The Green New Deal – How Christians Should Care for the Environment

This week Sandy and Elisabeth discuss the now defunct Green New Deal, it's importance to National politics, to the next generation and to God. And they dive deep into what it looks like to interact with the Earth in a Biblical way.

GENESIS 1:26; 28 Then God said, "Let us make man in our image and after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over everything that creeps over the Earth"....and God blessed them and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the Earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the Earth."

God tells us twice within three verses to have dominion. This repetition commands attention and emphasizes the importance. Aaron Armstrong from the Gospel Project put it very well: As God's image bearers in Creation, we were intended to act as His representatives. We were designed, in a very real way, to show the world what God is like. So when God gave us the command to rule over the earth, the expectation was to do so in a way that reflected His character.

We were created to care for God's creation and we were commanded to do so. But if we refuse, and we do the opposite, will we kill the planet? The short answer is No. The long answer is that God designed all of His creation with a perfect balance. If we push that relationship out of balance then God's creation will no longer supply what we need to survive and the people will be scattered. We can see many examples of this in the Bible itself. From natural disasters such as the Great Flood to the direct hand of God in the Tower of Babel. And we can see more recent examples in the fall of the Mayan empire and the subsequent reclaiming of the land by nature.

The point: As Christians, we know how the story ends. We aren't going to surprise God by ending things before His plan is ready to be executed. He is infinitely patient and His timing is perfect. He will not be rushed. He will not be scrambling. But if we do not follow His commands, we will be waiting, we will suffer and we will be scattered. Just ask the Israelites.

2 PETER 3:8 But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years is as one day.

So why does the Green New Deal matter to Christians? The short answer is because people matter to Christians. And while the Green New Deal is extreme and misguided in some areas and completely unattainable in others, the heart of the document is trying to save people in the only way the world knows how.

As Christians, we should care about the earth because it was our first commission. And there are some really easy ways that we can help our environment that will make very little impact to our daily lives.

Check out the full episode for lots of fun and easy ways that you can follow God's command to care for the earth and be a witness to those around us by honoring God's creation.

PROVERBS 31:8-9 Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.PSALM 140:12 I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and will execute justice for the needy. PROVERBS 22:2 The rich and the poor meet together; the Lord is the maker of them all.
CONNECT WITH US AFTER THE SHOW:

Questions, Show ideas, Want to be a Guest or Sponsor an episode? Connect with us:

Facebook: @coffeeandjesuspodcast

Twitter: @CoffeeYall

Instagram: YallNeedCoffeeandJesus

Email: [email protected]

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.