Scriptural Ecology

SCRIPTURAL ECOLOGY

Ecology is the study of relationships. Oikos (meaning house - envinroment) and logos (meaning word - study) come together to mean the study of the natural environment. Scriptural ecology is the study of relationships through Scripture, namely the relationship between creation, man, and the Creator.

In God’s Word, there are three states of ecology.

1)             The perfect state of nature in which God created the world (Past)

2)             The cursed state of nature as result from man’s sin (Present)

3)             The perfect new state in which God will create a new heavens and new earth (Future)

Stewardship is responsibility over something that does not belong to you, such a servant’s stewardship of his master’s property. To be a good steward of money results from the belief that the money does not belong to you, but to God who was given it to you, and you must use it wisely. Man does not own this earth. Part of it may be your possession, you may possess it, but you do not retain full power over the forces of nature. Thus, it belongs to God and to be good stewards of this earth, we must live wisely, responsibly, and unselfishly.

Environmental stewardship is taken by some to mean that because we humans affect the environment through our actions, we should take responsibility over the environment. However this statement is not completely true. Animals and plants affect the environment but they are not stewards of it. It is God who created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1) and He that created man to have dominion over it.

And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so. And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

(Genesis 1:26-31 KJV)

Read Genesis 1:26-31. God made man in this state:

1)     In God’s likeness

2)     To have dominion over all creatures on earth

3)     Male and female

4)     Blessed

5)     Mission to

a.     Multiply

b.    Subdue

6)     Herb, tree, seeds, for food

It is God created and fashioned man. God gave man dominion (reign), and commanded man to multiply(increase in number) and subdue (conquer) the earth. This is the perfect state of nature in which God created the heavens and the earth. This is man’s role. As kings over the earth, man is responsible to God and over creation. Man had power over creation.

Read Genesis 3. Man relinquished that power and came under the dominion of sin. Everything changed. Man was now in this state:

1)     In the likeness of sinful flesh. (Gen 5:3 tells us that Adam begot a son in his own image. Man now bears the image of sinful Adam)

2)     Under the dominion of sin, self, Satan, sickness, and the world

3)     Cursed to

a.     Female - Multiply (in sorrow)

b.    Male- Toil and sweat to bring forth food.

c.     Both – die.

How does this effect ecology? The relationship between man and his environment is changed. God doesn’t reverse what he created, but man has changed his relationship to God by creating a barrier of sin and has brought curses down upon the earth.

Finally, the third state in which we Christians are in now, as related to the environment, through Christ:

1)     In the likeness of God and man – Christ was fully God and fully man. We are being transformed into Christ’s image (Ephesians 4)

2)     Dominion (Ephesians 1) over all, including sin, self, Satan, sickness, and the world – in Christ who is our victory

3)     A new man, Christ, (Colossians 3) where there is no race or gender (Galatians 3:28). Though “male and female he created them”, “there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.”

4)     Blessed, victory over the curse

5)     Mission to:

a.     Multiple (preach the gospel of the kingdom to all nations)

b.    Subdue the peoples under Christ!

6)     Christ is our eternal bread of life.

God does not reverse us to the pre-sin state, but Christ exalts us above the curses of sin and disobedience. Christ ended that Adamic curse in our lives.

Christ was fully man, and the Christian (follower of Christ) is not a homo religiouso, but still fully man, but a new man in Christ, fully man and fully God, fully flesh and fully spirit. Thus creation will be united in the cross.

Christ said, “Blessed are the peacemakers”. Eph 2:12-19 tells us that Christ is our peace. He has made peace for us with God the Father. Therefore in Christ we also are restored to that dominion over creation. We must be joined to Christ in the cross, and thus become peacemakers together with Him, bearers of that peace and reconcialiation between man, his Creator, and His creation.

When man sins against creation he sins against the creator. Therefore concerning the study of relationships, in Christ we can have a reconciled relationship to creation. This will be fully evident in the coming Kingdom of Heaven, when creation is reconciled to itself. We will reign again as Kings with Christ the King, over the heavens and the earth. This reign of the Kingdom of heaven will be far above stewardship given to Adam, because we reign as God reigns, in Christ, in total power and glory. The earth shall be filled with the knowledge of God, YHWH, as the waters cover the sea.

The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.

(Isaiah 11:6-9 KJV)

Only the believing obey, only the obedient believe...

Sha’ul emphasizes, “Only the believing can obey”. Yakob emphasizes, “Only the obedient can believe”.  Beyond these two men, centuries of strife, division, and heresy lie. Who is right?

If the Bible is absolute truth, it must have no contradiction (it cannot contradict itself). I believe the Bible is 

absolute truth. What then? Only that it brings out every aspect of truth, because truth is an aspect of God. 

God is truth. The Bible is His Word, and it emphasizes every aspect truth.

Baking soda and vinegar reacts.

Baking soda without vinegar cannot react.

Vinegar without baking soda cannot react.

In Statement 2 and 3 there is a similarity of form, and agreement in fact, but a variation in emphasis. Meaning, statement 2 emphasizes vinegar, that, yes, even if you have baking soda, if will not react without vinegar. Statement 3 emphasizes baking soda, that vinegar without baking soda cannot react.

