A Real “Inconvenient Truth"

In recent months, global warming has become a “hot” topic among scientists, economists, politicians, media sources, and a segment of the general population. Some sternly warn that if we do not drastically reduce emissions from automobiles, factories, etc., all kinds of catastrophic events may occur, such as the melting of our polar ice caps and a sharp increase in the spread of disease. On the flip side, there are those who downplay these alarmists, stating that man-made emissions account for a very, very small percentage of the total global greenhouse gas emissions. In fact, a recent poll by the members in the American Meteorological Society and the American Geophysical Society found that only a small minority believe that the slight warming of the 20th century is related to an increase in greenhouse gas emissions. 1

Of course on the heels of all this, came last year’s Oscar award winning documentary film “An Inconvenient Truth”, in which Mr. Al Gore (the inventor the Internet--lol!), has scared the public and apparently many scientists into believing that the polar icecaps are melting at such rapid rate that it may be irreversible. Only twenty-five years ago we were told that the earth was cooling and rapidly heading toward another ice age.

Now many denominational churches are jumping on the band wagon, showing their congregations Mr. Gore’s film and establishing committees to examine how they may encourage better stewardship of our doomed planet. Please don’t get me wrong, I believe that God does require proper stewardship of all that He has placed into our care. There is no doubt that as stewards of the earth, we must encourage our leaders to speed up alternative fuels for our vehicles, ways for companies to truly cut their pollution, as well as protect wild and plant life from extinction. So yes, we should use our planet responsibly, and if we can find more environmentally friendly ways to do what we do, then good. But a 0.6C increase in temperature on a worldwide scale over the past 100 years should hardly be sounding dire alarm bells.

Yes, almost all scientists agree that the earth is in a warming up pattern, but in ten or twenty years it may reverse itself. But no matter what it does, as Christians, we must concern ourselves with promoting “The Inconvenient Truth” that the earth will one day be burned up, and all souls will give answer to God as to the things they said, thought and did (2 Cor. 5:7; Heb. 4:12).

And so we as Christians must remain focused and not allow our mission to get sidetracked. We are in the soul saving business, not the earth saving one! We must keep our eyes focused upon the true global warming catastrophe. Yes, believe it or not, the Word of God foretold that just such an event would come to pass. Let’s read what Peter says about it:

“But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat.” (2 Peter 3:10-12 NIV) Sounds to me like an icecap melting event that everyone should be preparing for.

Our mission is spiritual, not social. Billions are going to die as the earth as we know it will pass away with fervent heat. Mr. Gore is saying that global climate change is the greatest catastrophe ever caused by man. Has he never read that by man came death, and in Adam all die (1 Cor. 15:21-22). Sin is the greatest catastrophe caused by man. For it is because of sin that all men face suffering, evil, pain, illness, tragedy, death, etc. Sadly, the world does not want to hear the real “Inconvenient Truth” (God’s Word), that sin exists, will be punished if not repented of, and that the universe is only a temporary training ground for eternity.

Great concern has accompanied this 0.6C increase over the past 100 years. Should we not give much greater consideration to a day on which all that exists shall be dissolved by fire? Now that’s “global warming”! Some might doubt that such a day will come. Those who dwelt before the flood also doubted, and perished when the world was destroyed by water (2 Peter 3:3-6). As there were no warnings prior to the flood, neither shall there be a warning before the earth, it’s works and the elements are consumed by fire from the Lord (Matthew 24:38-39; 2 Peter 3:7-9). May we be prepared for the coming day of God.

Humbly,
Robert Prater

Endnotes:
1 http://www.globalwarming.org/