When I first watched Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth” I was overwhelmed by a sense of urgency to save planet Earth.

I felt I had a duty as a citizen, as well as a Christian, to get with the program and go green. To “do my bit.” To conserve energy and walk roads instead of ride public transport. To save water, turn off my lights, and perhaps extend the world a much needed lifeline.

Then I heard John MacArthur preach on creation and the end of the universe.

It blew me away. Suddenly, I had a different and much more authoritative perspective than the VP’s documentary to wrestle with on this matter – I had the sure Word of God. And because it was so radical a change in perspective (and because of my commitment to Biblical truth) I became very interested in what the Bible has to say about the Earth, our role as Christians in relation to it, and what the future holds for us all.

I also became highly interested in what non-Christian scientists who were anti-global warming have to say about the issue. Surely they didn’t come to their position lightly, especially in the face of an almost unanimous worldwide proclamation that global warming is a serious and deadly threat. With that much scientific “cred” and united humanitarianism going against them, they must have some pretty strong convictions (and data) to take the minority stand.

So I did some research. Nothing drastically extensive but enough to momentarily drown out the deafening voices of documentaries like An Inconvenient Truth, Hollywood celebrities urging their fans to go green and save the planet, and scientific bodies issuing powerful, pro-global warming statements by consensus.

Enough to make me think that it’s quite possible there’s nothing to worry about.

Now let’s take a moment to think about that. Could it really be possible that 90% of the world’s scientists have got this thing wrong? That the minority position on global warming being no cause for alarm could actually be true?

How can this be so?

Well, I’m not a scientist. But I have unearthed some very interesting arguments, both Christian and non-Christian, anti- and pro-global warming.

And you know what? I no longer think global warming is that big a deal.

Seriously.

I actually think it’s an out of control idea that’s influenced by politics, money, class division, greed, and hypocrisy, to name a few.

It’s a pretty strong 180 degree turn on my part. But that’s what the Bible can do to you. I may not be able to debate global warming on a scientific level; but I do have the Word of God.

And I trust it completely.

Because I no longer believe global warming is a massive crisis that deserves our unbridled attention does it mean I no longer care about the Earth? Do I think we should all just devastate our planet until there are no more pandas, water pollution kills as many people as it does fish, and third world citizens have more flashfloods than they do hot dinners?

Of course not.

But I do advocate a balanced, Biblical response to environmental concerns.

And this is what I know, from the Bible, about our earth as elucidated by Dr. Macarthur in “Creation, Theology & The End of the Universe”.

1. It is temporary.

God has no intention of preserving the earth for millions of years. That’s an atheistic view of the world, steeped in the notion that everything has been evolving for eons and we have a moral duty to keep that process up for the sake of future generations. The fact of the matter is the world is young and will be superseded by a “new Earth” (2 Peter 3:13) after our current planet is done away with. All our efforts at saving the world do little to keep it from God’s impending and severe judgment. It’s healthy to remember that.

2. It is cursed by God.

Genesis 3 shows us the real reason the environment is in such chaos – God! He cursed the Earth because of the fall of man. That’s why the Earth isn’t perfect and is becoming increasingly volatile – because of sin.

We should not be surprised that sometimes the world seems so out of control. Natural calamities and the wrath of nature have much to do with God’s curse on the planet in response to Adam’s rebellion in the Garden.

3. We are to subdue it or be subdued.

God’s will is that we dominate the Earth, mine her natural resources, and enjoy the benefits of our efforts. It’s hard work, for sure. But if we rise to the occasion our quality of life will improve greatly. This has been true of all civilizations that have subdued the Earth; they have advanced and enjoyed a better quality of life. All civilizations that have not subdued the Earth, whether though lack of technology or indifference, have lived in her wrath.

4. We are to be good stewards of creation.

Good stewardship has always been of major importance to God (Matthew 25:14-30). So it goes without saying that we are to take care of the Earth. I mean, God is not against mowing the lawn and having a manicured garden; I think He takes great pleasure in that. I also think we honor Him when we avoid polluting rivers, cutting down too many trees, and treating our environment with disdain.

But to jump on the global warming bandwagon without actually knowing all the facts, to jettison traditional forms of energy in favor of alternative energies is to deny ourselves – and the rest of the world – of God’s perfectly useful resources. They’re God’s gifts for us to use. And they might not be as deadly to the environment as we are told.

To give up on oil might not be such a wise idea after all.

5. It will never again be destroyed by a flood.

A lot of people, when they hear the words “global warming”, usually imagine the polar caps melting, icebergs thinning into the sea, and a catastrophic worldwide flood that’ll make Roland Emmerich proud.

Except it ain’t gonna happen. Genesis 9:12-16 details God’s promise to avoid wiping out the world with a global flood.

6. It will be consumed by fire.

So yeah, God won’t destroy the world with another flood but He will end things with fire. And we’re not talking about some pesky international wildfire – God will scorch and totally consume the planet, destroying everything with an unrelenting cosmic conflagration until “the earth and everything in it will be laid bare” (2 Peter 3:7;10).

7. In the meantime God will take care of the earth – and us.

Global warming advocates are constantly sounding the alarm saying that if we don’t act now and save our planet it may be too late; subsequent generations may be doomed to a world akin to The Postman, if not far worse.

But you know what? God has promised to take care of us and the world we live in. He’s built the natural environment to function in a robust manner, to exist to provide for our needs and physical protection. All we need is to toil, be good stewards, and properly enjoy nature and its resources.

Furthermore, God is IN CONTROL. He may have cursed the world but it’s certainly not slipping through His fingers. Any worries we have of a planet gone so bad it becomes uninhabitable should end with Genesis 8:22 where a wonderful promise is declared by God Himself:

“As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.” (emphasis added)

Cold and heat. The very issue of climate change. The world may scream the global warming battle cry but as far as the Lord is concerned, cold and heat, as sure as the seasons and days, will continue to bless this planet in divine harmony until the time for a new Earth.

I realize I have hijacked much of Dr. MacArthur’s sermon. But you have to hear it to really appreciate it. He covers much more in his preaching and even pooh-poohs the “consensus” that global warming is a result of carbon emissions. He mentions that hyperactive sun spots are quite likely responsible for the increase in global warming, a position embraced by several scientists and not just radical Bible teachers!

I urge you to feast on his full sermon available for free download at www.shepherdsfellowship.org (2009 Shepherd’s Conference).

I also encourage you to check out the Intelligence Squared U.S. debate titled “Global Warming Is Not a Crisis” over at NPR.org. The debate features three experts arguing in favor of the motion (including the late Michael Crichton) with three others against it. The sun spot theory is also put forward here, along with many other insightful ideas, pro- and anti- motion.

What’s interesting is that in a vote before the debate, “about 30 percent of the audience agreed with the motion, while 57 percent were against and 13 percent undecided. The debate seemed to affect a number of people: Afterward, about 46 percent agreed with the motion, roughly 42 percent were opposed and about 12 percent were undecided.” (from NPR.org)

It certainly says a lot when intelligent people are swayed by anti-global warming arguments by non-Christian scientists.

But it’s way cooler that we have God and the Bible to give us a truly sound perspective on the whole deal.