A. Romans 8: 18-23 gives us evidence that the new creation will in fact be a re-newed creation. Romans 8 says, "For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God... in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God."

"The creation", that is, this present creation, "will be set free from its slavery to corruption." If it is "set free", then it is not destroyed utterly and finally by the Second Coming of Christ, but is renewed. Being completely destroyed forever would not be a setting free. Rather, Christ comes and destroys the corruption and chaos of the present Creation.

What, then, is meant by "creation"- what will be set free, renewed? There is no picking and choosing of creatures in creation that will be set free, for it says, wonderously, "the creation", and even, "the whole creation" in verse 22. Granted, we can imagine that some creatures were perhaps (this is conjecture) given as part of the curse of the Fall in Genesis 3, such as mosquitos and unhealthy germs, but even these could well be conceived as good things gone bad through the general entropy, the unwinding, of this present evil age. Maybe the HIV virus will rejoice along with the rest of creation when it not merely returns to its long-lost original and health promoting form, but to some greater form than it ever was! By adding "whole creation" after "creation", Scripture seems to indicate that there is nothing under the sun, or in the shining heavens themselves, that will not be renewed.

We should expect then, on the testimony of Romans 8, that dogs, frogs, cats, mice, ants, trees, mountains, hummingbirds, fish, rivers, grass, metals, rocks, stars, Christian rockstars, and maybe even the flu bug will all be renewed to a form that makes their present state look like the caterpillar before it takes colorful flight from its' cocoon. For just as we elect humans shall be made powerful, imperishable, glorious, and spiritual (1 Corinthians 15: 42-44), so also the rest of this precious creation will be birthed into something much greater!