I received the following questionnaire in my email today from a friend who’s doing a survey. I was curious to know how you might answer the following questions. You don’t have to answer them all, but leave me a comment if you’re up for it.
- When you think about issues pertaining to the environment, what are the first thoughts that come to your mind?
- As best you can, summarize (in one sentence) the state of creation (the environment) today.
- What would you say poses the most dangerous threat to the health of God’s creation?
- How did you arrive at this answer (via the news, friends, TV, scholarly reading, other)?
- Would you say that humans are facing a current ecological crisis?
- Is it important to take care of the earth?
- If so: List the top 3 reasons as to why it is important. If not: Why not?
- Why do you think God created all that we see (including the oceans, lands, vegetation, animals, people, stars, planets etc)?
- Is neglecting to take care of the earth/environment/creation immoral (sin)? Why or why not?
- Is taking care of the earth primarily a:
- Preservation Issue
- Conservation Issue
- Stewardship Issue
- Submission Issue
- As believers, where will we spend eternity?
- Purgatory
- Heaven
- “Up There”
- Earth
- What’s going to happen to the earth in the end times?
1. global warming, animal extinction, excess pollution, lack of water (I live in Australia and we are in severe drought).
2. it is in a state of entropy.
3. humans who posess an apathetic attitude towards environmental issues, ie. who do not want to do anything about the problems they see around them.
4. a combination of my own thoughts on the subject, schooling, news and research into the topic.
5. i don’t know if it can be exactly termed as a crisis as such, but pretty soon the problems will reach crisis point.
6. yes.
7.
i) Because it is God’s special creation and we should look after it
ii) Because God appointed man and woman as guardian over every living thing in Genesis, and as guardians we have a duty to protect the things we rule over
iii) as Christians we not only fulfill God-given duties, but also have a duty to do the right thing and be an example unto others how to act. If the Christians do not look after the environment, who will?
8. God created it all out of his enormous love for us, and his detail in every thing he has made shows us not only that he loved us enough to provide for us, but he created things to be beautiful, to be magnificent. he didn’t need to create a butterfly with different coloured wings, or a sun that can set in a thousand different ways. his abundant creation goes beyond function and to the creative, beautiful, amazing and majestic.
9. while the bible does not clearly state whether or not taking care of the earth is a sin, it does say to look after the body, which is the temple of the holy spirit. and as the body is connected to the earth – where we get our food from, the state of the earth affects our health etc. when we look after the earth we not only value God’s creation but the human life that needs it to sustain them and let them live. If you feel convicted by the holy spirit when you drop rubbish or extensively pollute something, does that then make it a sin? there is a conviction there to look after the earth.
10. Of those four options, a submission issue.
11. HEAVEN!!
12. i think it becomes ruled over by satan for a while, then Jesus comes back and creates a ‘heaven on earth’ in the glorious end times. i am not too sure of the chronology, my knowledge of revelation is a little scratchy!
1. Air pollution, Forest Preservation
2. The state of creation is not as good as it could be if people cared more about their environment.
3. Man
4. Friends
5. No
6. Yes
7. God entrusted the earth to us, it is his creation, we need to care about what he has entrusted us with.
8. God entrusted the earth to us, it is his creation, we need to care about what he has entrusted us with.
9. Yes it is a sin, God entrusted us with this earth. By not taking care of our earth we are not taking seriously the responsibility God has given to us. We need to be respectful of our God and our creator.
10. Submission Issue
11. Heaven
12. I believe believers will be taken up to heaven before the tribulation but it could be mid-tribulation, I’m not sure. there will be seven years of tribulation.
1. The earth was never meant to last forever.
2. Right where it should be. Don’t fret about the condition just don’t waste anything. Truth be known the 47 million abortions in America since Roe-v-Wade concern me more than a little bad weather killing say 1000 or so people.
3. Abortion and then wasteful usage of earth’s resources.
4. Half a century of experience with some input from the media. When I was 10 years old we could drink water from 95% of all rivers, streams and lakes without filtering or ‘reparing’ the condition of the water.
5. Depends on your perspective. The earth was not designed to last forever.
6. Seems to me the earth is a lot bigger than me so earth should take care of me. Maybe global warming is earths way of saying enough of you humans.
7. If you think you can take care of the earth you need to look again. Do not waste earths resources but this is part of early training not to waste anything anyway. Relax – No earth means only Heaven is left for us.
8. God created the earth as a gift to the Devil
9. No – God never intended earth to last forever anyway.
10. Conservation Issue
11. Earth
12. Heaven or Starbuck
Related Posts:
1. God is in control
2. Man should stop tampering with God’s creation
3. Man
4. Used my brains
5. No
6. Yes
7. To sustain God’s creation
Not to desecrate God’s earth
Not to anger the Lord
8. The Lord knows what is best for us
9. Yes, it is a sin because we are ruining what we did not create
10. Preservation Issue
11. Heaven
12. Heaven and earth will unite
1. God created the earth and everything in it. He made man to be stewards over the earth and all that He made. It is our duty to take care of it.
