by Al Shaw

Created on: July 02, 2007   Last Updated: December 07, 2009

They seem mutually exclusive because of a faulty theological system embraced by many Christians.

This system of belief emphasizes certain Biblical truths at the expense of others. In particular, many Christians have an inadequate understanding of the Biblical doctrine of Creation.

Sadly, this vital body of truth is often missed because of debates about the detail of the first chapter of Genesis. Important though these debates may be, the fact is that if we miss the big principles in Genesis at the expense of arguing about how long a "day" was, then we have (literally) missed the wood for the trees.

A Biblical understanding of creation would emphasize the following truths:

1. The universe was created out of nothing by God, with design, order and mystery at its heart.

2. The creation reveals God's glory while remaining separate from him. God is "other" than his creation.

3. Men and women are the pinnacle of God's creation - uniquely made in God's image.

4. The creation mandate given to mankind includes marriage, reproduction, work, rule over creation and stewardship of it. Even at a most basic level, this must mean that mankind has the capacity to both harm and enrich the earth. Our actions do count.

5. Sin has entered the world, resulting in God's cursing of men and women and also of the earth itself.

6. The promise exists of a new heaven and new earth at the end of the age. Salvation, in this sense, is cosmic in its scope and affect.

Putting these truths together, we can see that Christians find themselves living in the time frame between the cursing of the current earth and the re-creation of the one to come. Some have mistakenly seen this, therefore as indicating that they have no duty at all towards the present earth. This, of course, misses the point.

The creation principles established in the beginning remain in place, despite the entry of sin into the world. No Christian, for instance, would argue that marriage and child-rearing are no longer appropriate for those who have received salvation through Christ. The same is true for our mandate to steward and tend for the earth.

It is a tragedy when those who understand the true nature of creation allow the agenda for environmental concern to be dominated by those without that perspective.

Christian believers need to be at the forefront of efforts to care for the planet - through local and individual lifestyle choices, through encouraging sustainability, through political action at local, national and inter-governmental levels and through developing technologies that work for not against the good of the planet.

Salvation has not removed these obligations but enriches and informs them.

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