What should Christians Believe about Climate Change?

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What should Christians believe about global warming or climate change? Should Christians be careful to take care of the earth?

The Bible does not tell Christians what to believe about the contemporary social agenda referred to as “global warming,” or “climate change.” The Bible does assure the believer that God has control of the seasons and that no significant alternation of the yearly cycle will be disrupted by human activity. After Noah survived the worldwide flood recorded in Genesis 6-9, God made a promise that he would never destroy the world again in this way. In Genesis 8:22 he told Noah, “While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest, Cold and heat, Winter and summer, And day and night Shall not cease.” This is God’s promise that the earth will continue to function as He designed it. It does not mean that there cannot be changes in the temperature of the earth up or down over hundreds or thousands of years. History shows clearly that earth’s temperatures have changed. This has not significantly affected humanity’s ability to survive throughout the years as we are clearly still here. Contemporary climate change advocates have suggested that humanity will destroy the earth if something is not done to end climate change. The Bible does not agree with this assessment.

God further promised to Noah in Genesis 9:11, “Thus I establish My covenant with you: Never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood; never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.” This does not mean that the world will not eventually be destroyed. To the contrary, Peter tells us that it will be destroyed by fire. “But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men” (2 Peter 3:7). He further says, “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which 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” (2 Peter 3:10).

The second part of this question is this: Should Christians be careful to take care of the earth? The answer is, “Yes!” We should note that the earth and everything in it belongs to God. “The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell therein” (Psalm 24:1). God intended for humans to inhabit the earth. “For thus says the Lord, Who created the heavens, Who is God, Who formed the earth and made it, Who has established it, Who did not create it in vain, Who formed it to be inhabited: “I am the Lord, and there is no other” (Isaiah 45:18). One of the first tasks that God gave to Adam was to keep and tend the garden (Genesis 2:15). God has given the earth to his creation to provide all the resources that we need to survive. In Acts 14:17, Paul said, “Nevertheless He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.” In Acts 17:26, Paul said, “And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings.” God “… gives us richly all things to enjoy” (1 Timothy 6:17) because He is the greatest giver (James 1:17). He wants us to use all the gifts that He gives us responsibly as good stewards (1 Corinthians 4:2). We should not deliberately destroy what God has given us. This is an unthankful and unappreciative attitude. However, being a good steward doesn’t necessarily mean that we must buy into the “chicken little” hypothesis either.

Finally, God will return all things to himself one day. Will we be ready to give an account for our lives on that day (2 Corinthians 5:10)? One soul is worth more than the whole earth (Matthew 16:26). What have we done to bring a lost soul to God? That is the priority for the Christian, not the preservation of the earth.