The Daily Word of Righteousness

Dominion, #5

Whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas  or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God. (I Corinthians 3:22,23—NIV)

In addition to God's image, union, and fruitfulness, man is called to exercise dominion over all the works of God's hands.

Man is to subdue the earth, exercising dominion over the entire creation. The Word of God has assigned all rulership to man.

The order of rulership is as follows: God the Father rules over all; Christ is subject to the Father; the saints are subject to Christ; the creation is subject to the saints.

The assigning of dominion began on a limited scale with Adam and Eve:

. . . and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. (Genesis 1:28)

Then the concept was expanded:

What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet: (Psalms 8:4-6)

The writer of Hebrews interprets this Psalm to mean man is destined to rule the creation of God:

Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him. (Hebrews 2:8)

The Lord Jesus Himself confirmed that it has been assigned to man to rule the works of God's hands:

To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. (Revelation 3:21)

The vision has grown from the subjugation of nature to the rulership of the creation. The throne of Christ, to which we have been called, is the highest throne of all. God the Father has given to His only begotten Son all authority and power in Heaven and on the earth. The Son now has invited us to share with Him His authority and power.

Whoever chooses to give himself or herself to Jesus without reservation will not only be in Christ's image, be in union with Christ, and bring forth fruit for eternity, but in addition will exercise dominion over all that God has created.

He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. (Revelation 21:7)

Here is the condition: "he that overcometh."

Our Christian life is an exercise in overcoming, in conquering, in exerting dominion over the enemies that seek to prevent us from obeying the Father.

Why is this? It is because we have been called to rule the works of God's hands. Every day we are required to overcome an area of resistance to the Lord's will. Every day we are exercised in rulership. Our Christian walk is a series of instructions, practices, and tests in ruling. God sends all kinds of adversaries and obstacles against us. He is determining whether or not we will be able to rule in righteousness.

To be continued.