Front Page Article
"The Lenses of Reformation Concerning Assault"
by Dr. Patti Amsden
In the garden, God gave mankind authority. That commissioning is called the Dominion Mandate and is found in Genesis 1:26-28, “Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion” . . . Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion . . .” The Hebrew word for dominion is radah, which means to rule, to reign, and to dominate.
Reformation lens #1 – All that God created in the earthly realm was put in subjection to the authority of mankind.
God labored for six days to set the form of the heavens and the earth (days 1 – 3) and then to fill those forms (days 4-6). When He finished, He declared that all was good, which could also be stated that all was in a condition of holiness or wholeness. That holy earthly realm was put under the stewardship of mankind (Ps. 115:16; Ps. 8:4-9; Heb. 2:6-8). Mankind’s charge of dominion was to act as guardian to keep the earth holy. Man was set in a position of responsible management; therefore, God gave mankind authority to represent God and steward the earth. Responsibility cannot be effectively enacted without accompanying authority.
Reformation lens #2 – Responsibility requires authority; authority is not needed when not linked to responsibility.
Within Adam’s mandate for dominion, Adam was told to dress and to keep the garden (Genesis 2:15). Dress is the Hebrew word abad, which means to work with that which is under the guardian’s stewardship by gaining knowledge of the purpose and design and, thereby, to keep the item holy or in wholeness rather than to bring destruction because of abnormal use (abuse). Adam was given a holy earth and mandated to keep it holy throughout each stage of development or each progressive stage of making it fruitful.
Reformation lens #3 – Responsible stewardship includes caring for the item under one’s management by applying decisions and authority that will ensure that item’s integrity, wholeness, and fruitfulness.
As reformers, we must comprehend the concept of authority and the fact that authority is only needed when one is in a position of responsibility. The call to take dominion is a call for responsible stewardship to the end that the item under management is safeguarded against abuse and nurtured unto progressive fruitfulness. This axiom is not to be altered regardless of those with authority being parents overseeing children, elders stewarding the flock of God, employers superintending their employees, or government officials administrating laws for the populace. Those with authority are abusers if they are seeking self-promotion, self-aggrandization, or self-empowerment at the expense of the holiness or wholeness of the citizenry. Laws that abuse rather than guard against the abusers are immoral laws; and lawgivers that promote abusive laws are, themselves, abusers. Illinois citizens can help protect the citizenry from abuse and abusers by filing Witness Slips.
Reformation lens #1 – All that God created in the earthly realm was put in subjection to the authority of mankind.
God labored for six days to set the form of the heavens and the earth (days 1 – 3) and then to fill those forms (days 4-6). When He finished, He declared that all was good, which could also be stated that all was in a condition of holiness or wholeness. That holy earthly realm was put under the stewardship of mankind (Ps. 115:16; Ps. 8:4-9; Heb. 2:6-8). Mankind’s charge of dominion was to act as guardian to keep the earth holy. Man was set in a position of responsible management; therefore, God gave mankind authority to represent God and steward the earth. Responsibility cannot be effectively enacted without accompanying authority.
Reformation lens #2 – Responsibility requires authority; authority is not needed when not linked to responsibility.
Within Adam’s mandate for dominion, Adam was told to dress and to keep the garden (Genesis 2:15). Dress is the Hebrew word abad, which means to work with that which is under the guardian’s stewardship by gaining knowledge of the purpose and design and, thereby, to keep the item holy or in wholeness rather than to bring destruction because of abnormal use (abuse). Adam was given a holy earth and mandated to keep it holy throughout each stage of development or each progressive stage of making it fruitful.
Reformation lens #3 – Responsible stewardship includes caring for the item under one’s management by applying decisions and authority that will ensure that item’s integrity, wholeness, and fruitfulness.
As reformers, we must comprehend the concept of authority and the fact that authority is only needed when one is in a position of responsibility. The call to take dominion is a call for responsible stewardship to the end that the item under management is safeguarded against abuse and nurtured unto progressive fruitfulness. This axiom is not to be altered regardless of those with authority being parents overseeing children, elders stewarding the flock of God, employers superintending their employees, or government officials administrating laws for the populace. Those with authority are abusers if they are seeking self-promotion, self-aggrandization, or self-empowerment at the expense of the holiness or wholeness of the citizenry. Laws that abuse rather than guard against the abusers are immoral laws; and lawgivers that promote abusive laws are, themselves, abusers. Illinois citizens can help protect the citizenry from abuse and abusers by filing Witness Slips.
