is the hot topic, all businesses are sustainable development, or say that they do. An international summit on the topic made the front page of every newspaper in Copenhagen. Previously confined to a niche topic in politics, everyone seizes now. And Christians in all this? How are they involved in sustainable development?
The first possible approach is the total rejection. Indeed, we Christians are citizens of heaven. We know that Jesus will return, there will be a new earth and new heavens. We are fully aware that whatever you do, humanity is doomed because it is corrupted by sin. Also, there is no problem to pollute excessively, this is only part of the natural destruction and announced the world. Come on, pollute without asking any question!
This attitude, although apparently justified, I do not stick with the whole Bible, and this for 3 points:
- first, when God created the earth, at every point, he says it is good. God's creation is good. If it is good, do not destroy! Especially since Paul says that this beautiful creation tells us, to all humans, the existence of God. How not to ask questions about our origins in a landscape of snowy mountains, or in front of a starry sky? So if we destroy our environment, we destroy not only the good creation of God but also part of God's revelation to humans, as if we drag out one by one the pages of our Bible.
- then, when God created man, he gives him dominion over the earth, plants and animals as it is told in Genesis: "Let us make man in our image, our likeness, let it have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds, the livestock, over all the earth and over every creeping that creeps on the earth.. "This rule is also a responsibility to maintain or improve the environment of man. God has entrusted the responsibility of maintaining his good creation
- finally, the development sustainable social dimension we hear little about. The goal of sustainable development is not only that nature is preserved, but that man, all men can continue to grow. In this area, remains in the world in many places where man has no access to clean water, healthy eating and balanced education. And sustainable development highlights does allow humanity to thrive. Jesus gave as a commandment to love your neighbor as yourself. Christians can not embarking on a development of humanity!
To summarize, it is true that sin is everywhere and entered our land to ruin, we hope to one day see a new land with the perfect designer at its helm. Despite all our efforts, we will never land perfect because only God can.
However, we have a real responsibility as Christians to be active in sustainable development because
1. creation is good and we want to preserve it because it is a sign of God
2. God gave us this mission to be the gardeners of the earth
3. our love of neighbor pushing us to work towards greater justice
This is not because the world is corrupted by sin that he should give up but to be lights where we are !
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