What seems to be most on people’s minds these days when they think of life on this small planet? It seems to be the Global Warming issue and the huge publicity given to the recent conference in Copenhagen. What’s going on? The earth is heating up (it is said). Life on this earth will be limited if we don’t do something about it. Most scientists (probably) say that for the greater part global warming has arisen from a build up of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere through human activity, producing a ‘greenhouse effect.’ Weather patterns will change; ice sheets will melt; water levels will rise considerably, and so on. Some scientists say it is not human action but solar action, solar winds and the like. Yet on the whole temperatures are rising. Documentaries produced have a ‘doomsday scenario’ feel about them. What is the Biblical/Christian position on this? Where do we start?

1. This world is God’s World (Genesis 1). We start with creation. This world is a result of divine creation. No sort of science can disprove this. We recognise in creation a dazzling order and design and complexity. We have difficulty going in to an Art Gallery and looking at paintings and recognising the work of the artists, nor going in to a museum, seeing the array of machinery and recognising the work of inventers and designers and manufacturers. We just need to look at our eyes and even (through a microscope) the smallest natural organism to recognise complexity and design. But who designed the natural world? The Creator. Admittedly this is a matter of faith. In the letter to the Hebrews we read: “By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible” (11:2). There is nothing unreasonable in this. We recognise that this understanding of nature gives meaning/purpose. You cannot have purpose in this world without a Creator. But of course if there is a Creator this puts man on the back foot: What is your responsibility to Him? What are you doing with your life? Again in Hebrews we read: “without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (11:6). So, this world, in the Christian perspective based upon the Scriptures, is a creation of God. However,

2. This world has been spoilt by man (Genesis 3). Is the creation the same as when it came from the creator? It isn’t perfect now. Things go wrong. Everything was perfect in the beginning. We are told in Genesis that “God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good” (1:31). But now there is death. There are floods and volcanoes. There are monsoons and droughts. Nothing lives any great length of time. How did this come about? In Genesis 3 we are told of the Fall of man into sin and how it affected creation. Man, created perfect, disobeyed God and gave place to sin. That is how death and destruction entered. After sin entered the experience of the first people, Adam and Eve, this is what happened: “Cursed is the ground for your sake; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life…In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for dust you are, and to dust you shall return” (3:17-19). In other words, the sin of man affected the creation too. As Paul writes that: “we know that the whole creation groans and labours with birth pangs together until now” (8:20-21). When we look at what is happening at present with global warming, whether the reasons be ‘natural’ or mainly a result of ‘human activity’ through excessive ‘carbon emissions,’ we see a creation ‘groaning and labouring’ on account of man’s sin. Even his best stewardship of earth’s resources will be tainted by sin. But what is going to happen to this world? Thirdly, we consider that,

3. This world is going to be destroyed (2 Peter 3:10). How is the world going to end? What does the Bible say? In 2 Peter we read this about “the day of the Lord” (which is to be taken as the day of the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ), that it will coincide with the end of human history: “The heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth, and the works that are in it will be burned up.” There is coming a day in which a great burn-up will take place. No doubt natural elements will be involved, but above all it will take place in accordance with the purpose and plan of God. The present order of things will come to a dramatic end. Peter speaks literally here of dissolution by fire. All will be laid bare – in nature and also the products of man’s culture. We get attached to possessions and places and cultural things. These will all burn up. Therefore it doesn’t make sense to be too attached to this world or anything that is in it. The protesters, and no doubt some of the delegates to the Climate Change Summit are looking to ‘save the World.’ The truth is, there is no saving of this world. People should not be careless in the use of earth’s resources, and should contribute to reducing carbon emissions. Yet realism is needed about the effects of sin in the world, and of its inevitable demise and there should be a greater concern for the next world than for this one, which, after all, is “passing away.” A proper reaction to the question of climate change, global warming and the future of this world is: What should I be now in view of the coming destruction of this present evil world?

4. 4.This world and all its inhabitants should turn to God (2 Peter 3:11). Peter puts it straight: “Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons 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 dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?” Answer: people who are holy, godly, and looking for the coming again of Christ which will coincide with the last day of this world. People may protest about climate change induced by human factors; they may agitate for changes in carbon emissions to ‘save the world.’ The truth is, what people need to do is turn to God. The concern for ‘climate change’ is well-meant. It is good that people are concerned about the environment.
   

Whether they will do without comforts and conveniences which are greedy of precious resources; or whether the developing nations will do without development to ‘save the world’ is not at all certain or, one would say, likely. But the most important thing for anyone on this planet is to turn to the Lord. The end of the world is coming! There is only one Saviour in this world, and it isn’t any head of state or any Climate Change Conference, it is Christ, the Coming-again King and the one through whom this world and all its inhabitants will be judged.

John W Keddie