In an amazing show of unity this week (sorely missed in the Brexit debates!) the House of Commons agreed to take action on measures to deal with climate change. The subject was raised by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who said that the world faces an unprecedented crisis due to the amount of carbon emissions that are warming the planet and will create apocalyptic damage.
He said, “Are we content to hand down a broken planet to our children? That is the question members must ask themselves today. We have the chance to act before it’s too late. It’s a chance that won’t be available to succeeding generations. It is our historic duty to take it.”
Responding for the Government, Environment Secretary Michael Gove accepted that the world is facing an emergency and called for a consensual, cross-party approach so that the UK can take the lead on climate action - which he believed other countries will follow. Both Corbyn and Gove were among a number of MPs who recently met the teenage Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, who has been touring European capitals spreading her message calling for action to limit carbon pollution of the atmosphere.
The Parliamentary debate follows weeks of direct action by protesters, including strikes by schoolchildren and action that created chaos in busy central London streets. On one day, demonstrators occupied five strategic bridges in London: Southwark, Blackfriars, Waterloo, Westminster and Lambeth. On some bridges protesters glued themselves to the road before being removed and arrested by the police.
Fiery Judgment Foretold
So, what should Christians do? Do we take the sceptical view of Donald Trump and many others who dismiss the science as a lot of nonsense? Is the world really warming up? Is the polar ice melting that will raise sea levels so that low-lying islands will disappear? Is the planet really threatened with extinction in the lifetime of our grandchildren – and is it all our fault?
I am not a climatologist and I have not studied the scientific evidence, but I do know what the Bible says. Biblical evidence is quite clear that the planet will be destroyed by fire. This is what the Apostle Peter said: “The present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgement and destruction of ungodly men” (2 Pet 3:7).
Biblical evidence is quite clear that the planet will be destroyed by fire.
Peter elaborated this, saying, “The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare” (2 Pet 3:10).
But Peter was not warning about human beings polluting the atmosphere; neither was he foreseeing the development of industrialisation and urbanisation, with dense traffic clogging city streets and pouring carbon dioxide into the lungs of pedestrians.
What he was prophesying is human beings rebelling against the teaching of God and polluting the moral and spiritual life of the nations – incurring God’s fiery judgment as a result.
Heeding the Warnings
Peter was not the first to give these warnings. As far back as the 8th Century BC, the Prophet Isaiah issued a warning to all nations: “Let the earth hear, and all that is in it, the world, and all that comes out of it! The Lord is angry with all nations” (Isa 34:1-2).
Isaiah was protesting against the level of violence and war among the nations that was polluting the land with blood. He said that God was going to bring judgment upon them that would affect the whole of Creation: “All the stars of the heavens will be dissolved and the sky rolled up like a scroll; all the starry host will fall like withered leaves from the vine, like shrivelled figs from the fig tree” (Isa 34:4).
Jesus also said some pretty strong things about a time he foresaw when “There will be great distress, unequalled from the beginning of the world until now – and never to be equalled again” (Matt 24:21). Jesus spoke about his own Second Coming, when “the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light” (Matt 24:29). He said it will be a time of judgment: “All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people, one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats” (Matt 25:32).
Peter prophesied about human beings polluting the moral and spiritual life of the nations and incurring God’s fiery judgment.
Are we to conclude from these and many other biblical statements that judgment by fire upon the world is inevitable, and that the protesters are therefore wasting their time in trying to prevent it happening? Rightly understood, most biblical prophecies are warnings from God of what undoubtedly will happen - unless the warnings are heeded by human beings.
But God is not looking for us changing our petrol and diesel cars for electric vehicles and changing coal-produced electricity for green energy, although these may be good and necessary outward measures. God is looking for repentance and change in human behaviour!
Crossing a Line
Britain and most of the Western nations are already under mild forms of judgment because of the moral and spiritual corruption that has spread among their populations.
In Britain we crossed a red line when we said that homosexual relationships were equal to the marriage of a man and woman, as established by God in his act of creating human beings in his own image. David Cameron as Prime Minister very swiftly lost his political career after this change was enshrined in law, and Theresa May (who was Home Secretary and responsible for driving the Bill through Parliament) has been under judgment since that day, so that she is unable to achieve anything. Between them, Cameron and May have brought judgment on the Conservative Party, as demonstrated in the local Council election results this week - and the Tories may be wiped out in the European elections later this month.
When will our politicians understand that you cannot defy the word of God without bringing judgment upon both individuals and the nation? But the Bible is not simply referring to sexual aberrations. The sinful actions of human beings also include greed, injustice, exploitation, lies, deception and many other distortions of the truth that are detestable in God’s eyes. The consequences of sin are inevitable and collective sin brings judgment upon whole nations. At present we are under mild judgment, but much more intense judgment lies ahead if there is no change.
God is not looking for us changing our petrol and diesel cars for electric vehicles - God is looking for repentance and change in human behaviour!
Fighting the Right Battle
The climate change protesters need to understand that they are fighting the wrong battle! Of course, we should not pollute the atmosphere and discard plastic into the sea and destroy the rainforests. But first, we should be repenting of our sinful behaviour, encouraging others likewise and together seeking a change of mindset – the renewing of our minds (Rom 12:2).
It is only changed human beings who will change their behaviour, bringing it into line with the righteous ways of God. Then the pollution of the atmosphere, along with all other forms of pollution, will disappear – bringing love, joy, peace and prosperity to all nations, which is the will of God for his people.