2. Man is not doing a very good job of taking care of that which God placed in our care.
3. Man.
4. My belief in the Bible, specifically Genesis 1-11.
5. Yes.
6. Yes.
7. First, it is a gift from God. Second, God instructed us to take care of it. Third, we are to obey God.
8. Because he wanted to.
9. It is sin. Sin is disobeying or turning away from God. God told us to take care of it.
10. Stweardship/Submission
11. Heaven
12. It will be destroyed and a new heaven and new earth will be made.
1. God created this earth and has everything concerning it in his hands
2. Repeat my answer to #1
3. Our ignorance and through that we have ANY control over it.
4. God’s Word
5. Only if we dig our hands into it and try to control it.
6. Of course
7. Like our bodies as a temple of the Holy Spirit, God has given us the earth to take care of. It is our temporary home and we need to nurture it for future generations, not control it.
8. For our sakes.
9. I believe it is because anything that goes against what God has created for us is a sin.
10. Submission Issue
11. Heaven
12. Mass chaos, destruction, wars, etc.
Good morning and thanks for the opportunity to think through my belief system.My two sons and I have been discussing these things since Mr Gore and others are asking us to step to the challenge so I will share what I have been sharing with them.
1. God and the Book of Genesis 1:26-31 and 2:13. God made the world and all that is in it. He is ultimately responsible for it and has told us that all is for His glory. But in creating man in His image he gave us the privilege to share in the care of His creation that He called VERY GOOD. In the Gen. 1 passage He gave us our first command: “Be fruitful” (procreation-giving us the sex drive to see that it happened) and “subdue it” (He gave us perfect minds in its capacity to learn but not all knowledge. He said to work at it and discover everything I have put here for you. That will glorify me). It Genesis 2 He told us to take care of the earth. Not because He was leaving on vacation, but because He knew WORK would be good for us and we would get to know and understand His character of faithfulness and loving care for us. We have a wonderful privilege of being workers together with God if we accept His command.
2. It is under judgment because of Adam and Eve’s disobedience. Romans 8:22 says it is “groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present.” We are not be obedient to God’s directive so the earth is suffering also. BUT god has not abandoned it. He is the ultimate care giver. He will not abandon the works of His hands (psalms and Hebrews 13).
3. Man’s lack of belief that God is the Absolute authority and our decision to do what we think is best for us instead of complete obedience.
4 Scripture and my own horrid selfish sinful attitude.
5. We are not using the resources God made available wisely; and we are not using the creative mind He gave us to provide new and
more efficient resources that He has hidden in this wonderful earth He provided for us.
6. Yes, it a direct command of God in Genesis 2:13
7. Obedience, pleasing God, and bringing Glory to His name (His fame)
8. Unselfish Love and a desire to share His Glory and get more glory for Him.
9. Yes. It is direct disobedience to His command. Pride -thinking we know better than God- is one of the seven sins God lists in Proverbs.
10. It is a submission issue.
11.We will spend 1,000 years reigning with Christ on this earth. Then after Christ completely crushes Satan’s army we will live with Him in the new Heaven and earth. Revelation 13-22.
12. When the earth has completed its purpose in Glorifying God, God himself will destroy it. Revelation 21:1
Thanks for the opportunity to think through my belief system again. We are always to be ready to give an answer.
Sincerely,
Kathy
2. Fallen and under the curse of sin.
3. Humanity
4. Study of God’s Word
5. I believe that all things are happening exactly as God has planned.
6. Yes!
7. It is God’s creation. For our own good. To obey God’s commands.
8. Because it was good in His sight.
9. Yes! It’s what we were commanded to do.
10. Stewardship!
11. Heaven
12. Exactly what the Apostle John wrote in Revelations
I believe we are close to time for the Rapture. We are to take care of all God has given us but I also believe those who are left will destroy Earth more than what has already been done. When we return with Christ to rule here on Earth the bible says it will all be new.
1) recycling, ozone & rainforests destroyed, overall waste.. plant a tree 🙂
2) neglected and misused by us yet still glorious and beautiful by the favor of our Lord
3) the damage to the ozone layer (poor air quality)
4) don’t know (all of the above)
5) possibly
6) absolutely yas
7) God left creation for us to “tend,” it is our home, responsibility
8) For His Glory and our pleasure
9) yes-because we are commanded to
10) stewardship
11) Heaven
12) destroyed by fire.
As best you can, summarize (in one sentence) the state of creation (the environment) today.
A: I can summarize it in one word–fallen
What would you say poses the most dangerous threat to the health of God’s creation?
A: Humans. 🙂
How did you arrive at this answer (via the news, friends, TV, scholarly reading, other)?
A: Remembering the flood in Noah’s day. 🙂 LOL.
Your Sister in Christ,
Debbie
http://my-God-rocks.blogspot.com