Lesson Four The Cultural Mandate Revisited

After creation (Genesis 1: 28-30):

1. blessing / command: be fruitful, grow in number to fill the earth

2. subdue the earth: rule over the animals

3. I give you and all creatures plants for food

After fall and flood (Gen. 9: 1-3, 7)

1. blessing / command: be fruitful, grow in number to fill the earth

2. the earth has been subdued: the animals will submit

3. I give you plants and animals for food

1 Subdue the Earth

Many in the West blame Christianity for causing wars, yet Jesus never carried a weapon or condoned its use. When we use political or military solutions to solve the world’s problems, we miss the point. The world crises can all be traced back to the fall: the separation of God and humans. Only in reconciling God and humans, that is –in restoring the Kingdom of God- will all crises be solved.

Many in the West blame Christianity for the environmental problems. In 1967, historian Lynn White (in a publication, called "The Historical Roots of Our Ecological Crisis") criticized the Bible for being responsible for the environmental problems (crisis). This is, more or less, his line of reasoning: Western culture finds some of its roots in Christianity and the Bible. This book apparently teaches that humans are superior to other life forms and that humans are called to subdue the earth. So, naturally Western culture has exploited and abused the natural world, resulting in today’s environmental crisis. In other words: western culture is destructive in environmental terms because it finds its roots in biblical teaching which seems to give human beings a license to exploit the planet.

Does the call to ‘subdue the earth’ give humans a license to exploit and abuse God’s creation? Although some Christians have had a negative view of the physical creation, the Bible does not support such a view. God loved the world- therefore he sent Jesus to reclaim it for his glory. From the passages we have read it appears that ‘to subdue the earth’ is parallel to the command ‘to rule over the animals’. In biblical terms ‘ruling’ always implies responsibility in service, whereby humanity is accountable to God, who is the rightful ruler of all creation. (Communist countries have generally not shown a better record in planet-keeping than formerly-Christian countries.)

After the fall everything changed. Now animals were made to fear humans. This was to protect humans (the world no longer was a safe place) and to protect the animals (who were now given as food for humankind). The call to subdue the earth (as well as to rule over the animals) appears to have been lifted. We must not (if indeed some did) cling to the pre-fall mandate and apply it to a fallen humankind. So, if ‘Christians’ have abused the earth, then they have missed the point on several counts:

1. This command has been removed after the fall

2. ‘To rule over’ cannot be used to approve of any abusive action that destroys the world that God loved so much that He sent Jesus to save and restore it to his glory.

2 Fill the Earth

During the late sixties people in the West started to look at the world from a different perspective. Until then it was assumed to have unlimited resources. Now, however, the strong worldwide population growth was perceived as a serious threat to the wellbeing of the whole planet.
Paul Ehrlich wrote a book called ‘The Population Bomb’. It was meant to urge the world to slow down population growth as it was seen as the root of all evil. People looked at non-western countries and blamed them for having big families. Most westerners conveniently ignored the fact that (for instance) a two-child American family would consume much more and pollute much more than an African family of eight.

Again, Christianity and the Bible were blamed as a major cause of the problems. Does the Bible not command us to effectively reproduce and fill the earth?
Yes, the early humans were told by God to spread out into the earth. When proud Babel refused to do so in rebellion to God, God took the initiative to scatter them all over the planet. He wanted humanity to spread out from the Middle East into all regions.

Besides, the original and ultimate purpose was probably not a mere filling of the earth with human bodies.
I believe God had a greater plan in mind, because He had created humans in His Image. As such, humans displayed the glory of God. Therefore, God sought to fill the earth with his glory! When humans display in godliness and spiritual fruit the glory of God, and when humans make disciples of all people groups on earth, then the earth will be filled with the glory of God!

read: Colossians 1: 1-23

This passage has important lessons for us in how to pray. It is also full of creation references, so it gives us a good insight in the fulfillment of God’s real plan in the restoration of his Kingdom.
verse 6: All over the earth, the Good News is being fruitful and growing stronger. Here we find the same elements as in the Genesis mandates. When it comes to God’s glory, we finally see an effective growth that begins to fill the earth! Paul directly adds that this global movement is the result of local obedience. Just as the Gospel preaching was bearing fruit among you in Colosse, so it is spreading over all the earth.

verse 9, 10: What is happening at a global level must also happen at the personal level: Paul wants his readers to be growing in and to be full of God’s knowledge and the bearing of spiritual fruit! There appears to be a close link between the personal and congregational growth on the one hand and the global growth on the other. This is the Kingdom of God taking shape! Indeed, when we pray for God’s Kingdom to come we must think of both levels: inwardly in our personal and congregational lives, and outwardly into the whole world! Therefore, the prayer for and obedience in missions must be parallel to our prayer for and obedience in our sanctification: in growth in godliness and spiritual maturity! We must accompany this prayer with active obedience in personal spiritual growth! Only when the church of Christ has such personal growth can we expect it to bear fruit in making disciples!

