Creation as Covenant

From Genesis to Revelation, Scripture reveals the Earth not merely as a resource but as a beloved work of God—imbued with sacred purpose and invited into divine relationship. In Genesis 2:15, God places humanity in the garden “to till it and keep it,” a charge that expresses both responsibility and reverence. This is not permission to dominate; it is a covenant to nurture. The land, waters, and creatures were declared "good" and entrusted to human hands with the expectation of care, justice, and gratitude.

• Creation care is not ancillary to faith—it is central. The prophets lament ecological collapse as a consequence of spiritual disobedience (Jeremiah 2:7, Isaiah 24), and Paul writes in Romans 8 of a groaning creation awaiting redemption. Jesus himself teaches with nature—lilies, birds, seeds—and demonstrates divine attention to every sparrow. To care for the Earth, especially within communities burdened by environmental racism, is to live out love of neighbor and to bear witness to the coming renewal where heaven and earth are reconciled. Creation is covenant—and the Church is called to keep it. 
• Genesis Mandate: Humanity’s original vocation “to till and to keep” the garden (Genesis 2:15) reflects divine trust in our stewardship.
• Prophetic Witness: Passages like Isaiah 24 and Jeremiah 2 speak to ecological collapse as a reflection of moral failure, reminding us that justice includes the land.
• Jesus and the Earth: Highlights Jesus’ reverence for creation—teaching among lilies, calming the storm, and using nature-based parables—suggesting that ecological awareness is embedded in the gospel message.
• Romans 8: Groaning for Renewal: Emphasize how the Earth itself longs for redemption, aligning creation care with eschatological hope.