For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. -Romans 8:22 (ESV)
Colin Kruse, commenting on this verse, rightly notes that, “humanity and the subhuman creation share together in this groaning and suffering as they await liberation.” The next verse (v. 23) indicates that Paul has the sub-creation in view in this particular verse. Although, the argument as a whole joins the two (human and non-human creation) as “groaning together.”
There are two ditches Christians tend to fall into concerning the created order (i.e. environment) and passages like these serve to remind us of those ditches. The first ditch is to believe God is solely interested in the redemption of the human race and that the non-human creation serves simply as a background and exists peripherally to God’s concerns.
The second ditch is the believe that God’s need to do redemptive work in creation is proof that mankind should not use or take dominion of the earth. Both of these are false. Humanity and the created order God meant for us to steward stands together in need of redemption.
All this reminds us of John’s vision and potentially helps put our eschatology in better perspective.
Revelation 21:1–4 (ESV): 21 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
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