Taking Dominion
On a starry night as we look into the heavens and consider the vastness of God’s creation, it is easy to follow David’s reasoning: “What is man that you are mindful of him” (Ps 8:4)? What is our role in this creation? In the immensity of the sun, moon, and stars and the complexity of insects, plants, fish, birds and animals, what did God intend for us to be?
The answer is simple. We are exactly what God said we would be: “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion... be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion” (Gen 1:26, 28). Because we are in “the image of God,” we have an eternal soul and share God’s abilities to think, feel, plan, and remember. We are also in a unique position over the material creation. Being “in his image” also includes: “You have crowned him with glory and honor. You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet” (Ps 8:5-6).
God created the immensity and complexity of the universe with the goal of allowing man’s creative genius and human power to rule. The power of oil, natural gas, electricity, and the atom were all created within our reach and to be under our control. Chemicals, metals, and the physics to bend them to our will were also created “under our feet” so we could “subdue and have dominion.”
Look around your home and marvel at the dominion God has given. With electricity, Freon, and natural gas we heat and cool our home, car, water, food, and beverages. With electricity, silicone, plastic, and metal we have created the telephone and television to talk and watch events all over the world. With electricity, oil, and metal, we fly, drive, transport goods by ship, train and truck. Through such things we “have dominion” and “subdue” the earth. All of this was a part of God’s plan.
Did Adam’s sin change this? Clearly much of our dominion changed after sin entered the world and death through sin (Rom 5). But we cannot deny the facts. Even after sin it was God’s intent that man take the tools and materials he created and take dominion in the material realm.
What has been debated through the centuries is whether this dominion also includes our spiritual man. When sin entered the world we know God began to work out his eternal purpose of salvation through Christ Jesus (Eph 1:3-5; 3:9-11). Is this plan different or consistent with the material creation? Do the same opportunities exist to take dominion over sin and righteousness as over the heavens and the earth? Did God plan through Jesus that spiritual power and spiritual materials be created for us to take dominion just as he did in the material creation? Was it God’s intent that we be completely dependant upon Him or that we use Christ’s blood, the power of God’s word, and the power of prayer to take back what we lost in the fall?
Some people contend that salvation is by grace only and thus differs from the dominion we hold over the material creation. Because of grace our role in salvation is completely passive. They say we can do nothing and we must wait for God to do it for us. Yet the premise is completely false. Name one thing in the material creation that is not just as much a gift of grace as Jesus’ blood upon the cross. The entire material creation was a gift of grace! There is nothing in either realm that is not an act of unmerited favor. In both the scheme of redemption and the material creation everything man could not do, God did and everything God left for man to do was God’s gift of dominion to us - a vital part of being “in his image.”
Who could possibly explain the difference between the grace Jesus gave us as the Word in the material creation (Jn 1:1-3) and the grace Jesus gave us as Redeemer on the cross? Just as his divine power created the heavens and the earth, “his divine power hath granted unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness” (2Pet 1:3-5). There is no question God gave Adam and Eve precious and exceeding great promises in the Garden. In the same way he “granted to us his precious and exceeding great promises” pertaining “to life and godliness.” By the grace of God, we can use the power of the blood and the promise of salvation and “through these” “become partakers of the divine nature.”
Since all the above is true we are not passive but actively seeking dominion. God expects us to take the power and materials of the gospel and take dominion! Who but ourselves can “put to death therefore your members which are upon the earth,” “put away the old man,” “put on the new man,” and “put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” (Col 3:5; Eph 4:22, 24; 6:11)?
It is “for this very reason” that we must “apply all diligence” (2Pet 1:5) in the spiritual realm just as we did in the material realm. For thousands of years electricity, oil, and natural gas waited for us to take dominion. How many today wait for God to give them dominion, but “do not have because you do not ask” using the tool of prayer (James 4:2)? Must we wait for God to take dominion over temptation or use the tools he gave us to “resist the devil.” (Jas 4:7)? God told us that if we “apply all diligence” and we add “virtue, knowledge, self-control, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love” to our faith we “will be neither barren nor unfruitful,” and “make your call and election sure.” He said that “if you do these things you will never stumble,” and your entrance “into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” will be “abundantly supplied.”
