My dear readers, 

Climate Change – Who can Change?

Genesis 8:21-22 “And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done. 22 While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.”

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. He created them in six 24 hour days and He declared at the end of His creation that it was very good. (cf. Genesis 1:31). Man was created on the sixth day after everything else was created so that a perfect, comfortable and pristine environment was given to him to dwell in. Man did not create creation. He merely lived in it. So what makes him think that he can now control creation? The only voice that creation listens to is the voice of the Creator. God alone controls creation, not man! Yet today, man has written and spoken so much about climate change as if he has the power to change or control creation. The wind and the waves and the sun and the moon and stars are controlled only by the most High God, definitely not sinful man!

Yet sinful man in his arrogance believes otherwise! Why is that so? The age of enlightenment and advancement in science and modern technology have all combined together to delude man into thinking that he is great and the controller of his own destiny including his environment. His ability to penetrate into outer space by sending man to the moon and exploring the deepest oceans with unmanned submersible vehicles have lulled man into thinking that he is the “creator” of the heavens and the earth. Man thinks he has conquered almost everything on earth, from the highest heavens to the lowest ebb. There seems to be nothing man cannot do if he so wills himself into a sense of invincibility and omnipotence! His genius and ability to ward off almost all diseases through new vaccines, healing diseases and extending the lifespan of man by a few years make him think that he has the ability to keep man’s last enemy, death, at bay! His architectural and engineering endeavours seem limitless, with buildings reaching to the skies and overcoming all environments from the hottest and driest deserts to the coldest north and south poles. The abilities of man seem inexhaustible. This seems to go on and on with no end in sight. With virtual reality and the most powerful computer to help man, he thinks he is God and has become the creator of his new futuristic world where there is no death and diseases.

Today he realizes that the present world with its climate change is getting out of control and his futuristic new world is on the brink of annihilation if he does not do something to fix it, like reducing carbon emission caused by the burning of fossil fuel and other amenities, and cutting down the use of plastics, etc. Global warming is melting the north and south poles. The earth is getting too hot! This must change NOW! Climate change is defined as “a statistically defined change in the average and/or variability of the climate system, this includes the atmosphere, the water cycle, the land surface, ice and the living components of Earth. The definition does not usually require the causes of change to be attributed, for example to human activity, but there are exceptions.” [https://www.nature.com/subjects/climate-change]

The often stated noble reason that is repeated over and over again is to save the earth for the next generation, our sons and daughters! This seems to gel many millions of people together into changing their lifestyles to save the earth. Large corporations also jumped into the same climate change band wagon to save this earth with a united voice to cut off the production of what they believe to be destroying this earth which they call our “mother.” The world has been impacted by this whether they like it or not. For example, straws are no longer available over the counter when one buys drinks. Plastic bags are banned in some countries and no longer available to bag groceries.

What does the Bible say to all these? Can man truly change the climate? Does he really have the power to do so? How should the children of God respond to these attempts of man to save “mother” earth?

Man caused a very good earth to fall into a dangerous earth – When man fell into sin creation fell with man since God made man to have dominion over His creation. Due to this fall into sin, death entered into the world. The perfect world has lost its perfection. By his fall into sin, man corrupted and ruined God’s perfect creation! Now sinful man thinks he can undo the fallen condition of earth which brings death and destruction. Today sinful man blames himself for the fallen state and conditions of earth. The climate gets hotter in summer and colder in winter. They say the residual effects of burning too much fossil fuel is one of the major causes of this climate change! If man burns less fossil fuel then the world would heal itself or at least slow down its self-destruct change, hopefully! People power is the name of the game today! Democracy is defined as people power! The notion that democracy is the norm for all nations has been the first world nation propaganda since the end of the Second World War! If a nation is not democratic it is frowned upon and society is “encouraged” to rise up with one voice to “bring-in” a democratically elected government, for democracy is people power! Can people power change the world?

“This world is in this state because of man” is not a wrong deduction which is the voice of climate change. However, man changing his style of living is not going to fix this world because the real cure for this sad state is to change its way of life. Stop sinning against God! But man has no ability to stop sinning without Jesus Christ! Believe in Jesus Christ who died for your sins. The world will be healed and restored to its former glory of “very good.” This power of restoration or “climate change” belongs to the Creator alone and not sinful man! That is what god will do in the millennium! God destroyed this world once because it was filled with too much sin and sinners. Their sins were full! Genesis 6:11-13 “The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. 12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. 13 And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.”

This world we are living in is the “second” world given to man by the Creator. Sadly the Creator says it is reserved for destruction by fire. The reason is because of sin too. This means that the world will not turn to Christ until its sins are full in the last days before her destruction.  2 Peter 3:4-10 “And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. 5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: 6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: 7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. 8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.”

Sadly sinful man will not accept this truth as stated above in 2 Peter 3:4-10. Instead of repentance he would rather mock God in his arrogance and perish in his pride. The warning has already been given by the all powerful God. Saving this earth through democracy is futility. Man cannot change the climate. He has no power to do so. God alone can and He will if man repents and turns to Christ! But sinful man will not! If he really wants to pass a good earth to his children he must repent of his sins and turn to Christ! It is not by using less plastic or controlling the burning of fossil fuel!

The most important thing in a sinner’s life is not to save this earth but to save his soul from sin, death and hell! Only in Christ Jesus, who came from heaven to die for his sins and rose from the dead for his justification, can he save his own soul from hell. God will save this earth in His time when He returns in power and glory. In the meantime let all of God’s children focus on saving sinners’ souls for Christ’s sake and not be distracted by saving an earth that is neither his prerogative nor within his power to save. Amen.

Yours faithfully in the Saviour’s Service

Rev Dr Quek Suan Yew, Pastor