The first and greatest of all commandments Jesus in Mark’s Gospel Chapter 12: 29 – 31 reminds a young Pharisee lawyer, “Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is One Lord: 30, And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength, writes Bishop Tutai Pere.

31, And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love they neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these”. And in Mathew 22:40, Jesus adds: “On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets”.

On these two commandments also hangs on a balance all of our world’s current concerns and predicaments, which from the beginning of times was borne out of human disobedience, resulting in Adamic sin, curses and death but rescued, restored and reconciled back unto God by a second Adam, Jesus Christ the Righteous.

Vertical standard of the Cross points to One God Only (Jesus Christ – Immanuel = God With Us – Mt. 1:21 & 23) and horizontal crossbar embraces humanity, on that cross he confessed on humanity’s behalf and by his atoning blood sacrifice he freely offered forgiveness of sins once and for all (Col. 1:19 – 20).

True, salvation is free but ain’t cheap, neither instant nor shortcut: but the same process through which humanity began from birth to death, from the womb to the tomb, from the cradle to the grave, has beginning and ending.

Such also is our spiritual new birth – born again (repentance), born of the water (water baptism in Jesus Name), born of the spirit (receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost), in order to enter God’s eternal kingdom (John 3:3 & 5 and Acts 2:38 & 39).

“Jesus Christ, the way, truth and life, no one shall ever get to heaven but by him alone” ( Jn. 14:6). “Neither is there salvation in any other, there is none other name under heaven, given among men whereby we must be saved – but Jesus Christ” (Acts 2:12).

A stiff-necked people

Humanity still continue to drift and turn away from the All-powerful, All-Knowing, All-present and All-supplying Creator God of the heavens and earth, and because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.

Humanity in general truly has turned away and therefore lost reverence and acknowledgement of their One Supreme, Self-existent Creator God of the Bible; worshipping his own man-made-multi-polytheistic idol gods, thereby and foremost lost the love, care and accountability for one another, but hard-pressed for the care of that which he had not made but exploited and abused through manipulative greed and selfishness, and therefore tries to act as saviour of the world of nature, humanity and for the survival of the planet and species.

What has caused adverse effects in human society and nature?

It was human sins and denial of the one Creator God of the heavens and the earth revealed and manifested in Jesus Christ. 1) The fall of Adam and Eve through disobedience (Genesis 3 – 5), 2) Flood covered the whole earth – Noah, his family of eight were saved (Genesis 6 – 10), 3) Cities of Sodom and Gomorrah destroyed with brimstone and fire from heaven – saving but only three, Lot and his two daughters (Genesis 19), 4) Exiles of the Jews to Egypt, Babylonia and Assyria. It’s the same set of questions we can ask why? And same answer to  climate change, environmental impacts, food shortages, economic inflations, natural disasters, fire infernos, flood deluge, making of nuclear arsenals, social and political unrests, diseases, poverty, malnutrition, injustice, unjust wars and so forth.

It still comes down to sins and denial of the one true God of the Bible manifested and revealed in Jesus Christ.

What is the answer and solution to human’s dilemma and predicament?

Its personal, individual, family, local community, church, government, all institutions, businesses, companies, national, regional, international, global confession of sins, repentance, turnaround to the One True God of the Bible, accept salvation in Jesus Christ, walk and live the truth in Jesus Christ, get saved and live saved in Jesus Christ for ever.

So easy and simple it is to return to God and repent. Any sin can be forgiven, even being disrespectful to God. He wants to forgive us and willing to forgive pretty much everything. However, don’t feel that His willingness to forgive gives us the freedom to do whatever we want. God does have a bottom line and a final say in everything – good or bad.  Just do right all shall be restored.

Closing Prayer: “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgiven their sin, and heal their land” – 2 Chronicles 7:14.

God bless our planet earth, the whole world of humanity and nature big or small, rich or poor, strong or weak – all holding regional summit meetings in Rarotonga, our Pacific Island nations and God bless our beloved Cook Islands.