The Dominion of God's Image Bearers

In the book of Genesis we read that God gave man dominion over the earth.

This is not a result of some evolutionary process. Mankind is not window minion because they won some contest of the survival of the fittest. This is the work of God. God gave man dominion over the works of his hands being made in the image of God? Responsibility goes command to fill the earth and subdue it and to have dominion over every living thing seems clear enough but still there's plenty of controversy as to what that which our teacher today on Renewing Your Mind is country betrayals. My assignment is when discussing what it means to be made in the image of God focuses really on Genesis chapter 1 verse 28 and I am given the subject to address what it means to exercise dominion as God has issued this command and duty and responsibility to man kind.

In the end of Genesis chapter 1, we find ourselves at the sixth final and climactic day of creation in these closing verses of Genesis chapter 1 the writer focuses our attention on the chief of all creation, mankind, God will create man and woman as this chapter closes and verses 26 through 31 that present these sovereign acts to us tell us several things about mankind that we need to remember right up front.

First, we are reminded that God created man God created man himself. In fact, distinct and different from the rest of creation. The Bible tells us that God declared, let us make man in our own image and after our own likeness.

God created man. Our existence is not the result of some evolutionary process. We are the handiwork of all mighty God.

God created us. Likewise, we need to be reminded that God created us, as mentioned in his own image and after his own likeness.

We are more than glorified animals. There is a dignity with which God has created mankind. That is unique in all of creation. We have been created in the very image of all mighty God. This denotes personality sharing the image of God, indicates mind, will and emotion but not just personality but morality and even spirituality. God created us God created us in his own image and thirdly, God created us male and female.

This again this not an accident of nature.

This is the divine wisdom the sovereign authority of the good pleasure of Almighty God, male and female he created them when we get to Genesis chapter 1 verse 28 we are told several further key truths about mankind. As God has created us. The Bible says in Genesis 128 and God bless them, and God said to them, be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth, ever.

28.

We are now on the other side of the creation of man and simply.

This verse tells us two fundamental facts about the way in which God created man in his response to man as he created him first verse 28 says that God blessed man.

God blessed man. The statement that begins verse 28 about the blessings of God on humanity on mankind's own one and a statement about the character of God, is it not to statement about his goodness and his kindness and his benevolence from the moment he created us, God in his good pleasure has leaned his compassion toward us to bless us God blessed us but were not only is this a statement about the character in ways and goodness of God.

It is also a statement about the chief end of man. We have been created to glorify God and to enjoy him forever. When we are the beneficiaries of divine blessings so that we might sing praise to his high name and that we might enjoy our God forever or the words of the apostle Paul in Ephesians chapter 1 he declares that we should bless God because God the father has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. For those of us who are in Christ Jesus, how much more do we have every reason to even in critical moments like this to rejoice always to pray without ceasing to give thanks in all circumstances, as this is the will of God concerning us in Christ Jesus. First Thessalonians chapter 5 verses 16 and 18, God blessed man but not only the God blessed man.

Verse 28 says God commanded mankind.

God getting a diverse issues, blessings, and then in the rest of the verse, God issues commands. The Bible says in verse 28 and God blessed them, and then it says God said, God bless them, and God began to issue commands here we have a reference to divine revelation God the very beginning of his relationship to man reveals himself to be a speaking God. We are the beneficiaries of this speaking God in the sacred Scriptures. Paul tells us in second Timothy three verse 16 that all Scripture is breathed out by God and is profitable for teaching, and rebuke and correction and training in righteousness.

The fact that God issues these commands is an affirmation of divine revelation. It is also an affirmation of divine authority, man is not independent man is not autonomous man is is a free moral agent, but he is not in charge. He is under the commands of Almighty God.

So this verse affirms as God issues these commands divine revelation. It also affirms divine authority. It also affirms trust divine purpose.

These commands revealed God's intentions for the man and the woman that he created. And of course for all of mankind God. Verse 28 blessed mankind and then God commanded mankind the commands here.

Flesh out the blessing that God gives important to remember here that the blessing and the command go together in the self-centered culture that we live in even the superficial mindset of professing Christians would think that a life of blessedness is freedom to do your own thing here we are reminded that the blessings of God in the commands of God go together effect the opening song someone describes the blessed life saying blessed is the man that does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of scoffers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord and in his law, Betsy meditate day and night. The life of blessedness is not just a life that is separated from the ways of the world, but it is a life that is submissive to the word of God infects saturated by the truth of God's word.

As we delight in it and meditate on it day and night.

God here in this verse blesses mankind and commands mankind fact there are five commands that he gives here, be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion that these five commands reflect the twofold emphasis these five commands on one hand, affirmed again the dignity of mankind. God commands mankind to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.

There's a whole message here just on the dignity of mankind tied to marriage and family and childbearing and child raising. And then there's also the duty of mankind. All of these are commands he bids us to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth, subdue it and have dominion. It is this last command that I want to lean into in the time that we have together. They are to have dominion over the fish of the sea of the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth. What what what does this mean the God has commanded mankind to exercise dominion over his creation. There are many theological and theoretical discussions that arise from this theme here in Genesis 128 consider with me three big implications will lean into Juneau with me.

First of all, the source of human dominion.

I would just spend a moment here to affirm God gave man dominion. God did this, this, this is not the result of human achievement, human accomplishment, human effort. This is not something that mankind produced God gave mankind.

Dominion gave them rule assigned for the purpose of mankind to be if you will. Coal regions with him over the earth that he created.

But God did it.

This is not a result of some evolutionary process. Mankind is not window dominion because they've won some contest of the survival of the fittest.

This is the work of God. God gave man dominion over the works of his hands is a reminder of Romans 11 verse 36 that from God are all things and through him are all things that to him are all things that to him alone be the glory God has entrusted dominion over this earth that he created to mankind.