How much clearer can God make it? We did not take dominion in the material creation until we gave diligence and use the tools God gave. We will not take dominion over sin until we give diligence and use the tools God gave. This is exactly what the grace of God teaches us. “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age” (Titus 2:11-12).
The answer is simple. We are exactly what God said we would be: “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion... be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion” (Gen 1:26, 28). Because we are in “the image of God,” we have an eternal soul and share God’s abilities to think, feel, plan, and remember. We are also in a unique position over the material creation. Being “in his image” also includes: “You have crowned him with glory and honor. You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet” (Ps 8:5-6).
God created the immensity and complexity of the universe with the goal of allowing man’s creative genius and human power to rule. The power of oil, natural gas, electricity, and the atom were all created within our reach and to be under our control. Chemicals, metals, and the physics to bend them to our will were also created “under our feet” so we could “subdue and have dominion.”
Look around your home and marvel at the dominion God has given. With electricity, Freon, and natural gas we heat and cool our home, car, water, food, and beverages. With electricity, silicone, plastic, and metal we have created the telephone and television to talk and watch events all over the world. With electricity, oil, and metal, we fly, drive, transport goods by ship, train and truck. Through such things we “have dominion” and “subdue” the earth. All of this was a part of God’s plan.
Did Adam’s sin change this? Clearly much of our dominion changed after sin entered the world and death through sin (Rom 5). But we cannot deny the facts. Even after sin it was God’s intent that man take the tools and materials he created and take dominion in the material realm.
What has been debated through the centuries is whether this dominion also includes our spiritual man. When sin entered the world we know God began to work out his eternal purpose of salvation through Christ Jesus (Eph 1:3-5; 3:9-11). Is this plan different or consistent with the material creation? Do the same opportunities exist to take dominion over sin and righteousness as over the heavens and the earth? Did God plan through Jesus that spiritual power and spiritual materials be created for us to take dominion just as he did in the material creation? Was it God’s intent that we be completely dependant upon Him or that we use Christ’s blood, the power of God’s word, and the power of prayer to take back what we lost in the fall?
Some people contend that salvation is by grace only and thus differs from the dominion we hold over the material creation. Because of grace our role in salvation is completely passive. They say we can do nothing and we must wait for God to do it for us. Yet the premise is completely false. Name one thing in the material creation that is not just as much a gift of grace as Jesus’ blood upon the cross. The entire material creation was a gift of grace! There is nothing in either realm that is not an act of unmerited favor. In both the scheme of redemption and the material creation everything man could not do, God did and everything God left for man to do was God’s gift of dominion to us - a vital part of being “in his image.”
Who could possibly explain the difference between the grace Jesus gave us as the Word in the material creation (Jn 1:1-3) and the grace Jesus gave us as Redeemer on the cross? Just as his divine power created the heavens and the earth, “his divine power hath granted unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness” (2Pet 1:3-5). There is no question God gave Adam and Eve precious and exceeding great promises in the Garden. In the same way he “granted to us his precious and exceeding great promises” pertaining “to life and godliness.” By the grace of God, we can use the power of the blood and the promise of salvation and “through these” “become partakers of the divine nature.”
Since all the above is true we are not passive but actively seeking dominion. God expects us to take the power and materials of the gospel and take dominion! Who but ourselves can “put to death therefore your members which are upon the earth,” “put away the old man,” “put on the new man,” and “put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” (Col 3:5; Eph 4:22, 24; 6:11)?
It is “for this very reason” that we must “apply all diligence” (2Pet 1:5) in the spiritual realm just as we did in the material realm. For thousands of years electricity, oil, and natural gas waited for us to take dominion. How many today wait for God to give them dominion, but “do not have because you do not ask” using the tool of prayer (James 4:2)? Must we wait for God to take dominion over temptation or use the tools he gave us to “resist the devil.” (Jas 4:7)? God told us that if we “apply all diligence” and we add “virtue, knowledge, self-control, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love” to our faith we “will be neither barren nor unfruitful,” and “make your call and election sure.” He said that “if you do these things you will never stumble,” and your entrance “into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” will be “abundantly supplied.”
How much clearer can God make it? We did not take dominion in the material creation until we gave diligence and use the tools God gave. We will not take dominion over sin until we give diligence and use the tools God gave. This is exactly what the grace of God teaches us. “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age” (Titus 2:11-12).