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Stories & Blog
An Expression of God’s Original Purpose
Read the series: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6
“In the beginning God created … man in His own image … and said … ‘Fill the earth….’” We have been created like God for relationship with Him — to receive and enjoy His holy love, to love Him and others in return, and to fill the earth with His image. In other words, to spread His glory throughout the earth. That is the global purpose of every human being — the reason for our existence.
We all know how the entrance of sin has left our world broken and without hope; but that has not changed God’s purpose for us. Rather, we who enjoy a restored relationship with God through Jesus are now sent out into the world as the Father sent Jesus: to reflect His love, serve others, and invite them to be His followers.
“God blessed them … and said, ‘Fill the earth and subdue it; and rule over … every living thing.’” These verses in Genesis have been called the “cultural mandate” for a reason. Wherever humanity multiplies and fills the earth, they build civilization and culture as they go, establishing themselves geographically and in community.
Before the fall of humanity, this meant that God’s image — His glory — would have been displayed wherever people went as they stewarded and ruled over creation through their relationships and work. Even after the fall, that mandate has never been rescinded. Rather, as God redeems His people, He sends them into the world to fulfill that original mandate, which Jesus renewed and “updated” in the Gospels and Acts. God’s redeemed people have the unique opportunity to be culture-changers as they reflect God’s love and justice where they live and work.
In view of the time we spend in our jobs — as well as the sacredness of work as image-bearers of a working God — the global workplace is a primary venue for living out God’s original cultural mandate. Coupled with the prohibition of mission workers (“missionaries”) in 60 percent of the world, the necessity, opportunity, and potential for believers to take their jobs or create jobs through entrepreneurial enterprise increases dramatically.
“In the beginning God created … man in His own image … and said … ‘Fill the earth….’” We have been created like God for relationship with Him — to receive and enjoy His holy love, to love Him and others in return, and to fill the earth with His image. In other words, to spread His glory throughout the earth. That is the global purpose of every human being — the reason for our existence.
We all know how the entrance of sin has left our world broken and without hope; but that has not changed God’s purpose for us. Rather, we who enjoy a restored relationship with God through Jesus are now sent out into the world as the Father sent Jesus: to reflect His love, serve others, and invite them to be His followers.
“God blessed them … and said, ‘Fill the earth and subdue it; and rule over … every living thing.’” These verses in Genesis have been called the “cultural mandate” for a reason. Wherever humanity multiplies and fills the earth, they build civilization and culture as they go, establishing themselves geographically and in community.
Before the fall of humanity, this meant that God’s image — His glory — would have been displayed wherever people went as they stewarded and ruled over creation through their relationships and work. Even after the fall, that mandate has never been rescinded. Rather, as God redeems His people, He sends them into the world to fulfill that original mandate, which Jesus renewed and “updated” in the Gospels and Acts. God’s redeemed people have the unique opportunity to be culture-changers as they reflect God’s love and justice where they live and work.
Global Marketplace Implications
The global spread of the gospel in the New Testament was not primarily due to professional apostles and evangelists like Paul, Peter, or Philip, who were few in number. Rather, it was through countless ordinary believers taking the gospel wherever they went. Acts 2 records the first gospel message by Peter given to Jews, proselytes, and God-fearers from more than a dozen geographical areas. They, in turn, carried that message to their own lands.In view of the time we spend in our jobs — as well as the sacredness of work as image-bearers of a working God — the global workplace is a primary venue for living out God’s original cultural mandate. Coupled with the prohibition of mission workers (“missionaries”) in 60 percent of the world, the necessity, opportunity, and potential for believers to take their jobs or create jobs through entrepreneurial enterprise increases dramatically.
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