Author’s note: This is the second article in the series, How to be a Biblically “woke” Christian
There’s been a lot of debate over the past few years about global warming – whether it’s real, how bad it really is, who and/or what is responsible, and what should be done about it. Regardless of political persuasions, levels of faith in scientific findings or what Facebook friends may say, global warming is both real and the most assured, dangerous threat to human existence. How can this be said with such confidence? Because the Bible says so.
That’s right. It’s time for Christians to “get woke” and recognize that we need to mobilize and warn everyone of impending doom. We must concede that global warming of Biblical proportions is completely the result of human activity, and we must boldly refute anyone who denies it.
Here are a few of the evidences that global warming is real, with the clearest passages first:
2 Peter 3:7, 10-12 – “But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly … But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn!”
Isaiah 66:16 – “For by fire will the LORD enter into judgment, and by his sword, with all flesh; and those slain by the LORD shall be many.”
But, that sounds like the angry, “Old-Testament God.” What about Jesus? He’s meek and mild, right?
Matthew 3:11-12 – “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
Luke 12:49 – ““I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled!”
Matthew 13:40 – “Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age.”
Now that we’ve seen just a few of the hundreds of passages that reference the fire of God’s wrath, here are some of the passages that confirm this all-consuming global warming is all our fault:
Colossians 3:5-6 – “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming.”
Hebrews 10:26-27 – “For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries.”
So, what hope do we have to escape this Earth-destroying global warming since it cannot now be prevented? Here are some passages that point to the only way to be saved from God’s righteous wrath, the first of which is connected to the first passage above about the coming judgment:
2 Peter 3:13-14 – “But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace.”
1 Corinthians 6:9-11 – “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”
There are two undeniable truths to take away from all of this. First, global “warming” is an understatement of what’s to come at the end of the age. God’s judgment is both real and justified. God is holy, righteous and must punish sin. The second truth is that Jesus Christ died on the cross to bear God’s wrath for us, making a way for us to be washed, sanctified, justified and ultimately saved from the punishment of the eternal fire we deserve.
Pens and Picks 