CYPRESSWOOD CHURCH OF CHRIST

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November 14, 2010

 

25424 Aldine-Westfield, Spring, TX.  77373

www.blakehart.com/cypresswoodbulletin.htm

 

PRAYER FOR THE FOLLOWING:

God’s will for our congregation                                         Various relatives, friends, and co-workers

 

Peace                                                                                      Our nation, military, and co-workers

 

 

IT‘S A SALVATION ISSUE - 3

 

 

In the early sixties, the Supreme Court issued two rulings; one against school prayer and the second against Bible reading in schools.  There is much more behind these but it was the beginning of the conflict between the sacred and the secular.  Since then, many have questioned the wisdom of these decisions considering the state of public schools today.  That being said, why is there such hostility toward the Judeo-Christian ethic?

 

There are a number of reasons but one that Melanie Phillips brings up is that it is a salvation issue to a number of groups (1).  Timothy Keller makes a similar point and sees it as idolatry (2)  With these in mind, let’s look at some of the issues of salvation that brings anger and hatred toward the Judeo-Christian ethic.

 

The first is that of the radical environmental movement.  What is the salvation issue?  Save the planet.  From what?  They want to save the planet from man made global warming (now climate change), from CO2s, from oil spills, melting glaciers, loss of tropical forests, etc.  Who is causing this evil?  Humanity of course. 

 

How they view humanity is concerning.  Some see humans as a cancer on the planet.  Others have suggested that the “over” population of the planet needs to be reduced.  How this is to be accomplished isn’t clear.  They have sought to ban chemicals that benefit people such as DDT in Africa to cut down on the malaria situation.  They opposed testing on animals, and while much can be done with computers, not everything can be tested that way.  They want to replace oil with corn, known as ethanol, but that is causing the rise in food prices for a product that doesn’t work that well.  Now they want to eliminate coal and oil production, raise electric rates, so that we will be hot in the summer and cold in the winter without thinking about the results of such activity.

 

The environmentalists support abortion.  Both China and India have bought into the idea of “over” population.  A consequence of this is that baby girls are aborted and now both nations have more boys than girls.  We have not seen the results of this but one extreme idea is that of war to conquer people for mates.  European nations have also bought into this idea and limited families to below replacement levels.  As such, the Europe we are familiar with today might not exist by the end of this century.  So radical are the ideas that I heard a woman make a passing comment in a discussion that she was not going to contribute to over population by having a child. 

 

What has this to do with the Judeo-Christian ethic?  In Genesis 1:26-30, we are told that we are made in God’s image, that we are to “Be fruitful and increase…fill the earth and subdue it.”  This just doesn’t sit well with environmentalists.  All the greed and destruction of the earth are often blamed on the Judeo-Christian ethic because, it is stated, that we are not concerned with the earth but with heaven.  Some Christian groups have suggested this as well.  Private ownership is attack for this reason.  While there might be some truth in this, as Christians we see the value of creation and the importance of wisely using it to God’s glory and humankind’s benefit. 

 

Our pro-life position conflicts with the environmental movement.  We see all human life as valuable, created in God’s image.  We see humankind as above the animals, not equal to or below animals.  Yet one well known phrase from the president of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) states that a rat is a pig is a dog is a boy.  They equate animals and humans and seek equal rights, the right to sue, etc. for animals, and some go so far as to suggest plants.   We see in Isaiah 45:7 that the earth was formed to be inhabited. 

 

This has caused the rejection of the Judeo-Christian ethic.  In its place has come the worship of the earth.  Some see the earth as a living thing that hurts when it is harmed.  Animism is seen in primitive cultures where everything has a god or spirit, and they must be pacified in some way.  The environmental movement is headed in this direction.  Feelings and pain are often spoken about in the context of trees and planets.  They see natural events such as hurricanes and earthquakes as the earth being angry at being mistreated and believe that if we would treat it better, then these things would lessen.  Likewise, they believe that they can “control” creation.  They refuse to believe that it is God who rules creation.  The one who controls the seas is the one who rules; and that is God.  They worship the creation rather than the Creator as Paul states in Romans 1:18-31.  Isaiah 42-48 mocks the idea of idolatry when people chop down a tree, use half as a fire and make a god out of the other part saying that it saved them.

 

We see salvation as that of saving humans from sin in Christ.  Then we follow God and begin to understand how to properly view creation.  Paul teaches us that the creation eagerly awaits salvation as well with the coming of the Lord (Romans 8:18-25).  We believe in the responsible use of the planet to God’s glory and the benefit of humankind.  While we all look forward to the return to Eden, that will not occur until the Lord returns.

 

                                                                                                                                George B. Mearns

 

 

(1) Melanie Phillips, The World Turned Upside Down, Encounter Books, 2010.

(2) See his books, The Reason For God and Counterfeit Gods both published by Dutton.