by Harry Osborne
Several years ago, Ben Shropshire and I were invited to Hawaii by brethren wanting to study the divorce and remarriage issuet. Most of the time was spent in Bible classes, but we had several hours one day to make a quick drive around the island of Oahu. When we went down the windward side of the island, we stopped at a beautiful spot where the deep blue water came into a cove filled with coral and fish of brilliant colors. As gorgeous as the scene was, the shop across the street is really what caught my eye.
The shop was called "The Global Salvation Hut." A short conversation with one of the patrons helped me understand the point. He exclaimed with passionate voice his fear that people are polluting the earth. "If people don't stop all of this," he said pointing to a very small amount of litter on the ground, "this world is going to come to an end!" While I shared the man's strong dislike for pollution and agree with the desire to take care of our environment, I do not share the irrational predictions of doom and gloom heralded by the extreme environmentalist movement each time they see a candy wrapper on the ground. Their obsession with this physical earth has led some of the most insane laws and programs known to man.
Every year, we hear a great deal about "Earth Day." Every news program has a story on global warming, deforestation or the impending extinction of an animal. The commercials for one business after another express concern for the environment. Local radio stations even ask listeners to make a "plant pledge" to save the environment. This level of concern over our physical world has intrigued me. From a personal viewpoint, I am glad to see some effort being made to clean things up. Anyone who lived near Houston's smog as long as our family did is happy for any attempt to make the air more breathable. Anyone who appreciates the beauty and splendor of the natural world is thankful for its preservation. As with every gift given by God, man is to exercise good stewardship because of his dominion over the creation as given by God (Gen. 1:26; Psa. 8:6-8).
In the face of such concern for the physical world, however, it is sad that most people fail to see the greater importance of the spiritual world. Though the extreme environmentalist movement fail to accept the fact, this globe and the entire universe is coming to an end, regardless of how well we take care of the environment. If ever coke can and candy wrapper was properly discarded, the feared conclusion of our environmentalist friends would still be the final outcome. This world will end! God tells us of this fact.
The Bible teaches that this earth is limited in its duration. It will end in a destruction brought by God, not pollution. The context of 2 Peter 3 clearly teaches such. In 2 Peter 3:3-4, the apostle warns of those who would deny that the Lord will actually bring judgment upon the world. He says,
Knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, 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 creation."
In 2 Peter 3:5-6, the writer reminds us of God's judgment in the flood of Noah's time. "For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water."
The next verse serves as the initial warning in this text regarding the fate of our physical world: "But the heavens and the earth which now exist are kept in store by the same word, reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men" (2 Pet. 3:7). The "heavens and earth" is a biblical expression denoting the physical dwelling place of man and the animals.
Peter clearly defines the earth about which he speaks. It is the same earth which came out of the flood in Noah's time. The earth that was changed by the water in that flood is the physical world we call our environment today. That world is "reserved for fire until the day of judgment" according to God's Word.
The next few verses promise that God's judgment upon this world will come no matter how long it is delayed. "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up" (2 Pet. 3:10).
That is plain enough for anyone to understand. One cannot miss the point that our physical world will one day "pass away," "melt with fervent heat," and "be burned up." How? Not by global warming or candy wrappers, but by the power of God!
But what is the point of this teaching? Peter says, "Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?" (2 Pet. 3:11-12).
The fact that this physical world will not endure forever should teach us the greater importance of spiritual things which are eternal (2 Corinthians 4:18). We should daily be aware of the fact that God will return to judge this world and its inhabitants. Knowing this, we should live in a way that is pleasing to Him.
Peter speaks of those who obey God's will as living with a great hope. "Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells" (2 Pet. 3:13).
While it is good for us to be wise stewards over this physical world, let us never fail to have greater concern
over the spiritual world. That concern over the spiritual world should cause us to examine our lives to see if
they are in harmony with the truth revealed by the Creator and ultimate Judge of this world.
by Larry Ray Hafley
Did you see that "Sexually explicit men's magazines such as Playboy and Penthouse...will soon be off the shelves of Texas' largest convenience store chain," Diamond Shamrock? This is good news, but why are they doing it? "...Diamond Shamrock...characterized the decision to remove the items mainly as an economic move...." Like the Southland Corporation, operator of 7-Eleven stores, Diamond Shamrock is doing the right thing, but for the wrong reason. Regarding their move to remove Playboy and Penthouse, Southland Corp. said, "A lot of the Christian groups...wanted to take credit for our decision, but we had withstood them for years....Top management made a personal decision to remove the magazines" (Houston Chronicle, November 6, 1996, p. C1).
Forty to fifty years ago, only the sleaziest, back alley stores could or would sell vulgarity and pornography, such as is represented by Playboy. Today, however, it is an acceptable, fashionable thing. Years ago, companies like Diamond Shamrock and Southland Corporation would never dared to have their businesses tied to the "filth" that is flaunted by "dirty magazines." Now, though, with sophisticated arrogance, disdaining all pretense of dignity and decency, they can "pull" the sale of moral pollutants and brazenly remind everyone that it was a business decision and that public morals and a sense of personal purity had nothing to do with it. What a shame! What a commentary on the rotten fiber and fabric of the American spirit! While I rejoice in the decision not to sell the magazines, I somehow feel even less respect for the stores who promoted them than I did before. These companies standards remind me of the fellow who quit beating his wife because her screams hurt his dog's ears.