Genesis 1:26-28 "Then God said: let us make man in our image, in our likeness**), and let him rule ... over all the earth". That does not mean, as it was applied, that man can deal with his environment without responsibility; on the contrary. The original divine vision of mankind as the apex of the previous creation is meant, with qualities "in his likeness". This authority of man is a natural authority of people, who could "give names" to other beings and who could indeed deal with them responsibly. Genesis 2:15 names this responsibility this way: "The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden, to work it and take care of it". The Garden or the creation is a living one, unfolding more and more. Man later left his unity with God and his creation (see the Paradise story), and became selfish. The base was left, and so man must learn everything newly, instead of claiming some authority, which was valid for 'Adam and Eve' in the Paradise.The New Testament appreciates the creation too: In Romans 1:20 we read, that "since the creation of the world, God's invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, being understood by what has been made ...". Romans 8:19: "The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed" (other translation: "... for the redeemed human being", beings who become more perfect. Romans 8:22: "We know that the whole of creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time". Mark 16:15: "He said to them: 'Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation." (see Colossians 1:23 too).
Now Jesus Christ is helping, but he does not take over the human responsibility for other people and living beings. He helps, that human beings can become "perfect, as Your heavenly father is perfect" (Matthew 5:48); perfect as they were meant in their origin - a responsible "image of God". So creation becomes one again. But this depends on the human will to accept this help. Romans 1:20 even states that someone who continues living without God, "has no excuse".

The Revelation (concerning its nature see part 2 of our main text) indeed names catastrophic developments, which mankind or parts of mankind and nature might experience. But these concomitants in the time of divine corrections are not defined at any point as something positive or as the very divine goals. The Revelation neither excuses nor encourages people who contribute to the death of many species or other catastrophies. On the contrary, the Revelation looks at this civilization critically. The Revelation does not change the positive vision of the rest of the New Testament, for instance in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5 "The meek shall inherit the earth".)

*) This website is not a political one. Therefore we deliver only general viewpoints for such fields of life and no advice for special political agendas of the present time.

**) This could be looked at as a special pan-en-theistic view ("God is in his creation too") - not to be confused with pantheism ("God is everything"). However, the most direct relation between God and his creation is made possible by a human being (cf. John 14:21, 14:23; 15), who is aware of this connection, and who becomes more and more similar to Jesus. Enjoying the creation may lead to God too. But that "mysticism of creation" may lead people astray instead - if God would be only a word for one's own earthly things.

See also our page "basics of ethical values".