Filling the Earth

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Question
How ought people today live out God's mandate to fill the earth and rule over it? Isn't the world already "full" of people?
Answer
Well, that mandate to fill the earth, subdue it and to rule over it was one that was given to Adam in the beginning, the creation mandate, and it was reaffirmed again to Noah later on when humanity started again, as it were… I think it's important we understand that God's intent was to fill the world with those who bear the image of God to the glory of God. And it's interesting because in Hebrews … when it talks about this mandate and man and his place, and the Son of Man, Jesus, and it talks about the subduing of the earth, and it says, now we don't see it, but we do see Jesus who is our "author and the perfecter of our faith," who has gone ahead of time to do this. And so, I think there is going to be a final subduing of the earth through Christ, the second Adam, and he is going to fill the earth with those who bear the image of God to the glory of God. But in the meantime, we do that to the degree that we spread the gospel and bring people into glad and willing obedience to Jesus.

Answer by Pastor Doug McConnell

Pastor Doug McConnell is the main preaching pastor of Living Hope Church in Grantsburg, WI.