Last month a friend asked me a question—why did God allow the earthquake in Japan with so many people injured, dead or suffering?
I responded by saying this incident and all other terrible happenings on the planet are a result of sin. Upon hearing this response she asked another question which caused me to think that she reasoned that what I meant was that the people of Japan had sinned and hence merited the quake. Not wanting to suggest this, I clarified my statement by stating a scripture.
Rom 8:20-21 KJV
(20) For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
(21) Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
Everything that was created was made subject to corruption or decay or troubles the moment sin was introduced into the ‘once upon a time’ prefect creation of the Most High Creator, God, because the wages or result of sin is always death. That is a principle established in the garden of Eden. As sin increases, death pervades and increases too.
In simplified language, let’s assume for example purposes that the earth is the human body and poison is sin. If the poisonous substances enter the body, soon corruption occurs and different parts of the body start reacting. The body may hurt, swell, shiver, throw up and possibly die. The hurt, swelling, shivering and throwing up are all symptoms of the real problem—the ingested poison.
Such is the case with the earth. The earthquakes and other pestilences and famines are but symptoms of the real problem—SIN. All the ‘so called’ natural disasters, sicknesses and evil happenings can be classified under death which is the result or wage of sin. It has been so since the fall of man. That is why Jesus came to be made a ransom for creation and to atone for the sins of the creation. The sin problem has been addressed by God since the crucifixion of God but men of today do not want to hear that.
Sadly many do not accept the finished work of the cross and continue to invite death into creation as a result of sinful behavior. The earth as a consequence is not able to bear the weight of sin any longer. Yet still Man tries ever so hard to separate himself and live independent of God and His righteousness which is His nature or life. According to Romans 8, righteousness is the answer to sin and it has been given freely to those who will accept it and use it—taking advantage of the grace of God.
This righteousness has been given to everyone born of God but not many know how to engage it and mature in it. They remain children instead of growing into sons. As result creation is still waiting for deliverance from the firstfruits of salvation—born again saints of God, the partakers of the divine nature.
If there is to be any deliverance to come to the earth, it is to come from the sons of God to whom has been committed the ministry of reconciliation and deliverance (2Cor 5: Amp) and not from God. God has done His part. He gave His very life and blood for the salvation of the entire creation—the entire world (John 3:16) and not just for Christians. Christians are the first fruits but the entire creation is included in the whole package. The Sons are to take what they have received to the rest of creation.
Rom 8:19-24 AMP
(19) For [even the whole] creation (all nature) waits expectantly and longs earnestly for God’s sons to be made known [waits for the revealing, the disclosing of their sonship].
(20) For the creation (nature) was subjected to frailty (to futility, condemned to frustration), not because of some intentional fault on its part, but by the will of Him Who so subjected it–[yet] with the hope [Eccl. 1:2.]
(21) That nature (creation) itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and corruption [and gain an entrance] into the glorious freedom of God’s children.
(22) We know that the whole creation [of irrational creatures] has been moaning together in the pains of labor until now. [Jer. 12:4, 11.]
(23) And not only the creation, but we ourselves too, who have and enjoy the firstfruits of the [Holy] Spirit [a foretaste of the blissful things to come] groan inwardly as we wait for the redemption of our bodies [from sensuality and the grave, which will reveal] our adoption (our manifestation as God’s sons).
(24) For in [this] hope we were saved. But hope [the object of] which is seen is not hope. For how can one hope for what he already sees?
But Christians cannot take life to the world whilst the life i.e. the righteousness of God is trapped in their spirits (Rom 8:10). They need to allow the life to affect, energize and vitalize their dead bodies and souls. They need to allow God’s Zoe to conquer their dead bodies and replace the Bios. Without this, they cannot give true life to creation (Rom 8:10-11). Without this they themselves are not free of fleshly corruption like lusts and such.
Most saints live in verse 10. Their bodies are dead because of sin though their spirits are alive because of righteousness. A dead body cannot raise a dead creation back to life. Only a living one can by the same life with which it is enlightened or energized. This energizing or vitalizing is a work of the Holy Spirit but we must allow Him. He won’t force life on any person.
CONCLUSION
In ending, let us realize that God is life and all that He created has life. Consequently the earth and all the so called ‘inanimate objects’ are alive and can feel (Rom 8:21-22) and do speak (Hab 2:11, James 5:4, Luke 19:40). Currently, they are sick because of sin and need healing (2Chr 7:14)? The sons of God who manifest the nature of their Father in their spirit, souls and bodies are the agency through which God has designed to set creation free.
The solution is righteousness—the life of God. Righteousness is not doing things right. That is holiness. A study of Rom 8 shows us that righteousness is His very nature and this is the solution. It is made available freely through the vital work of Jesus. Let us all determine to grow up and mature in righteousness and become not just sons but mature sons who reveal the love of God to a dead and dying world—relevant to society and the world.
