Human Redemption Initiate Nature’s Redemption in the Eschaton

Human Redemption

Genesis 1:31 tells us that God created nature “very good.” Yet, as we saw in my last two blog articles, because of human disobedience and subsequent rebellion against God set in motion by Adam and Eve, people became estranged from God through sin. This affected nature. Mankind’s original harmonious relationship with nature was perverted, and enmity developed between the human race and the natural world. Over the millennia, worldwide environmental degradation increased as human technology increased, and societies continued to fail to accept the stewardship responsibilities God had ordained.

So, the human race has a problem—which nature shares. If mankind is separated from God, guilty of sin, and deserving punishment, how can people be reconciled to God and reestablish the fellowship Adam and Eve enjoyed? In addition, since nature suffers because of the Fall, how can it return to its former pre-fall state? The answer is found in the biblical teaching on redemption: God’s plan for mankind’s deliverance from enslavement to sin and nature’s deliverance from the curse.

The Bible teaches that in humanity’s fallen state, people are totally unable to reach out to God. The Apostle Paul explained in Romans 8:7 that “the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.” Thus, for the human race to be reconciled to God, God had to take the initial step. He did this through Jesus Christ. Out of His immeasurable love for people, God came to earth as the incarnate Son in order to reconcile fallen humanity to Himself. This is called the “atonement.”

The atonement entails the removal (or covering) of human sin and death by the substitutionary sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross (Rom. 5:8; 8:1–2; 1 Cor. 15:21–22). Jesus, the “second Adam,” undid the damage caused by the first Adam—estrangement from God. Instead of guilty people making payment (redemption) for their sins, Jesus—God Himself—did it for us (Mark 10:45). This opened the door for reconciliation between God and the human race. Through Jesus Christ, we stand before God “justified.” That is, on the basis of Christ’s sacrifice for our sins, we are accounted righteous in God’s eyes (Rom. 3:22). Just as spiritual death was imputed to all people through Adam, Jesus’ righteousness is imputed to all people who accept Him as their personal Lord and Savior (John 3:16; Rom. 5:12–21).

Nature’s Redemption

Because nature’s plight (the curse) is bound to mankind’s plight (the Fall), nature’s redemption depends upon mankind’s redemption (see Rom. 8:19–21). Thus, when Jesus died for the sins of the world, it opened the door for the future redemption (renewal) of nature. In Colossians 1:20 the Apostle Paul writes that through Jesus Christ God reconciled “to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross” (emphasis added). In other words, mankind’s salvation provides the framework by which nature can be restored.

Historically, the church has focused on the salvation of people. Nature is usually viewed as merely the stage or backdrop on which the human drama of redemption plays out. Seldom is nature’s role in redemption—and its place in the eschatological future—more than a minor consideration.

The biblical fact, however, is that not only mankind but also the entire physical world waits to be redeemed (Rom. 8: 18-23). Not because nature fell with the Fall of Adam, but because cursed nature is an innocent victim of bad human choices. Thus, the removal of nature’s curse is directly related to mankind’s redemption; our redemption initiates nature’s redemption.

God’s creative work did not end with Genesis one. The Old and New Testaments teach that there will be a future age when nature will return to a pristine state even more wonderful that the Garden of Eden before the Fall (Rev. 21:1,3; cf. Isa. 51:3; Ezek. 36:35). Creation does not cease to exist; it will be restored and renewed. In other words, just as God renews our mortal bodies at the resurrection rather than creating new bodies (1 Cor. 15:35–53), so the first creation will not be destroyed but renewed. This is all part of God’s redemptive plan. Nature’s curse will be forever removed (Rev. 22:3–5), and there will be a redeemed new heaven and new earth that will last forever (Isa. 65:17–25; Rev. 21:1-5).

But this is in the eschatological future. What does nature ‘s redemption have to do with today? And what does this have to do with our stewardship responsibilities on this present earth ? This will be the topic of next week’s blog article. ©

* The blog articles in this series are adapted from my book Should Christians Be Environmentalists? published by Kregel Publications in 2012. The blog articles do not contain all the chapters, data, quotes, references, or my personal experiences, which the book includes. So, for “the rest of the story” you will need to purchase the book, which is available in both paperback and Kindle. This and the following articles are copyrighted material and may not be reproduced in book or article form. But feel free to send links to these articles to your personal email list, Facebook friends and groups, Twitter followers, or other people who may enjoy them.