Humanity's Role as Little Kings

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Question
Why did God give humanity the cultural mandate?
Answer
So, in the beginning of Genesis there's this passage, Genesis 1:26-27, where God gives the cultural mandate. In other words, he gives us the world to take care of and to rule in his place. What Genesis is teaching there is that humans have an extraordinary responsibility in their created nature intended by God to fulfill. And so we humans in our identity are to think of ourselves as kings under his kingdom with a high responsibility and a great dignity to rule according to his rule. Now, humans in Genesis chapter 3 have grabbed not just their rule but his rule and taken God off the throne of his kingdom and inserted themselves there. This is original sin teaching and the great rebellion against God's rule. But though that truth is taught in Genesis 3, we should not forget the intended nature of the relationship between God and humanity, that we are made to be little kings under his kingdom, with an enormous responsibility, and that is part of our intended dignity that is redeemed in Christ and in his kingdom as we exercise our role of blessing, good authority under his authority.

Answer by Dr. Josh Moody

Dr. Josh Moody is pastor of College Church in Wheaton, IL