Q 88: How do the redeemed of the Lord exercise stewardship over the creation?

A 88: The redeemed of the Lord exercise stewardship over the creation by conserving and developing all the gifts of God and using all things for His glory in building the Church. (Ps. 24.1; Ps. 8; Deut. 22.6, 7; Ps. 119.89-91; 1 Cor. 10.31; Eph. 1.22, 23)

This is a much-neglected area of the divine economy, and for a variety of reasons. The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it. Human beings have been given responsibility over the creation, not to consume and destroy it, but to use, conserve, and develop it in ways that allow the goodness and fruitfulness of the Lord to increase continually. All things have been given to the Lord’s people for their service to the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 3.21-23), and for fulfilling His agenda of building His Church and advancing His Kingdom. The creation itself longs for the liberating care of the sons and daughters of God (Rom. 8.20, 21), and when they learn to respect and honor the creation, and to love it as the Lord Himself (Jn. 3.16), then the glory of God, “hidden” in the creation, will begin to be known to the watching world (Ps. 19.1-4; Prov. 25.2).

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