Nature

<<natural world, temperament>>

The care of the earth was entrusted to man who is to have supremacy over the other forms of created life. The resources of the earth were provided for humanity’s benefit, to be used but not abused (Gen 1:28, 2:15, 9:1-3; Ps 115:16). Nature is to be respected and admired but not worshipped – this is reserved exclusively for God (Ex 20:4-6; Deut 4:15-20; Rom 1:25). The natural world reveals the handiwork of God that convinces many people of His existence (Ps 19:1-6; Rom 1:19,20). The vast multitude of different expressions in nature shows an infinite God of power, beauty and intricate detail, who keeps all things in place by the word of His power (Heb 1:3). Various laws or principles of orderliness and consistency, such as gravity, the seasons, and sowing and reaping govern the realm of nature. When mankind sinned in the Garden of Eden all of nature came under a curse (Gen 3:17,18; Rom 8:19-22). Natural disasters such as floods, storms and other climatic phenomena are caused by this.

We can only act according to our nature, and physically, we were born with a sinful nature (Ps 51:5).

It is God’s desire that we repent of our sin and turn from this sin-corrupted nature and lifestyle, accepting in it's place the Godly nature, which is at the heart of salvation (2 Cor 5:17). Once we are believers we are to live by the

Which nature is most evident in my life?

new master’s rule of “Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh" and “Put off the old and put on the new” (Gal 5:16; Eph 4:22-24). John the Baptist said, “Jesus must increase and I must decrease” (Jn 3:30). We should also reflect the character qualities of Jesus as typified by the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Gal 5:22,23). Christ’s Kingdom should be continually advancing in our lives, replacing the corruption with His truth and life. As Christians we still have resident within us the old nature but it is our continual choice whether we respond to it or reckon it to be dead and live the new life in Christ (Rom 6:6,11-14, 8:2). Paul said, "I die daily" to the old nature and live the new life in Christ by faith (1 Cor 15:31; Gal 2:20). It is exchanging our past sinful nature for the His divine nature; however we still sin on a regular basis though as the sinful nature is always looking for an opportunity to capitalize on any areas of weakness (Rom 7:14-25; Jas 1:14,15; 1 Pet 5:8; 2 Pet 1:4). As Christians we do not intentionally pursue that ungodly pathway that is deeply entrenched in our humanity (1 Jn 3:4-10). We reap what we sow – feeding the sinful nature results in spiritual death while sowing to please the Lord will result in eternal life (Rom 8:6,13; Gal 6:7,8).