Message to men — scrolling endlessly on your phones and arguing with people online is a dereliction of your sacred duties. God made men to build, govern, and reclaim. This doctrine of work begins with the Dominion Mandate (Gen. 1:28). Men are called to be dominion-takers, working with their wives in common cause to glorify Christ. To take dominion is not to exert evil domination; it’s to engage in creative stewardship. It’s expanding the usefulness of everything in the world that God made. So, men: Learn a new skill, provide for your family, and build something that matters — giving Christ the preeminence in all things (Col. 1:18). 

 

Let's talk about taking dominion in work life. Genesis 1, 28, then God blessed them and said, be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion. The doctrine of work begins with the dominion mandate in Genesis. God made men to work, God made men to build, to govern, to reclaim. Men are dominion takers and they do it with their wives.

But the call to dominion is a commission. It's a charge to rule. Colossians 1 18 says that in all things he might have the preeminence. In other words, every word that's written, every phone call that's engaged, every hammer swing, every business plan, every act of stewardship is meant to magnify the Lord. It's important to understand what it means to take dominion.

To take dominion is not domination. It's not an evil dominating thing. It's actually a creative stewardship. It's taking what God made and making it better. It's adding value.

It's multiplying goodness. It's actually expanding the usefulness of everything in the world. And it includes restoring order. And men are designed to do all these things to be builders and restorers to harness creation for good to govern with wisdom to lead in love. Isaiah 58 12 says you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to dwell in.

This is the work of dominion. The world tells you to follow your passion. The Bible tells you to take dominion with everything you are and have. And the first place of dominion is yourself. You must master your own desires and your own actions.

The greatest enemy to your life, the greatest enemy to your work, is not the economy, it's you. I think we should say you're not taking dominion when you're scrolling endlessly. You're not taking Dominion when you're arguing with people online, but you are taking Dominion when you show up on time, you learn a new skill, you provide for your family, when you build something that matters. This is really all part of what Jesus Christ is doing in the world. In Revelation, we learn that Christ came to conquer.

And that's what dominion takers do. They subdue their enemies, they restore creation, they bring everything under the feet of Jesus Christ. When he rules your heart, everything you touch becomes holy ground. Because you are taking dominion for the glory of God, for the preeminence of Jesus Christ. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.

Scripture applied as a production of Church and Family Life. Visit www.churchandfamilylife.com for more resources.