Creation care is integral to the story of God’s redemption and should be integral to our faith, but when is the last time you heard a sermon preached on how Christians should engage with the environment? Us either. There seems to be such a disconnect between being a follower of Jesus and caring for the earth. However, the Bible is pretty clear that they are connected.
So what does creation care have to do with being a Christian? Let’s first look at the relationship between the Creator and Creation.
God Created the Universe
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth… God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.” (Genesis 1:1, 31).
“Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.” (John 1:3)
“You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you.” (Nehemiah 9:6)
Whether you’re a six-day creation literalist or believe God used the process of evolution to create the earth, the Bible is clear that God is the mastermind and architect behind creation. He made it all, and he said that it was good.
God Sustains the Universe
“In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.” (Job 12:10)
“You care for the land and water it; you enrich it abundantly. The streams of God are filled with water to provide the people with grain, for so you have ordained it. You drench its furrows and level its ridges; you soften it with showers and bless its crops. You crown the year with your bounty, and your carts overflow with abundance. The grasslands of the desert overflow; the hills are clothed with gladness. The meadows are covered with flocks and the valleys are mantled with grain; they shout for joy and sing.” (Psalm 65:9-13)
“For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land.” (Psalm 95:3-5)
The Bible clearly expresses God’s continued involvement in His Creation. He didn’t create the universe for it to operate on its own apart from Him. He plays an active role in its continued existence and thriving. He holds it together and sustains it and provides for it.
God Redeems His Creation
“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:13-14)
“The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.” (Romans 8:19-21)
“When you send your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the earth.” (Psalm 104:30)
“He must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets.” (Acts 3:21)
Jesus’ redemption is about more than just our personal salvation, and He came to restore more than humanity. Full redemption encompasses everything He created, including the cosmos we live in. Creation is being redeemed.
Creation Worships its Creator
“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.” (Psalm 19:1-4).
“Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise him in the heights above…Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all you shining stars. Let them praise the name of the Lord, for at his command they were created…Praise the Lord from the earth, you great sea creatures and all ocean depths, lightning and hail, snow and clouds, stormy winds that do his bidding, you mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars, wild animals and all cattle, small creatures and flying birds.” (Psalm 148:1, 3, 5, 7-10)
By its very nature, creation worships its Creator. It responds to His provision and reflects His glory.
Back to our responsibility and privilege to care for creation as an act of worship and obedience. If we, as Christians, believe that God created the world and is in the process of redeeming it, how can we ignore our mandate to participate in that redemption? The vision of “new heavens and a new earth” (Isaiah 65:17) are not for some distant future. They are for now, and they are for us. Our theology of creation care should reflect God’s love for creation and the understanding that we get to partner with Him in redeeming what is broken. The way that we contribute to the flourishing of the earth matters. The way we engage with the environment matters.
You’re going to see a lot of content about the environment on this site, because it’s something we care about and something God cares about. We encourage you to think through what your theology on creation care is and to consider how you can intentionally live your life in ways that promote the redemption of creation.