Faith and works produces righteousness (the state of being right)

Faith without works is dead. (Yakob)

Works without faith is dead. (Sha’ul)

Faith is the state of belief. To have faith is to believe. Works, means obedience to God through action. Works are actions of obedience towards God. Belief in God and ensuing obedience is what Abraham displayed. It 

was accounted to him for righteousness.

See? No contradiction. None at all. Only the obedient believe, and only the believing obey. You cannot believe without obeying, for true belief produces obedience. You cannot obey without believing – true obedience that is pleasing to God and righteous must come from a point of belief. Belief cannot exist without obedience (that would simply be empty words, proffesions merely). Obedience cannot exist without belief 

(that would simply be dead “works”).

To say that faith produces works would be to stretch the reaction time. The truth is, the reaction is almost immediate. What is faith that is not acted on? It is not faith at all but rather empty confession. True confession demonstrates faith through works. Works are what are tangible, that can be seen. Faith is what cannot be seen, or rather must be seen through action.  True works, obedient action, demonstrates faith. When faith and 

works are present in a disciple, in the works faith is seen, in faith work is produced.

Why have faith? The reason God gives us faith in His is to produce obedience. The reason why you put baking soda into vinegar is to produce a reaction. Faith causes, catalyses action. With faith comes action. There is not enough time, when true faith is imputed into a life, to say, “I have faith, but I’m waiting for the reaction.” No, if you have faith it will show up in your works. If you do not have faith, it will not show up.

Bonhoeffer’s Cost of Discipleship – An Excerpt Loosely Reworded in Simple English by Rebekah Mui.

Note: Almost a hundred years ago the martyr and disciple of Jesus, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, wrote this book in German, without even knowing how much it would benefit the church today, and how pertinently and aptly it describes the state of which the church has fallen into. This short excerpt is by no means an accurate translation of his words,  and I may well be guilty of oversimplification of great truths, but I feel that many today simply cannot understand the rich prose in which Bonhoeffer wrote and the difficult words used in English translations. Bonhoeffer was a remarkable genius, who has his doctorate at age 21. Nothing beats reading his original work, but I hope I have done his work a little justice in making it suitable for simple reading. In any case, this rewording has helped me retain the message of the book and consider each sentence and concept carefully. 

"Cheap grace" is the deadly enemy of our church. What we must fight for today is to retain the true value of God's costly grace. 

"Cheap grace" is a lousy discounted stuff sold for several cents at the flea market, (cut-rate, a real steal, practically sold for nothing or given away) which people throw away without thinking and take for granted. (It is a waste, a terrible disastrous waste.) It is simply presumed and assumed that the central meaning of grace is that the account for our sins has been paid for well in advance.

Cheap grace means the blood and body of Christ, the forgiveness of your sins, and the comforts of a "religion" practically thrown away at ridiculously low prices. The church portrays grace as its never-ending resource which she can just give away indiscriminately. "Grace can be had here, cheap!"

Cheap grace means grace held as belief system and generalized assumption by the church. "Everyone can have their sins forgiven freely!" The precious love of God is exploited as a selling point. "God loves you! As long as you believe this and pray a little prayer your sins will be forgiven. Won't you like that?"  In this kind of “Church” the world can find a cheap covering for their sins - no repentance needed, you don't even need to feel sorrow for your sins or fear the wrath of God - you don't even need to really desire to be set free from sin. In the end, cheap grace is DENIAL of the living Word of God and a denial of the Word of God become flesh (Jesus).

Grace is "peddled" cheaply today, as if it were cheap and lousy trinkets sold by the streets, given without thought to people who would not treasure it, appreciate it, or value it, and would most likely end up throwing away (casting away beautiful, genuine pearls and freely feeding it to swine).  We must fight today to retain the precious treasure, the costly grace of God which we can never achieve, buy, nor afford.

Cheap grace is just saying to the sinner "God has justified you - forgiven you - and is alright with your sin" - without emphasizing or even mentioning the face that you need to get right with God! "Grace, grace alone" they say, so that everything can just remain as it was before. "Let the Christian live like the rest of the world, let him model himself on the world's standards in every area of life, and not presumptuously aspire to live a different life under grace from his old life under under sin... (that would be striving,  you see)"

Cheap grace is actually grace which we imagine, conjure up, and give ourselves. Cheap grace says you can be forgiven without even being repentant or the least bit sorry for the wrong you’ve done, you can be baptized into the church without having to submit yourself to church rules, disciplines, etc., you can enjoy communion as a body without the “unnecessary discomfort” of confessing your sins. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship; grace without the cross; grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.

Costly grace is the treasure hidden in the field; a man’ will gladly go and sell all that he has to buy the field. It is the genuine and luxurious pearl worth billions which a trader will sell all his goods to purchase (he would take great pains to care for it, insure it, and guard it, wouldn’t he?). God didn't give us a cheap little free gift.

Costly grace is about the kingly rule of Christ for which man will zealously even pluck out the eye which causes him to stumble!

Costly grace is the call of Jesus Christ at which the disciple leaves his nets and follows him.

