Caution: Political and Religious Content

I debated quite a while whether or not to make this post.  Obviously, I decided to do so.  I don't usually post either religious or political commentary but this topic made me think and I hope it does you, too.

The following is part of a re-post of a friend on Facebook.  The title was “Why I cannot vote for Romney” and went on to ‘prove’ why a Christian must vote to save the environment.  I copied all of the verses quoted and pasted them below along with her comments followed by mine.

I was tempted to post this on Facebook as a reply but (a) it is too long and (b) it isn't the kind of thing I post on Facebook.  (It isn't the kind of thing I normally post on my blog, either!)

(Hers) Leviticus 26 - Most of this chapter is devoted to God promising to bring natural prosperity (using the land) to His people IF they follow His rules on cleanliness.

(Mine) This chapter has nothing to do with rules of cleanliness.  It doesn't even mention cleanliness.  It is the finishing chapter of the laws God has laid down for His people where He describes the prosperity they will enjoy by walking in His statutes and keeping His commandments and the desolation they will endure if they do not.

The previous chapter deals with the year of Sabbath for the land and the year of Jubilee for the land and the people.

This verse does not support the idea that as Christians we must ‘save the Earth’.

(Hers)  Deuteronomy 20:19,20 - God allowed the children of Israel to consume natural resources, but not to waste them.

(Mine) This verse deals with what trees may and may not be used to build bulwarks for an extended siege against a city.  Meat-bearing trees (fruit, nut, etc.) may not be used but trees known not to be used for meat (fir, elm, cedar, etc.) may be cut down.

Not sure where this person got the idea that these verses tell the children of Israel that they may consume natural resources but not waste them.  I know plenty of people who would think using trees to lay siege to a city would be a terrible waste of natural resources.

This verse does not support the idea that as Christians we must ‘save the Earth’.

(Hers)  Jeremiah 2:7 - "I brought you into a fertile land to eat its fruit and rich produce. But you came and defiled my land and made my inheritance detestable." (NIV)

(Mine) This verse is a little more involved.  By cross-referencing the word ‘defiled’ to Leviticus 18:24-28, the meaning is very clear.

Lev 18:24  Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you:

Lev 18:25  And the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants.

Lev 18:26  Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations; neither any of your own nation, nor any stranger that sojourneth among you:

Lev 18:27  (For all these abominations have the men of the land done, which were before you, and the land is defiled;)

Lev 18:28  That the land spue not you out also, when ye defile it, as it spued out the nations that were before you.

So the children of Israel defiled the land, not by ‘destroying’ it but by not keeping the commandments of God; specifically turning to the other gods of the land.  That made the inheritance detestable because it had been corrupted and changed into something that God had not given.

This verse does not support the idea that as Christians we must ‘save the Earth’.

All of the above verses come from the Old Testament.  That fact is crucial when you understand the difference between the Old and New Testaments and their impact on our lives today. 

The Old Testament was and still is only for the Israelites - the Jews - and it contains the rules by which they would have their own natural country, live well in that land and prosper.  The laws in the Old Testament were the guarantee of a natural homeland for the Israelites and their descendants.

The New Testament was and still is for everyone (although an ethnic Jew must make a choice which law to follow – Old or New) and it contains the rules by which we will have our own eternal homeland.  Therefore, the Old Testament laws are for the Christian’s guidance but are not the Christian's laws to follow.

(Hers)  Revelation 11:18 - "The nations were angry; and your wrath has come. The time has come for judging the dead, and for rewarding your servants the prophets and your saints and those who reverence your name, both small and great — and for destroying those who destroy the earth." (On this, it seems that many Christians believe it's impossible to destroy the earth. But doesn't causing portions of the earth to be destroyed fall into this category?)

(Revelation 11:18)  And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth. (KJV)

(Mine) This verse is really interesting.  First, because it is in Revelation which is full of metaphor, second, because of the multitude definitions of ‘destroy’, third, because it is the only verse she quoted from the New Testament and, fourth, because it comes the closest of these passages to support the idea that Christians have a mandate to ‘save the Earth’.

There is a lot of metaphor in Revelation but the twenty-four elders seem to be pretty straightforward in what is going to happen; nations being angry, His wrath to come, the dead to be judged, reward to His servants, and ‘destroy them which destroy the earth’.

At this point, I deleted about a page and a half of dissertation.  Well, I didn't really delete it because I felt it was some pretty top-notch investigative writing but I did remove it from this post.  The reason is because we don’t have to define words, look up meanings in the original Greek or Hebrew, or see what others say about this passage. 

The meaning is quite simple:  God will destroy them which corrupt, pervert, misuse, and misinterpret His Word and lead others (the world as a people) astray to their spiritual destruction.  This verse has nothing to do with people who physically misuse the physical Earth.

How can I say that?  Because that verse cannot mean that God will destroy (send to Hell) those who destroy (misuse) the Earth.  God has promise eternal life to those who love Him and believe in Him.  There are no other qualifiers.  God never added, “Oh, and by the way, you must also protect all animals, attend church at least once a week, dress a certain way, volunteer at least four hours each month, forward all emails and re-post every truth about Me on Facebook.” 

No.

(John 1:12)  But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

(Acts 16:30)  And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

(Acts 16:31)  And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

God promised eternal life to those who believe on Jesus.  He cannot and will not break that promise by adding on to it.  Yes, there is a lot we need to do to show our active faith and our active belief and to show Him reverence and give Him thanks.  Not misusing what He has provided for us is one of them but we will not lose our salvation for abusing the earth…although if we abuse the earth, we likely don’t have a reverence for Him and our salvation may be in jeopardy because of lack of faith and belief.