Dominion and Identity: Our Created Purpose

As many of you know, I’m working on my doctorate, and my project pursues the relationship between foundational identity, functional identity, calling, and outflow of activity as it relates to each of these points.

As I’ve been working through the curriculum I’ve written, it has been something that has resonated with me more deeply of late that many of those who follow Jesus are living a disjointed life where we don’t quite get into the complete understanding of how and why He made us. This thought I’m having applies to all born-again followers of Jesus who, with a restored identity through our restored relationship, have been given dominion over the creation. Here’s the thought: we don’t know the reality of what that means any more, nor do we grasp the depth of the implications of this truth.

I don’t want to bog you down with a lot of writing, so I’m going to make this three posts. My hope is this will begin a process for you as you search His Word for the deep stuff after reading this.

Let’s begin with Genesis 1:26, where Moses writes that humanity is created in God’s image and told to “have dominion” over the animals. So far, so good, right? And that word, “dominion” or “rādâ” in Hebrew, means exactly what we would expect: “to rule, govern, exercise authority over.” But look at the first part of the verse, the part where the Trinity says, “Let us make man in our image.” And this is what’s got me jazzed about this. WHO has ultimate dominion over His creation? THAT’S RIGHT! GOD! And, by extension, His creation, to whom He has given a role in His dominion over the creation. Inherent in our identity is a stewardship to steward what God Himself stewards. It’s in the eternal piece of our creation as we are made in His image. We are to be fruitful and multiply, AND to subdue and have dominion over the creation (1:28). But, we often soften Genesis 1 by paraphrasing dominion as “stewardship.” Stewardship is certainly a legitimate theological implication, but it isn’t quite what the Hebrew word means. rādâ means rule. It’s God including us in His divine purpose on earth. You might express the progression this way:
Identity: We are God’s image-bearers.
↓
Authority: God entrusts his creation to us.
↓
Function: We exercise rādâ, governing what God has placed under our care.
↓
Accountability: Our rule remains subject to the Creator.

Here’s what’s been resonating with me: this progression makes Genesis 1:26 particularly powerful when we’re talking about identity preceding function. God doesn’t begin by telling humanity what to do. He first declares what humanity is:
“Let us make man in our image…”. Then comes: “…and let them have dominion…”. In other words: Identity precedes assignment.

And that pattern becomes fascinating when you carry it forward into life application: who God makes and calls his people to be provides the foundation from which their God-given function flows. How has this shaped your day-to-day? I’ll dig in a little deeper with the next post.