The Natural World
Chapter nine marks the beginning of part IV (of V) in the book. This part is entitled, “Our Taks in the World” and looks to be quite practical and helpful. Let’s begin by taking a look at Marshall’s take on the natural world.
God values nature and as God’s image bearers, we too value it too. The tendency in our society is to go to one extreme or the other. To either over-value nature to the point of wanting to keep it pristine, or to underv-value nature because its destined for final destruction. The Christian view of nature keep us from both extremes. God’s command to us is to be stewards of the natural world. Marshall states that there are two aspects to God’s command: “to properly cultivate the earth and to preserve it, it to use it and maintain it.” (p 128)
Marshall documents the common failure of Christian in this area and the false idea of “domination” that results. Stewardship is not domination. As stewards of the earth, our responsibility is far-reaching in scope and steward properly, we must treat things “in the way that God calls us to treat them.” (p 132)
eye catching images its lovely