The chief of his creation. The only way we can be faithful to this high and holy calling is to remember that it is of God and is not of us. God is in charge. God rules and reigns over the heavens and the earth. God says the psalmist has established his throne in the heavens and his kingdom rules. Overall Psalm 103 verse 19 God is in charge, but only consider the source of human dominion. Consider the scope of it. The scope of it.

Genesis 128 tells us that he has given man dominion over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing in the fish of the sea, over all the he had created all life on earth that he created. This is expanded in Psalm eight, the psalmist declares, O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth, again reminding us of the source of every good and perfect gift you have set your glory above the heavens out of the mouth of babes and infants you have established strength because of your foes distilled the enemy and the avenger. When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the Son of Man that you care for him. Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. Psalm eight verse six. You have given him dominion over the works of your hands you will put all things under his feet.

All sheep and oxen and also the beast of the field, the birds of the heavens, the fish of the sea. Whatever passes along the paths of the sea, old Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all of the earth. There are no with me. The stewardship of human dominion. The stewardship of human dominion what what what in practical terms.

Does this mean for us to exercise dominion means we are stewards. Stewardship is management stewardship is management what what we possess. Does not belong to us. It belongs to God when I was a boy in my father's church stewardship would come up. It was typically about money, about offerings, but studying the sacred Scriptures. It is obvious that stewardship is a matter that is much bigger than just financial matters, even though of course it includes that the real sense we are where to live, practicing what you might call a total life stewardship, not not just our money but are our time and opportunities are gifts in our talents, our bodies, our speech are witness our relationship are all gifts of God that have been entrusted to us to steward to manage first Corinthians chapter 4 verse two states.

The bottom line of all stewardship that it is required of stewards that they be found faithful will be faithful with all that God has entrusted to us because we must give an account to the one who has entrusted us with the things that we possess none of it is ours. It is all of God.

In fact, that's the bottom line of Christian stewardship.

I can stated to you in four words, God owns it all.

You'll never understand any of the realities of our life stewardship properly. If it is not rooted in that fundamental truth. It all belongs to God. The psalmist subpoenaed God's records and gave an account for what God possesses and left it on record for us. Psalm 24 declares the earth is the Lords and the fullness thereof the world and they that dwell there in everything belongs to God.

Why Psalm 24 verse two because he has founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the waters God owns it all. Because God made it all with you simply stewards of all that God has entrusted to us those things we would personally possess our relationship to people around us from those closest to us to our duty to the nations in the world itself. We live with the stewardship before God. That should cause several reactions on our part to be faithful stewards of this dominion the gods entrusted to us. It must be our first and foremost priority to worship God to worship God to give honor to whom honor is due the honor to praise the one who is God alone who is from everlasting to everlasting. Then he says no, that the Lord he is God is he who has made us and we are here.

If this is the heart of worship is to recognize that we are created, and thus ask created beings, we belong to him. We are accountable to the God who created us.

Evolution ultimately is not a scientific theory is a theological position. It is the pride of mankind will find any way possible in his rebellion of sin to reject the truth that we are made by God and thus accountable to him, faithfulness to the God who has created us and given us dominion over his creation begins with our rightful acknowledgment and worship that he has created us and we are his, even at critical moments, even at critical moments.

Remember Job 1 with Job loses everything.

One of the great crises and calamities anyone faces in the Scriptures after losing everything, servants, cattle, sheep, oxen, houses, and all 10 of his children. The Bible says in Job 120. They shaved his head and tears calls but keep the house and worship Heisey. How does he worship if I can imagine some news reporter showing up at Joe's house and sticking the microphone in his mouth and say Mr. Job you lost everything. How are you feeling how are you able to handle it in Job answers. Job 121, he answers with an eternal perspective right neck and came my from my mother's womb, and neck. It shall I return. The Lord gave in the Lord is taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.

Worship God.

Secondly, live responsibly, live responsibly. By that I mean Colossians 3 verse 17 and what ever you do in word or indeed do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him that there are many intricate seeds of our stewardship to the world around us that we could discuss if we had time but one big calling of the Scriptures is just to make sure that whatever we do in word or deed, we just do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, that is, we do it in his authority.

We do it with his approval we do it for his acclaimed way to do all in the name of the Lord Jesus and the sign that you are doing it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, whatever you say or do in life that you're able to give thanks to God the father through him should worship God, we should live responsibly for more thing to consider quickly as we close the practice faithful stewardship before God.

We should worship God live responsibly work heartily proclaim Christ, but finally we should live in hope. We should live in hope.

Even in these sad and critical in tumultuous times we should live in hope, Bible says in Hebrews chapter 2 beginning in the middle of verse eight now and putting everything in subjection to him. He left nothing outside his control.

At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him, but we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. The Lord Jesus Christ who died across and rose from the dead, and is seated at the father's right hand is our Savior is our Lord and he is our Neva now trust the great perspective part of our duty as stewards of the earth is to live in the hope the Christ as our Savior. It was a privilege to have Dr. HB Charles Junior join us for our online streaming event made in the image of God. Several of our Wiccan or teaching fellows and other trusted pastors and teachers gathered to consider what it means to be image bearers of God rearing. Several of these messages this week to help you in your further study of this topic were offering Dr. RC Sproul's book the hunger for significance is a powerful reminder of what the Bible says about human dignity and that explains our search for meaning in this life will send you this nearly 270 page book.

When you give a donation of any amount to look in your ministries. You can find us online@renewingyourmind.org or you can simply call us with your gift at 800-435-4343, it was important for us to be informed about what's going on in the world but if you find yourself tiring of the talking heads and all the debates surrounding current events.

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Tomorrow will continue our theme of what it means to be made in the image of God