Eco Theology: Redemption of All Things

Eco Theology: a series which explores the theology of creation care in bite-size chunks

Redemption of All Things

Have you ever had one of those total eye-opening, aha moments?  You know, the ones where some new experience or piece of information makes everything come together?  Where a puzzle piece suddenly makes the big picture so much clearer? Where in a split second your brain processes a world of thoughts?  Where in the blink of an eye your worldview was transformed and your life changed?

I had one a few years ago.  While some key foundations had been laid, it was the discovery of the fact that God was redeeming all of creation, not just individual souls, that was that moment for me in my journey to care for God’s creation.  Two critical passages opened up my eyes to the breadth of Christ’s redeeming work.  This was the turning point for me.  So, please let me share it with you.

Romans 8:19-23

For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies.

Christians believe that there will be a day when Christ redeems mankind. However, we often forget or don’t even realize (as it was in my case) that the scope of His redemption is much grander. In last week’s post on the brokenness of creation we that despite the commands to care for creation in the Old Testament, creation is fallen and awaits redemption.

The broader scope of redemption is now made clear in this passage.  Just as God’s children await redemption (verse 23) so creation longs for redemption as well (verse 19).  One day it will be set free from its brokenness.  Restoration will come.  You see, up to this point in my journey I had boxed God in so tight that I failed to see that the scope of His redemption is much broader than saving souls (as great as that is). But here I began to see that the coming redemption will include the restoration of all of God’s creation.

The Peace Lily

Colossians 1:15-20

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation;  for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers– all things have been created through him and for him.  He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together.  He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything.  For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,  and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.

If there was any lingering doubt after the Romans passage, it became crystal clear upon a closer reading of Colossians 1:15-20.  Here in Colossians we see that Christ is going to reconcile “all things.”  The Greek here does not at all indicate that this means “all people,” but rather clearly indicates that “the all” (or all things) is being reconciled.  Donald Bloesch in his book The Last Things notes that, "we hope not simply for our own salvation but also for the redemption of the cosmos.”

The coming redemption will include the restoration of ALL of creation. “Nothing lies outside the creative redemptive scope of God’s grace” (Steven Bouma-Prediger in For the Beauty of the Earth). Our God is so amazing that He is working to redeem all of His creation: plants, animals, you, me.  All that He made.

It is helpful to note that it is the same “all things” that were created in Christ Jesus (verse 16) that were reconciled to Him (verse 20).  It is so important here to note that the Creator is also the Redeemer.  My favorite early church father, Athanasius, said the following in the 4th century: “The renewal of creation has been wrought by the Self-same Word Who made it in the beginning.  There is thus no inconsistency between creation and salvation; for the One Father has employed the same Agent for both works, effecting the salvation of the world through the same Word Who made it in the beginning.”  The very God who created all of His glorious creation is now re-creating it.  There is no inconsistency because the Creator is the Redeemer, the Re-Creator.  Do you see what a beautiful, poetic idea that is?

Sometimes we Christians settle for a less than complete theology and view of what the Bible says.  We settle for an incomplete gospel.  But the gospel – the GOOD NEWS – is so great!  It is God coming into our world.  It is the arrival, the in-breaking of God’s Kingdom.  It is good news for the poor, the sick, the captive, the broken.  It is freedom and healing.  It is new life and a new way of living.  It is reconciliation.  And it is the redemption of all of God’s creation.

You see this is where I get so excited about this. About the magnitude of God’s plan. About the amazing beauty of His restored creation. About the possibility of being a part of that work. We worship an incredible God who has come into our broken world to redeem all things.  How exciting!

Also consider:

Eco Theology: Repair Needed

Green Verses: Romans 8:19-23

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