was to be able to tell signs, seasons, days and years. The fifth day, God created the Sea and flying animals on earth also including dinosaurs. The Sixth day, God created the all forms of land animals and man. God created man in His own image and man’s responsibility was to rule over all the earth as a representative of God. God also created woman on the sixth day. With each aspect of creation, God expressed pleasure in all that He created. In the Bible, God after each day expressed that was good in His sight. God created man in His image and making man a representative over God’s creations shows us His pleasure over His creation. In Genesis 1:31 says, “God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.” In this verse, the Bible shows God looking back on creation and again expressed His pleasure over creation. God’s pleasure in His creation reveals the need for Christians to care for the environment. God made man in God’s image and Christians should view the environment as God sees it. God gave man the responsibility over the earth which includes the environment. God’s mandate given to man was a command. God gave the mandate to rule over the earth; which means, man is also responsible for the environment. Adam names every animal of creation and cared for the animals, which is shown in Genesis 2. God also commanded Adam to take care of the garden which shows that man should be involved on taking care of the agriculture of the earth according to Genesis 2:15. Global warming has been a big concern to people that want to take care of the environment. With oil, coal, and natural gas being used today, it is causing a climate change and making the earth warmer. The EPA says, “However, the buildup of greenhouse gases can change the Earth's climate resulting in dangerous effects to human health and welfare and to ecosystems.”Cutting down of forest has a major part in global warming. Forest plants reduce carbon dioxide and releases oxygen during photosynthesis which helps keeps the earth at a normal temperature. Climate change will affect all aspects of life on earth. Without proper living environments for animals, animals will not be able to survive. Climate change will increase the droughts on earth which will also create food shortages. Natural disasters will increase due to the higher temperatures. Tornados and hurricanes are getting stronger over the years due to the increase of heat in the atmosphere. Through the increase of global warming, man needs to find ways to reduce the progression of global warming and even try to restore creation.
Christians have a responsibility for restoring creation because God has called man to look out for His creation. Man can restore landscape and agriculture with soil, trees, plants, and water. First, Soil can be restored through proper mineral and nutrition within the soil by planting plants which can regenerate the soil over time. Secondly, by restoring trees and forestry will help the ecosystem. Michael Pilarski writes, “The forests are the world's humidifiers, lungs, oxygen producers, soil producers, biomass producers and carbon cyclers.”Trees and forest will be able to restore creation and preserve life on earth. Thirdly, plants are a big part in the ecosystem for the minerals and nutrition it will give to the soil and nearby trees. It is also important for animal life which some animal need to eat plants to survive. Lastly, water is a major part in restoring landscape life. Wild life needs to water to survive for trees, plant, and animals. Christians not only have a responsibility on restoring landscapes and agriculture, but also animal life as well. Protecting and restoring the ecosystem will be able to give habitats for animals to survive. Man can also defend and strengthen endangered species by building up the species through preserving the endangered species way of life. Humans can also look at possible threats on wild life which can affect the animals which live in the area. By restoring landscape and animal life will restore human livelihood with proper food, safe water, shelter, and medicine. A proper nutritional diet comes from fruits, vegetables, and meat from animals. Humans need these foods to survive. With safe water humans will not get ill from contaminated water. Rebecca L. Goldman writes, “Some examples of ecosystem services are water purification, water retention, soil fertility, carbon sequestration, and coastal protection, among many others.” People also need shelter to live. This comes from trees and different plants. Medicine restores life for people, which medicine comes from many different types of plants. Christians also have a responsibility for preserving creation. Recycling of Metal, plastics, paper, cardboard, and glass can make a huge impact on the environment. Glass for example, according to WWF, “Glass produced from recycled glass reduces related air pollution by 20% and related water pollution by 50%.”Food scraps and grass can be made into ground mulch. Recycling water can be used in many different ways like toilet water. Christians can also preserve creation by proper disposal of hazardous waste. Toxic chemicals can do much damage to the soil and create many other problems if not disposed properly. Proper use of Petroleum is another important aspect on preserving creation. Petroleum if not handled correcting can cause toxicity, acid rain, and oil spills which will kill many aspects of the ecosystem. Medical waste is very important to dispose correctly. Not only does it protect people from trying to reuse medical waste, but also helps the environment. OHCHR writes, “Incineration of medical waste at low temperatures releases toxic emissions which may contain heavy metals and dioxins. The residual ash also may contaminate food, and sources of drinking water.”Not only of recycling and proper disposal will help preserve creation, but even protection agencies for wild life. They have many agencies which help protect animal from becoming extinct like ASPCA, World Animal Protection, THL, MFA, ACE, and FAPC. Zoos can also protect will animals by giving them a way to survive. Wild life preserves are another area we can protect animal life. Many laws in legislation have been passed to also protect animals from harm being done to them from people. God’s hand is involved in creation from the beginning in all aspects of creation. With each aspect of create, God expressed His pleasure in what He created. God’s pleasure in His creation reveals the need for Christians to care for the environment. God shows man’s mandate given by God for creation. Since God gave the mandate to rule over the earth, man is also responsible for the environment. Global warming has affected the planet which is and has causing a climate change on earth. Natural disasters have increased due to the climate change. Christian’s responsibility for creation is to restore its landscape, agriculture, animal life, and human livelihood. Christians have a responsibility to preserve creation by recycling, proper disposal of hazardous waste, and establishing protection agencies for wild life. Christians have a responsibility to take care of creation, restore, preserve, and protect creation in all aspects which God has commanded man to do.
