Why do things work the way that they do? Why is it that if
you let go of a ball it will always fall down? Why is it that 2+2=4? Why do
yellow and blue make green? Could these things be otherwise? Could balls rush upward,
2+2=5 or yellow and blue make orange? Of course they could. Things are the way
that they are because God decided to make them that way. When He created all of
this He wasn't limited by some rules that forced Him to create in the way that
He did. This creation functions in the way that it does because He wanted it to
function in this way.
In the book of Genesis, especially in these first three
chapters, God isn't just telling us that He created all of this. He's also
explaining how it all works. So, each day has two parts, day and night, and not
five. There are some creatures that fly and others that swim. And there is one
great light to rule the day instead of three. God could have made all of this
very different, but He didn't.
Today, we're going to take a look at something that God has
built into this creation, one way that He has made it to function. And if you
understand this aspect of God's creation you will be able to work with Him
instead of working against Him. And working against Him is like trying to live
as if 2+2=5. Listen to this from Genesis.
Then God said, “Let us make man in
our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the
sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the
earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” (Genesis 1.26)
When God created all of this, along with gravity, math facts
and color schemes, He established dominion. God gave to humanity dominion over
His creation. We don't usually talk about dominion. It's simply the idea of
rule. God gave to humanity the authority to rule the rest of His creation. He
gave us this authority not to exercise it independent of God but rather as
those who are under His dominion.
It's important that you see that humanity's rule over the
rest of creation is just one expression of this dominion that God has built into
His creation. As you read the rest of the Bible you'll see other ways in which
dominion is also expressed. So, there will be some people who are to have
dominion over other people. Just to take one example, consider the relationship
of parents and their children. It is a relationship of dominion. The parents
are to rule their children and the children are to honor their parents. This is
the principle of dominion.
Now, I'm pretty sure that for the average person 'dominion'
sounds wrong, especially when talking about parents and children. It sounds
harsh. It sounds like another word: domineering. So, let me spend a little time
explaining what God means by dominion. At the heart of His meaning are these
two words: love and trust.
First, dominion is about love. Those who have authority from
God to rule others cannot fulfill that calling - not in the way that God
intends - unless they love the people whom they rule. Because it is so
misunderstood these days, I'll also need to say a bit about what love is. Love
is lots more than just having warm feelings toward another person. To love is
to work hard for the benefit of another, to sacrifice, if necessary, so that
the one who is being loved can flourish. To love is to care for someone
because you care about that person. You want that person to thrive. This
is how God has defined 'to have dominion'. It's all tied up with the call to do
the hard work of love.
This is where it's important to remember that we are to
exercise this dominion as those under God's dominion. The gift of dominion does
not mean that you get to rule in whatever way you want. You are to love those
you rule. God will hold accountable those to whom He has given dominion. There
will be an evaluation on the Last Day. Here's a verse that illustrates this in
one kind of dominion. This is James writing about being a pastor.
Not many of you should become
teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach
will be judged with greater strictness.
Those who are teachers in the church, those to whom God has
given dominion, will be held accountable for that calling. Because of the
nature of that calling, God's evaluation will be very strict, stricter than His
evaluation of other callings. And here are the kinds of questions that God will
pose at that evaluation. Did you love the people that I placed in your care?
Did you do all that was necessary so that they flourished? What did you
sacrifice for them? Did they thrive?
Wherever there is the grant of dominion - whether we're
talking about the church, the home or the state - there had better be love. Any
exercise of dominion without love is a perversion. In fact, it is not dominion
but rather tyranny. And God will hold such people accountable.
Then, there's the other word, trust. Those under authority
need to be able to say, 'I will yield to your dominion over me because I trust
you.' Proper expression of dominion will never happen if those under authority
do not trust those whom God has given dominion over them. Where there is no
trust there is no dominion but rather coercion. People are being forced to
yield. And that is not what God intends.
This has something to say, first, to those in authority. They
are to foster this trust. They are to show themselves worthy of this trust.
They need to earn this trust. If they do not show themselves trustworthy, then
why should those under their authority give them this trust?
While the burden to develop this trust rests with those who
have been given dominion, those under that authority also have some work to do.
They need to want to entrust themselves to those who have the rule over them.
There are times when those with authority really do love and work hard to show themselves trustworthy, but those whom they rule are
unwilling to trust them. God sees this. And He will hold such rebels
accountable for it.
Now, all of this may still sound weird, so let me illustrate
it with something
very familiar. Listen.
For God so loved the world, that he
gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have
eternal life.
God is the one with ultimate dominion. He rules over
everything. But He is not harsh in His rule. No, instead, He loves those whom
He rules. He loves the world. And this love does all that is necessary so that
we might thrive. And the proof of that? He gave His
Son. What an expression of love for the world? Could He have done more than
that? Now, we here in this room, have acknowledged this love of God, and we
have responded to it. We have entrusted ourselves to Jesus. That's what it
means to believe in Him. And we have found that He is trustworthy. It is this
dynamic, His love and our trust, that continues in this relationship of His
dominion over us. The Gospel is an expression of God's dominion. Love and trust.
Dominion is how this creation functions. To talk about
dominion is not to talk about something that is harsh or domineering, not if
it's done in the right way. There are those who fight against this dominion.
But in so doing they are fighting against the God who made His creation in this
way. And no one who pursues that kind of life can win that fight.
Now, understand what I have done. I have explained a bit of
how this creation works. And you would be wise to live in harmony with how it
works. So, don't step off some cliff. If you do, you're going to fall all the
way down. And when you balance your check book remember that 2+2=4. Likewise,
in your relationships don't fight against the notion of dominion. Understand it
as someone who is in authority over some people as well as under the authority
of other people. And don't forget love and trust. This is how God runs His
creation, and He will hold you accountable to work with Him on this.
Now, consider the world around you. One reason 'dominion'
sounds so harsh is that the people of our culture cling to a demand for
individual autonomy. Everyone wants to be his own king with no one over him.
Everyone has his personal declaration of independence. But God has made
creation in such a way that that kind of thinking just won't work. At some
point, it will crash and burn. That some have dominion over others is of the
nature of things. This is how God created all of this. Those who fight Him on
this do so at their own peril.
The rejection of God's idea of dominion is not just out there
in the world. It can also show up among us, the Church. You will need a clear
understanding of what God means by dominion if you are going to be able to have
proper expectations of yourself and others whether we are talking about
relationships in the church, in the home or in government. There is always the
possibility of failure. And that can show as abdication or tyranny among those
who rule, and as cowardly conformity or self-centered rebellion in those who
are under that rule. Be aware of both kinds of traps. God's evaluation is
coming.
Last thought. Problems submitting to God's idea of
dominion are especially evident in the American Church when it comes to the
topic of marriage, dominion in the home. So, when we get to God's creation of
marriage in Genesis 2, I'll be applying in some detail what I've said today.
This is the main reason that I originally decided to spend so much time on the
topic of dominion. So, in preparation for that, those of you who are married or
hope to be married should think about this question: 'What is dominion supposed
to look like in my marriage?'
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