This is what gives great joy to our King! In Luke 10, seventy of Jesus’ disciples return from their (first) short-term mission trip. They are excited about the Spirit’s power they had experienced, and Jesus was full of joy as he hears their reports.

Jesus was the Light who came into the (dark) world to restore His Kingdom. He went through the deepest darkness to bring us into his light. This is the Kingdom of God’s Beloved Son! This is the theme of the Bible: restoring God’s rule; rebuilding His Kingdom; re-creating heaven and earth!
Therefore Paul continues by reminding us that the Son was there already in the beginning, involved in the creation. And now, He is instrumental in the inauguration of the new Kingdom. The first Adam, even though he had been created in God’s glorious image, was unable to fill the earth with God’s glory. But Jesus –the second Adam- is the perfect image of God (v.15); God’s fullness lives in him (v.19), and therefore he is able to fill the earth with God’s glory!
Jesus has restored the break between God and his creation (heaven and earth). The Good News, this sound of good fortune is filling the earth. This is the Good News that is proclaimed to all nations. Paul’s reference to ‘all creatures’ is another link to Genesis 9. In fact, the ‘cultural mandate’ (in its post-fall format) is clearly linked to God’s promise of creation-preservation, which he made with humankind and every creature on the earth. Check it out!
Sometimes Christians speak about ‘saving souls’ as if our physical bodies don’t matter. Yet, God loved the created cosmos, and this includes even the animal world. The news of reconciliation through the cross is also a wonderful sound for the animal world and for all creation. Jesus Christ is the beginning of the new creation; yet, also his followers are called the firstfruits of this new creation. Yet, God is not finished yet!

read: Romans 8: 18-27

As we experience frustrations of breakdown in our bodies, in our relationships, and in our belongings, we are reminded that God’s Kingdom has not yet fully taken shape. There is still much groaning in creation and in ourselves. Yet, in this too the Spirit is at work! God’s Spirit is at work in us- an ongoing construction project. And, construction is a messy stage!

Look at all the metro or highway construction around China’s major cities prior to Olympics, Expo, or Asian games! It’s a mess! It must be a frustration for businesses, local residents, and people that need to move! Yet, there is hope that one day this mess of concrete pillars and muddy construction sites will all be a functional unit that links all regional city centres together into one effective rapid transport system.
Somewhat similarly, we must look in hope that one day God’s Mission will be accomplished! Today there is groaning inside and around us, but the day of the Lord will come! That will be the great day of reconciliation. Finally, God’s glory will fill the earth as every knee will bow for Jesus the King! Then the Kingdom of God will be complete.
We are encouraged to look forward to that day, for our Beloved Master will come to us and live with us forever. Therefore, let us sing: Halleluiah! We are going to see the King!!

Food for Thought

1. 1  A lot of evil ideas and actions have come from people who claimed to be Christians, while they did not follow Christ in their words and deeds. In the Christian worldview, humans are the crown of creation, yet they are accountable to God, who is the Creator and rightful Owner of the creation. The world was not created for our benefit, but for God’s glory! We have been appointed as stewards on behalf of the great Landlord.

2. 2  An atheistic worldview often views humans as the autonomous rulers of the earth: there is no God to whom we are accountable. We exist for our own pleasure. In this view nature is considered inferior, and exploitation and destruction of the earth’s resources are common consequences of this view.

3. 3  A pantheistic worldview usually views humans as tiny components in a gigantic organism. We exist to serve this organism, sometimes called Gaya (goddess of the earth). Humans must be prepared to sacrifice themselves to promote the wellbeing of the planet. Humans are not viewed as precious beings, created by a caring God- in His own image. They are expendable for the greater good.

Jesus statue at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil