Why is the creation groaning?
Creation groans because it was subjected to futility and corruption due to the human fall. Intended to reflect God's love through perfected humanity, the universe lost its central partner when Adam and Eve failed to fulfill the Three Great Blessings. Creation now yearns for humanity's restoration, eagerly awaiting true children of God to establish righteous dominion and bring forth the world of ideal love and harmony for which it was originally designed.
The question "Why is the creation groaning?" delves into the suffering and brokenness evident throughout the natural world, a condition that stands in stark contrast to the original perfection God intended. This groaning is not merely a metaphor but a palpable reality, reflecting a fundamental disharmony between creation and its Creator, rooted in humanity's deviation from its original purpose.
The Biblical Foundation for Creation's Groaning
The Bible explicitly describes the natural world as suffering, attributing this condition directly to the fall of humanity. In Genesis, after Adam and Eve's disobedience, God tells Adam, "cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee" (Genesis 3:17-18). This curse signifies a profound alteration in the relationship among humanity, nature, and God, transforming a harmonious environment into a source of hardship.
The Apostle Paul elaborates on this further in Romans 8:19-22: "For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now." Here, Paul reveals several key insights:
1. Creation's Expectation: The "creature" – the entire natural world – eagerly awaits the "manifestation of the sons of God," revealing that humanity's restoration is intrinsically linked to creation's release. 2. Subjection to Vanity: Creation was made "subject to vanity" (futility or emptiness) not by its own will, but by God’s decree as a consequence of human sin. This "vanity" refers to its deviation from its original purpose and order. 3. Bondage of Corruption: Creation is currently in "bondage of corruption," experiencing decay, disorder, and imbalance, a direct result of the fallen human condition. 4. Groaning and Travail: The "whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together," vividly portraying its agony and longing for redemption, likened to birth pangs anticipating a new era.
This biblical narrative clearly establishes that creation’s suffering is a direct consequence of the human fall and is intertwined with humanity's destiny.
Divine Principle's Clarification of the Groaning
The Divine Principle deeply elaborates on the biblical understanding, providing a systematic explanation for creation's groaning. All things were created by God, who possesses original internal character and original essential external form, as well as original essential masculinity and original essential femininity (Genesis 1:26-27). This means God is a Person with intellect, emotion, and will, who created all things with purpose, design, energy, and matter, resembling His attributes. God's purpose for creation was to gain joy through object partners who resemble Him (Genesis 1:31). Human beings, created in God's image, were intended to be His true children, fulfilling the Three Great Blessings (Genesis 1:28): individual perfection (being fruitful), establishing God-centered families (multiplying), and exercising righteous dominion over creation (filling the earth and subduing it).
The universe was created to be God's object partner, reflecting His dual characteristics and receiving His love through perfected humanity. Humanity, positioned as the lords of creation, was designed to be the central medium through which God's love and dominion would be transmitted to the natural world. However, humanity fell before fulfilling the Three Great Blessings. This failure meant humanity did not become the true lord of creation and the central object of goodness for God and the universe. Instead of developing through the three stages of growth to perfection and inheriting God's true love, humanity severed its connection with God through the Fall. This act of reversing God's providence meant that the intended loving relationship between God and humanity, and subsequently between humanity and creation, was broken. The universe, created to be a direct reflection of God through perfected humanity, lost its central partner.
Therefore, the groaning of creation, as described in Romans, is the manifestation of the universe's longing for its true owner—the perfected human being—who can rightly mediate God's love and order to it. Creation desires to be governed by true love and truth, which only humanity, restored to its original nature, can provide. It yearns for the day when humanity will fulfill its original purpose as God's representative and steward, bringing forth a world of genuine love and harmony. Without humanity's perfection, the universe cannot fully actualize its own potential or experience the joy it was created to reflect. The groaning is a lament for the unfulfilled purpose and the absence of its rightful master, a master who, aligned with God, would bring true dominion and peace.
Understanding the Deeper Meaning and Restoration
The groaning of creation, therefore, is not merely suffering but also an earnest expectation for redemption. Just as a mother in labor groans with pain but anticipates the joy of birth, so too does creation groan, awaiting humanity's restoration. This restoration, according to the Divine Principle, begins with the Messiah, who comes to fulfill the Three Great Blessings that Adam and Eve failed to achieve. Through the Messiah, humanity can be "engrafted" back into God's lineage and achieve individual perfection, establish ideal families rooted in God's love, and finally exercise true dominion over creation.
This process of restoration involves human effort and responsibility. As we strive to perfect ourselves, multiply God-centered families, and care for the environment with true love and responsibility, we gradually alleviate creation's suffering. The ultimate deliverance "from the bondage of corruption" will occur when humankind collectively manifests as the "children of God" (Romans 8:21), establishing a world of true love and living according to God's original ideal. The hope for creation lies intrinsically in humanity's re-establishment of faith, love, and obedience to God, thus becoming the righteous stewards it so desperately awaits.
Living the Principle
1. Cultivate reverence and gratitude for nature as God's creation, actively caring for the environment. 2. Strive for individual moral perfection and integrity, recognizing its cosmic impact on all things. 3. Build loving, God-centered families that reflect God's image, understanding they are the foundation for a harmonious world. 4. Become responsible stewards in all areas of life, reflecting God's love and dominion in our actions toward creation.
These answers explain the Bible in the light of the Divine Principle, the teachings of Reverend Sun Myung Moon. Read about the author, Sun Myung Moon.
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Sources and further reading
- The Holy Bible, King James Version — Scripture quoted and referenced throughout the answers.
- The Divine Principle (full text) — The complete text of the Divine Principle, the teaching of Reverend Sun Myung Moon that these answers explain.
- Unification texts library (tparents.org) — Large online library of Unification texts, sermons and collected speeches, including the Cheon Seong Gyeong.
- Short video lectures in English — Playlist of short English video lectures presenting these same principles.