Earth's Day Or the Lord's Day
Jay Horsley
Sunday, April 22, 2001 is Earth Day. To celebrate this, the National Council of Churches has provided for all who are interested an “Earth Day Liturgy” (liturgy being a form or script for public worship). After short readings about the goodness of God in creation, at the appropriate times, the congregation is to make the following responses:
Why the need for this? Because these people really feel that mankind is destroying the earth. A part of the “Confession” section of this service has the worship leader pray, “You have created a fragile world in a perfect and delicate balance. Thinking too much of our own importance we have upset the balance.” This is much more confessing God's weakness in creation than anything else. I am assured by both the scripture and experience that God created a pretty hardy planet. These folks are not so convinced.
Such a view warps beyond all logic not only the nature of creation and the power of the Creator, but also the work of the church. The “Background” section explains the rational behind the whole Earth Day service in this way: “God has called human beings to the tasks of restoring and protecting creation--maintaining the delicate balances of God's world...The church is called to participate in God's transformation of creation. Congregations and individuals have found ways they can address the challenges of climate change including: turning off lights and appliances to reduce their use of electricity and energy, choosing public transportation instead of single occupancy vehicles, and sharing their concerns about the environment with their neighbors, leaders of industries and their legislators.” There is it is, make no mistake about it, it's God's will that you turn out the lights, don't use your air conditioner or appliances too much, that you car-pool, and you take up a leftist political agenda. You've been reading your Bible all these years and you didn't know all that did you? Yep, we've been missing the boat with all this talk about personal sin and eternal salvation or damnation. What we're really needed all these years is more ecology and politics so that we can make life on earth heaven instead of hell.
You know, a view like this could even effect our view of worship. In fact in some places it already has. Consider this first hand account by Andy Kjos, recorded in “Earth Day Joins Easter:”
The congregation responded to this pagan ritual with a standing ovation. Earlier in the program, a young woman minister had danced her interpretation of the Creation story. Throughout the graceful performance, a voice narrated the creative acts of a female deity. At one point, “she” gave birth to earthly life -- here the dancer crouched on stage and "birthed" an inflated globe.
Nature worship in the church? A Mother Goddess in Place of God our Father? Could this be happening in a supposedly conservative Presbyterian church? Grieved, I thought about the spreading delusion prophesied in the Bible, when lawlessness would soar and people would reject sound doctrine and follow teachers who tickle their ears (2 Timothy 4:3-4). Might this be such a time?
Well now Mr. Kjos has ruined it for me. He has reintroduced scripture and logic to the question. I was getting all touchy and feely and was about to pass the glass recycling containers around instead of the collection plate, but now I'm forced to reason again. So if I must reason, let me do it from the scriptures.
Consider the following facts: 1.) God made the earth and it was good (Gen. 1:26). Aside from declaring the glory and power of God, the earth is also the suitable home for man. 2.) The end of the earth will not come from too many carbon dioxides, or the build up of pesticides, or global warming, or CFC's, or ice caps melting, or ozone holes, etc. The end of the world will be when God destroys it with fire. “But the present heavens and earth by His word are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.” (2 Pet. 3:7)
To think that too much air conditioning, not enough car pooling, or not recycling will destroy the earth is threefold folly.
1.) It places to much importance on the activity of man. We couldn't destroy the earth if every creature on earth used all their resources to do it.
2.) It shows a lack of faith in God to provide. “And God blessed them; and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” (Gen. 1:28) If we are going about doing this as God said, will we be blessed or cursed? Will the earth and our life on it be better or worse? I say blessed, they say cursed.
3.) It is a misplaced apprehension of what is really important. Consider again the words of Peter, based on the God foretold end of the world, “Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, on account of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat?” (1 Pet. 2:11,12)
Thus let us worship God and study His words to do His will this LORD'S DAY, April 22, 2001. If we live righteously we don't have to worry about the earth or anything else. But if we are in sin, all the car-pooling, recycling, conservation, politicking and toxic waste cleanup we do won't help us at all.