At least one poster here seems to be arguing that since the Adamic instruction was given before the fall, it no longer applies after the fall?
Well, why not? Even if we grant the world did change dramatically at the fall, how, exactly, does it follow that we should not continue to obey the injunction to care for the earth?
In any event, there is a powerful Biblical argument that Jesus reverses the fall - or, at the very least, inaugurates a phase of God's redemptive that progressively reverses the curse.
Many evangelicals think about this too simply - they will clamour for a "verse" that supports this idea.
Well, with a little thinking, it is easy to see that Jesus does indeed initiate reversal of the fall, with the obvious implication that we have to "resurrect" the mandate to care for God's creation.
That we should even need to make this case is exceedingly bizarre in any event - what kind of thinking leads to the conclusion that we can pillage and despoil God's creation even if the fall hadn't been reversed?
Anyhoo, here are some clues as to why the resurrection brings about a "new Eden":
- Jesus is raised on the 8th day! In the Eden account, God works for 6 days and rests on day 7. Is it a coincidence that Jesus is raised on the 8th day? I doubt it - it is a potent signal that new creation has begun.
- In the same spirit, when she first sees the resurrected Jesus thinks He is the gardener. Coincidence? Or is it a clever narrative signal that, yes, we are dealing with redeemed Eden?
- What does Paul tell us? If any man is in Christ, he is.....what? A new creation. Again, echoes of Eden.
And there is much more.
1st, the end of the world will be man's creation.. not God's, and its heralded by certain courses of events - none of which I'm rushing gleefully toward. I trust God, it doesn't mean I plan on setting up Satan's kingdom for him for to do that would be my downfall.
Second, necessity is the mother of invention, not men forcing other mens hand. We are not yet to a point where alternatives to our current system are able to be put in the hands of the masses.
You remember when flat screen TV'S were almost 15,000 dollars? I do.. and it was out of most everyone's budget for a television. Plasma televisions has since been replaced with less expensive equipment like the OLED and LED screens.
Now flat screens are in the hands of the masses, and nearly everyone has one.
The same thing has to happen to alternative energy - BEFORE you demand every one switch to alternative energy. And you can't force it, or force people unless your planning on furnishing these things to people - which is ridiculous.
We have to wait until less expensive methods of alternative energy is found, and then people will adopt it with the poor adopting it last.
The U.S. is a leader in cutting emissions, but we are also a very large nation... we have many who live two hours by car from their place of employment, others who have a necessary for 4 wheel drive in the winter just to get to work and other considerations for manufacturing and more.
Make our manufacturing more difficult and product pricing increases, then they can't compete on the global market (who isnt concerned in the least with their carbon footprint) and there's fewer jobs and a lower GDP which hurts our economy.
Manufacturing has hit it's limit on cuts in this country without cheaper alternatives, and people? Very few can afford proposals such as switching their homes to solar or wind power in 5 years..
Climate change religionists are expecting the impossible, and trying to force governments to make sweeping changes that will only hurt people in the end. Put a 10 year deadline on me having solar power on my home and in 10 years I won't have power which I need to survive - I'll be in my yard to cook over an open fire, disabled and suffering without a refrigerator to keep my food cold.
Putting deadlines on these things only serve to restrict movement and place energy and transportation in the hands of either government or unelected bodies and neither is acceptable.
However, if you let things progress naturally, then someday, sooner rather than later, a less expensive means and methods of alternative energy will be found, and the masses will joyfully adopt the new.
We are at a stage where these various things are still prohibitive... and you have to have patience until new things are developed and prices drop quite naturally.
You can't force it, and sounding like the crazy nut screaming the end is nigh doesn't help your cause.