We must strive today to maintain the costly value of God's grace and reverence it. It is no common thing to be doled out indiscriminately. It is given to those who ask it.  Costly grace is the gospel which must be sought again and again and again, the gift which must be asked (or begged) for, the door at which a man must keep knocking.

Costly grace is costly because it calls us to follow, and it is grace because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ. It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life. It is costly because it condemns sin, and grace because it justifies the sinner.

Above all, costly grace is is costly because it cost God the life of his Son: “you were bought at a price,” and what has cost God much cannot be cheap for us. Above all, it is grace because God did not reckon his Son too dear a price to pay for our life, but delivered him up for us. Costly grace is the manifestation and incarnation of God!

Costly grace is the holy, set-apart sanctuary of God; it has to be protected from the world, and not thrown to the dogs. Costly grace is the living word, the Word of God, which he speaks as it pleases him. Costly grace confronts us as a gracious call to follow Jesus. Costly comes as a word of forgiveness to the broken spirit and the contrite heart. Grace is costly because it compels and calls a man to submit to the yoke of Christ and follow him; it is grace because Jesus says: “My yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

On two separate occasions Peter received the call, “Follow me.” It was the first and last word Jesus spoke to his disciple (Mark 1.17; John 21.22). A whole life lies between these two calls. The first occasion was by the lake of Gennesareth, when Peter left his nets and his craft and followed Jesus at his word.

The second occasion is when the Risen Lord finds him back again at his old trade. Once again it is by the lake of Gennesareth, and once again the call is: “Follow me.” Between the two calls lay a whole life of discipleship in the following of Christ. Half-way between them comes Peter's confession, when he acknowledged Jesus as the Christ of God....

This grace was certainly not self-bestowed. It was the grace of Christ himself that forced itself upon Peter and caused him leave all and follow Christ. It was the grace of Christ himself that worked in Peter that confession which to the world must sound like the ultimate blasphemy, and it was the grace of Christ himself that now invited Peter to the absolute highest fellowship of martyrdom for the Master he had denied. It was the grace of Christ that consequently forgave him all his sins. In the life of Peter, grace and discipleship cannot be separated. He had received the grace which costs.

As Christianity spread, and the Church became more secularized, the costliness of grace was gradually forgotten. The (Western) world was “Christianized”, and grace became just like any other common object. It was to be had cheaply.

Summary: Grace is not the license to do what we want – it is the power to do what God wills! Grace is not the forgiveness of sins doled out – it is infinitely more powerful and of greater value. Grace doesn’t just leave us as we are but compels us and leads us somewhere. It is easier and quicker to define cheap grace and to “use it”, but it takes the cross plus a lifetime to understand and come into a complete revelation of God’s costly grace. 

Mashiach Comes

In power and in majesty,
in victory and in glory,
in righteousness and in mercy.
He comes, Mashiach comes.

No longer on a donkey,
With His hand to smite iniquity,
Righteous, awesome, holy,
He comes, Mashiach comes.

To judge the world of ungodly,
To proclaim the year of jubilee,
To set the captives free,
He comes, Mashiach comes.

To overthrow the king of Bavel,
To show Himself to Yisrael,
To cast the darkness into hell,
He comes, Mashiach comes.

To proclaim the name of Ha Shem,
To restore to Israel her land,
With mighty power and an outstretched hand,
He comes, Mashiach comes.

To reward the just and merciful,
To split the Mount of Olives in two,
To bring home every scattered Jew,
He comes, Mashiach comes.

The Dead Sea comes alive again,
The resurrection of all men slain,
The wondrous, perfect, blameless reign,
Of Mashiach, He comes.

His people to glorify,
His power to magnify,
His body to sanctify,
He comes, Mashiach comes.

Each eye will behold His coming,
Each mouth will sing His praise,
Each knee will bow before Him,
YHWH, ancient of days.

To turn man's glory into shame,
To save those who call on His name.
The name of YHWH to proclaim,
He comes, Mashiach comes.

His chosen faithful to reward,
The beloved called-out ones of God,
But the wicked will all face His rod,
He comes, Mashiach comes.

After the darkest, bleakest night of wrong,
For those who tarried praying long,
Will rejoice before Him in psalm and song,
He comes, Mashiach comes.

He overthrows the evil beast,
No power of darkness can exist,
The greatest of man will be least,
He comes, Mashiach comes.

To redeem the sons of Abraham,
Jacob - He will defend,
His Holy Spirit He will send
He comes, Mashiach comes,

The hearts of Israel will rend,
According to His eternal plan,
His Kingdom will never end,
He comes, Mashiach comes

His coming cannot be missed,
He will establish His rule of peace,
The blind and lame run to His feast,
He comes, Mashiach comes.

Though our tears once flowed down like a stream
We captives return in joyful dream,
Our hearts overflowing with good theme,
He comes, Mashiach comes.

The goys will all worship Him,
The peoples praise His name,
He will reign - The Anointing King,
No more tears,
No more sighs,
No more pain,
No more lies,
From sea to sea,
Dominion to dominion,
World without end,

Amen.

Maranatha - come, Mashiach come!