Human beings have been
given a job to do. God delineates it as follows: “Be fruitful and multiply and
fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and
over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth”
(Genesis 1:28). Theologians call this “the cultural mandate,” for it
anticipates the ways in which humanity, endowed with the ability to carry out
their task, will unleash the capacities of creation. They will build, organize,
purpose and repurpose these capacities and what will result is what we call
culture, “the arts and other manifestations of human intellectual achievement
regarded collectively” (New Oxford American Dictionary). It is our pursuit of culture making that marks us
out as human, those made “in the image of God.”
But the commission is
not a license to do with what one has at one’s disposal however one wishes.
Just after the mandate is given there follows language that indicates God’s
intention that the human maintain his creation as a place where life can
flourish. This notion is supported by the description of Adam being placed in
the Garden to “work it and keep it” (Cf. Genesis 2:15). That being said,
history is replete with evidences of the abuse of our God-given abilities to
harness creation’s potential demonstrating our post-fall inborn tendency to be
more inhumane than humane.
In Christ, however, the
potential to do what God intended is restored. Our selfish heart can be
reformed into a servant’s heart allowing us to more readily create culture in
redemptive ways. We can be agents of flourishing that benefits us, the other,
and brings glory to God.
This has far-reaching
consequences. Picture yourself sitting in the boardroom of some large
multi-national corporation that is weighing the possibility of increasing its
bottom line by exploiting the desperate need for employment in an “undeveloped”
nation. Given the depressed nature of the country’s economy, the corporation
can get away with offering less than they ought in wages while putting the work
force at risk by not maintaining safe conditions. If you were the Christian on
the board you’d need to speak up. That’s what the cultural mandate demands of
us.
As this is “easier said
than done,” our capacity to respond with courage in such ethically charged
situations needs to be fed. This is why Paul instructs as he does when he says
“whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure,
whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if
there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (Philippians
4:8). Having our own lives shaped by that which promotes flourishing will
position us to humanely work and keep the garden, blessing us and those around
us, while bringing glory to God.