Bibliography
Climate Change: Basic information. http://www3.epa.gov/climatechange/basics/
Goldman, L. Rebecca, Ecosystem Services: How People Benefit from Nature. Philadelphia,
Francis Group, 2015. http://www.environmentmagazine.org/Archives/Back%20Issues/September-October%202010/ecosystem-services-full.html
MacArthur, John. The MacArthur Study Bible. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2006. 17.
Medical waste – a health risk for many. http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/MedicalWaste.aspx
Pilarski, Michael, Restoration Forestry. http://www.rainforestinfo.org.au/good_wood/rest_for.htm Recycling Glass – How it helps environment. http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/teacher_resources/project_ideas/recycling_glass/
Christians and the Environment I. Introduction A. God’s involvement in creation 1. Bible begins with God’s hand expressed in all aspects of creation 2. With each aspect of creation God expressed pleasure 3. God’s pleasure in his creation reveals the need for Christians to care for the environment B. God’s mandate given to man 1. Since God gave the mandate to rule over the earth, man is also responsible for the environment 2. Global warming 3. Climate change will affect the planet 4. Natural disasters increase C. Christians responsibility for restoring creation 1. Restoring landscape and agriculture 2. Restoring animal life 3. Restoring human livelihood D. Christian responsibility for preserving creation 1. Recycling 2. Proper disposal of hazardous waste 3. Protection agencies for wild life II. God’s involvement in creation A. Bible begins with God’s hand expressed in all aspects of creation 1. Earth, space, time, and light 2. Atmosphere 3. Dry land and plants 4. Sun, moon, and stars 5. Sea and flying creatures 6. Land animals and man B. With each aspect of creation God expressed pleasure 1. After each day God expressed that it was good 2. God created man in His image 3. God looked at all He had made and again expressed His pleasure C. God’s pleasure in his creation reveals the need for Christians to care for the environment 1. Man is made in God’s image 2. Christians should view the environment as God sees it 3. God gave man the responsibility over the earth which includes the environment III. God’s mandate given to man A. God gave man the mandate over the earth; man is responsible for the environment. 1. Name animals and care for animals 2. Take care of the garden (agriculture) B. Global warming 1. Oil, coal, and natural gas 2. Cutting down of forest C. Climate change will affect the planet 1. Animal can’t survive 2. Food shortage D. Natural Disasters increase 1. Tornados 2. Hurricanes IV. Christians responsibility for restoring creation A. Restoring landscape and agriculture 1. Soil 2. Trees 3. Plants 4. Water B. Restoring animal life 1. Protecting and restoring the ecosystems 2. Defend and strengthen endangered species 3. Reducing threats on wild life C. Restoring human livelihood 1. Food 2. Safe water 3. Shelter 4. Medicine V. Christians responsibility for preserving creation A. Recycling 1. Metal, plastics, paper, cardboard, and glass 2. Food scraps and grass made into ground mulch 3. Water B. Proper disposal of hazardous waste 1. Toxic chemicals 2. Petroleum 3. Medical supplies C. Protection agencies for wild life 1. ASPCA, World animal protection, THL, MFA, ACE, and FAPC 2. Zoos 3. Wild life preserves 4. Legislation VI. Conclusion A. God’s involvement in creation 1. Bible begins with God’s hand expressed in all aspects of creation 2. With each aspect of creation God expressed pleasure 3. God’s pleasure in his creation reveals the need for Christians to care for the environment B. God’s mandate given to man 1. God gave man the mandate over the earth; man is responsible for the environment. 2. Global warming 3. Climate change will affect the planet 4. Natural disasters increase C. Christians responsibility for restoring creation 1. Restoring landscape and agriculture 2. Restoring animal life 3. Restoring human livelihood D. Christian responsibility for preserving creation 1. Recycling 2. Proper disposal of hazardous waste 3. Protection agencies for wild life
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[ 1 ]. 1. MacArthur, John. The MacArthur Study Bible. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2006. 17.
[ 2 ]. 2. Climate Change: Basic information. http://www3.epa.gov/climatechange/basics/
[ 3 ]. 3. Pilarski, Michael, Restoration Forestry. http://www.rainforestinfo.org.au/good_wood/rest_for.htm
[ 4 ]. 4. Goldman, L. Rebecca, Ecosystem Services: How People Benefit from Nature. http://www.environmentmagazine.org/Archives/Back%20Issues/September-October%202010/ecosystem-services-full.html
[ 5 ]. 5. Recycling Glass – How it helps environment. http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/teacher_resources/project_ideas/recycling_glass/
[ 6 ]. 6. Medical waste – a health risk for many. http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/MedicalWaste.aspx
