Indeed, Christians, those who believe the Bible is the inspired revelation from the Creator, have good reason to feel safe and secure in the hands of a benevolent, sovereign Creator who is executing a metanarrative that will be completed according to his timetable. This includes preserving the universe until the end of time.
But this does not mean that mankind can be careless and irresponsible in stewarding God’s creation. Just the opposite, Christians should be the best stewards of creation and should respond to questions of climate pollution wisely, not in fear but in faith, trusting in God to guide them into wise choices.
Living in faith and truth is a challenge for every Christian. Fallen mankind is prone to deception. For example, since the fall of mankind in the garden, the proclivity for man has been (and continues to be) to presume the potency to self-save. Immediately after Adam and Eve sinned, they were convicted with shame about their unworthy condition before God and sought to remedy their condition by making garments of fig leaves. This proved ineffective. Nevertheless, as their heirs, humans default to the same deranged thinking, that is, trying to make ourselves acceptable to God by our own works.
Consider the apostle Paul’s encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus. Paul (called Saul at the time) thought he was making himself acceptable to God by doing great things for God. His understanding was that persecuting Christians was part of these great works. Near the end of his life, he reflected on his perspective as a young man before he encountered the truth about Jesus. In a letter to the Philippians, he wrote that he was “a Hebrew of the Hebrews” (Philippians 3:5). Nevertheless, he was deceived. His works, which were attempts to self-save, were inadequate. But by the grace of God, Jesus intercepted Paul in his deranged state. This was the grace of God, not a human work. Paul’s conversion to Christianity provides insight into how God extends mercy to humans by disrupting their deranged thinking. Consider the following lessons that can be gleaned from the apostle Paul’s conversion to Christianity.[3]
First, left to ourselves, each of us will default to deranged thinking. This was true of Paul. Paul was not seeking Jesus nor did he choose Jesus. Jesus chose him. The conversion event was described as a bright light from heaven that blinded Paul and his traveling companions, causing them to fall to the ground. Paul instinctively knew he was in the presence of the Lord and responded by crying out, asking for the Lord to identify himself. Jesus said, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting.” Then Jesus asked, “Why are you persecuting me?” By persecuting Jesus’ followers, Paul was persecuting Jesus. The added comment simply emphasized the obvious; Paul’s persecution of Christians, which seemed so successful, was, in the end, futile. So, it is with deranged thinking.
Second, for each disciple of Jesus there is a divinely defined work assignment. After Paul was led into Damascus, Ananias was sent to help him understand his divinely assigned commission. Jesus commissioned Paul to be his servant by helping the Jews and Gentiles turn from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light. In other words, to help them move from deranged thinking to sound thinking.
Third, salvation includes future protection and provision in this life to fulfill God’s purpose. Paul was promised protection from enemies so that he could fulfill his commission. And there was a future promise for the next life that included forgiveness of sin and an inheritance with the saints (those sanctified by God through faith). Deranged thinking fails to recognize that God will fulfill his purpose, which includes providing a safe context for his people.
All Christians are like Paul. In the process of conversion, Jesus intercepts them, and they are transformed to serve God’s sovereign pleasure and purpose. Furthermore, all are given a divine commission. The Lord uses our lives to help open the eyes of others, turning them from darkness to light—from deranged thinking to sound thinking.[4] This is accomplished best through a holistic lifestyle of obedience to God, which means that Jesus is Lord of everything—every realm of authority. And when our journey on earth is over, we will have an inheritance in the next existence. All of this will happen. Therefore, the world will not collapse due to climate change.
The deranged thinking of fallen mankind makes us vulnerable to deception. Issues, such as climate change, can easily engender fear in people, driving them to foolish thinking and acting. And foolish acting can be economically costly because sin always exacts a heavy toll.
God’s people are not called to fear but to faith—faith in God and his benevolent, provident care over his people and all creation. Faith leads to peace, joy, parsimony, security, and wisdom. Fear prompts chaos, panic, waste, insecurity, and foolishness. May you have grace to recognize deranged thinking and turn to sound thinking based on biblical truth about the sovereign God of creation who provides a sure basis of hope and security in a world that, to many, seems hopeless.
