How the full Gospel speaks to a climate change generation

The topic of climate change is continually in the news. No matter what your view on this subject or the politics attached to it, many people are passionate about environmental issues—especially our young people. So how do we communicate the gospel message to this climate change generation?

First, we start with the environmental crisis. The Bible tells us this ecological crisis is human produced. That is, when God created the universe, He established humanity as His representatives to care for the earth (Gen 1:28). While the whole earth belongs to God (Ex 19:5; Ps 24:1-2), He authorised us as stewards and custodians to nurture the land (Gen 2:15). When humanity rejected God’s rulership (in the Fall: Gen 3) all that was under human authority was impacted. This included the earth (Gen 3:17-19). Human greed and sin have distorted God’s good creation. Romans 8 tells us that creation groans and suffers as it eagerly awaits the fulfilment of God’s redemption. In fact, our greed and wasteful lifestyles continues to harm the earth. It requires us to change our lifestyles to one of simplicity and contentedness, rather than greedy consumerism. However, ultimately, we cannot solve the environmental crisis on our own. Yes, humans messed it up. But we can’t fix it by ourselves.

Second, the gospel is good news to all creation. The gospel not only recognises that the environment is in crisis, but it provides the solution. The solution is the salvation found in Jesus Christ alone. However, the Bible makes clear that salvation is not just about our personal relationship with Jesus Christ. While God’s grace certainly does transform individual lives, salvation is also about the redemption of all creation (Rom 8:18-20). All those passages about the trees of the field clapping their hands (Isa 55:12. See also passages like Ezekiel 47:1-12; Rev 22:1-2) describe a creation celebrating God’s work of salvation. God’s salvation includes the world (kosmos) (2 Cor 5:19). It’s the salvation now revealed to us in Greta, Glasgow and God’s New Heaven and Earth: How the full Gospel speaks to a climate change generation By Rev Prof Jacqueline Grey Jesus Christ.

Third, God’s work in the whole world is moving ultimately towards a redeemed future. The confronting message of climate change scientists is that we are headed for destruction. Certainly, the mismanagement of the earth, without God’s intervention, looks to head that way. However, the narrative of the Bible points to a different future. It points to a new creation. Now, this may be a bit controversial, but as I understand it, the “new” (kainon) creation in Revelation 21:1 describes a newness previously unknown. It is not a brand-new creation because the old one was annihilated, neither is it a little renovation of the current creation. It is the current world so transformed that it is almost unrecognisable in its new form. Perhaps it is comparable to the mystery of our resurrected bodies— they are our same bodies that have become so transformed and different they are gloriously “new” (Lk 24:36-49; Jn 20:19-31; Phil 3:21; 1 Jn 3:2). So also, the new creation in Revelation: it is 25 ‘The Gospel Message for a Climate Change Generation’ By Jacqui Grey (pic of landscape – New Zealand?) the same, but not the same. It is Eden totally transformed (Rev 22:1-2). So, our current world is not disposable. In fact, Revelation 11:18 describes a judgement not only of those who reject Christ but also links it to those who “destroy the earth.” Instead, this current world will be transformed into a radically “new” creation.

This gives us great hope for the future, but also cautions us to take care of our planet in the present. The gospel message to the climate generation is to have hope. However, our real hope is not just in a transformed earth, but our hope is in the transforming Creator and Saviour of the world. This is good news and joy for all the world

Rev Prof Jacqueline Grey is the Professor of Biblical Studies at Alphacrucis College.