The question, “If God is going to fully redeem the world eventually, why should we care for creation now?” gets to the heart of Christian hope. It asks whether belief in God’s future restoration of creation makes present-day stewardship unnecessary. While understandable, this question assumes that if God will one day make all things new, our actions today have little lasting significance. Scripture, however, presents the opposite picture: the certainty of God’s redemption gives Christians greater reason—not less—to care for His creation today.
The Bible begins with God delighting in the goodness of His creation. After creating the heavens, the earth, and every living creature, God declares:
“And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good.” (Genesis 1:31)
Humanity is then entrusted with the responsibility to "work" and "keep" the garden (Genesis 2:15). The Hebrew words abad ("serve" or "cultivate") and shamar ("guard" or "protect") suggest that humanity's role is not exploitation, but faithful stewardship under God's authority.
Sin disrupted humanity's relationship with God, one another, and the rest of creation. As a result, creation itself experiences the effects of humanity's rebellion. Yet God's response is not to abandon creation but to redeem it.
The Apostle Paul writes:
“For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God... in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.” (Romans 8:19–21)
Creation is not abandoned; it is liberated. Likewise, the Bible ends not with humanity escaping the earth, but with God's dwelling coming to earth in a renewed creation (Revelation 21–22). The Christian hope is therefore in a renewed creation.
Throughout Scripture, God's future promises motivate present obedience. Christians pray, "Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:10), and are called to live as citizens of that coming kingdom now.
Knowing that God will restore creation does not diminish our responsibility. Instead, it shapes how we live today. Just as Christians pursue justice even though Christ will one day establish perfect justice, we care for creation because we know it belongs to God and has a future in His redemptive plan.
An illustration may help. Imagine an ancient cathedral scheduled for careful restoration. Knowing that skilled craftsmen will restore it does not justify vandalising it in the meantime. Rather, we would seek to preserve and honour it until its restoration is complete. Likewise, Christians care for God's creation because it is precious to Him and destined for renewal.
Scripture consistently teaches that "The earth is the LORD's and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein" (Psalm 24:1). We are stewards, not owners. Caring for creation is therefore an act of worship that recognises God's ownership and goodness.
Creation care is also an expression of loving our neighbour. Environmental degradation disproportionately affects the poor and vulnerable through rising temperatures, food insecurity, biodiversity loss, flooding, and declining public health. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)*, climate change is already increasing risks to food systems, water security, human health, and ecosystems worldwide. Likewise, the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES)** estimates that around one million species face extinction, largely due to human activities. These realities remind Christians that environmental stewardship is inseparable from caring for people made in God's image.
In Singapore, this connection is especially relevant. As a densely populated island nation vulnerable to sea-level rise and regional climate impacts, faithful stewardship includes reducing waste, conserving biodiversity, and supporting sustainable communities—not merely for environmental reasons, but because loving God includes loving our neighbours affected by ecological degradation.
Creation care does not mean Christians believe they can save the world through environmental action alone. Scripture teaches that the ultimate renewal of creation is God's work through Jesus Christ.
This frees Christians from both complacency and despair. We neither neglect creation because "God will fix it," nor place the burden of saving the planet upon ourselves. Instead, we faithfully participate in God's mission, knowing that our labour in the Lord is not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58).
Creation care therefore becomes an expression of Christian hope. Every act of stewardship—whether protecting habitats, reducing waste, advocating for wise policies, or cultivating gratitude for God's world—bears witness to the coming kingdom in which all creation will be restored.
Thank you for letting us know.
