I will confess a climate change is taking place. But to what kind differs from what is being talked about.
To me, a Christian, the idea of man creating a climate change that will bring about the earth’s destruction is merely a theoretical construct of the unbelieving world that denies the authority of God over His creation and His divine will to bring about the end of it when Christ returns.
The climate change I am concerned about, therefore, is the one regarding the cultural climate change we are now facing where new words, acronyms and phrases heretofore unknown are being used to define how mankind can save this world, as well as create a perfect society. Things like the Green New Deal, woke, cancel culture, LGBTQ, etc., gender dysphoria, critical race theory, and the list goes on.
These are no doubt symptomatic of a climate change that’s taking place globally that affects everyone regardless of their religious, political and economic position. They are forces, it appears, that are attempting to redirect the trajectory of earth, its people, and no less the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
So we might ask, will this climate change, change the world? Will it change humanity, the earth’s longevity or, greater yet, God’s eternal plan for our salvation?
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For Christians, the answer must be no!
Of course, throughout time man has tried to alter the climate of his world through such things. At times, good has come of it such as Dr. Martin Luther King’s work during the civil rights era.
And yet, sinful man remains sinful. He has not changed his spots any more than a leopard can as Scripture reminds us. Nevertheless, men continually try to control their future despite the fact God remains in control of it.
The current cultural climate we are in now, then, is nothing more than another of man’s attempts to create a utopia for himself when Christ has already promised us one in His eternal kingdom. The unbelieving world plainly cannot see the hope in this and so tries, albeit foolishly, to create hope when it has no hope for an eternal future.
That’s why Christ came into the world, to offer mankind hope when there was none. He came with His kingdom as its King and proclaimed that He created and sustains a perfect place for man to live.
And since His kingdom is not of this world it is not subject to any cultural climate changes, nor is it concerned about whether or not man believes he can cause the earth’s destruction.
For this reason, a Christian ought not to worry that the sky is falling as so many believe like Chicken Little who wanted the barnyard animals to believe it. Christians ought not to fall into the trap that men can control the natural world or believe societies can be perfected.
Christians, rather, ought to humbly, faithfully and calmly answer God as Job did when He confronted him with His divine power and authority:
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“Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me. Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements - surely you know! Or stretched out the line upon it? On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone. ... Have you commanded the morning since your days began, and caused the dawn to know its place, that it might take hold of the skirts of the earth, and the wicked be shaken out of it?”
“Then Job answered the Lord and said: ‘I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge? Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things to wonderful for me, which I did not know.’” (ESV Job 38:2-6b, 42:1-3)
If only men would confess their sin and glorify God’s Son Jesus who came to die on His cross for their sin that He might rescue them from the destruction He will bring upon it when He comes again!
For if men did, there would be a true climate change, a change toward the only hope for mankind, which is to be part of Jesus' perfect eternal kingdom that has no end.
God’s blessings!
Leslie Uhrinak is pastor at Mission of the Cross Lutheran Church in Crosslake.
