Does the Planet need Saving?

A few days ago, President Trump withdrew the United States from participation in the Paris Climate accord. Is this good or bad? The answer depends what you think about climate change; what is climate change, what is the cause, what is the cure? During the 1970’s, the fear was global cooling with warnings of a new ice age. When the earth began a period of warming that lasted for a couple of decades, the fear was global warming. Since there has been virtually no warming in the last several years, the terminology was changed to climate change. The accord pledges to not allow the climate to rise more than 1.5 degrees Celsius. In order to do that some countries are asked to reduce overall carbon emissions and wealthier nations are encouraged to mobilize 100 billion dollars to help developing countries make their economies more sustainable and prepare for the storms to come. This assumes that

• The planet is in danger

• Too much carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gasses in the atmosphere are the cause

• Human beings have caused this by using too much fossil fuel

• We can halt or reverse the trend by reducing our use fossil fuel and invest in green energy; wind, solar and other alternative fuel sources

• Invest (spend) money to prepare ourselves for natural disasters; floods, droughts, hurricanes, typhoons, tornadoes, earthquakes, wildfires, volcanoes, etc.

• Thus, the planet is saved.

Will this plan work? Is this a problem that we should even invest in? There are experts that have reach opposing conclusions. Whom should be believe knows the truth? If we could consult the ultimate authority, God, what would He say? It may surprise you that God has spoken through the Bible on these topics:

• Are there too many people on this planet?

• God says to, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth.” Gen 9:1

• In the Jeremiah 29, God says, “Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease.”

• Are we to subdue the earth or are humans just another animal inhabiting the planet?

• Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” (Genesis 1:26) In other words, humans are here to rule over and take care of the planet, not to be subservient to it.

• Who is responsible for the earth?

• The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it (Psalm 24:1)

• The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it (1 Corinthians 10:26)

• Will the planet ever be destroyed?

• In Genesis 8, God reassures us, “I will never again destroy all living things. As long as the earth remains, there will be planting and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night.”

• “Look! The Lord is about to destroy the earth and make it a vast wasteland. He devastates the surface of the earth.” Isaiah 24

• “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared.” Revelation 21.”

• Jesus talks about the end times in Mathew 24: “you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won’t follow immediately. 7 Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world. 8 But all this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come.”

• Should we worry about things that we cannot control?

• “And don’t be concerned about what to eat and what to drink. Don’t worry about such things. 30 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers all over the world, but your Father already knows your needs. 31 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need. (Luke 12:29-31)

• “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4

More to come...