# Cultural Mandate



## Peairtach (May 10, 2013)

Does a humble Chrisian toilet attendant more truly fulfil the Cultural Mandate than the greatest unbelieving cultivators of the earth's resources, producers of offspring (see Genesis 2) , entrepreuners, composers of music, artists, etc ? Are unbelievers as it were "formally" fulfilling the CM by Common Grace ? Discuss.

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## Brock Organ (May 10, 2013)

Peairtach said:


> Does a humble Chrisian toilet attendant more truly fulfil the Cultural Mandate than the greatest unbelieving cultivators of the earth's resources, producers of offspring (see Genesis 2) , entrepreuners, composers of music, artists, etc ? Are unbelievers as it were "formally" fulfilling the CM by Common Grace ? Discuss.



Hi Richard; my naive thought is that it seems that the answer is both yes and no, depending upon specific sense/context in which the answers are given:

* yes, a believer in one sense is "more true" to God's mandate, in that, above all, sinners are commanded to respond to God's gracious gospel offer, and believers are faithful in response to that command.
* no, in that a non-believer, in his/her determined response to God's eternal decree, is in another way just as true to God's predetermined purpose

Regards!


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## PuritanCovenanter (May 10, 2013)

What is the CM in Genesis 2 Richard? 

As it may relate (and I mean may relate) does this give any insight? I am not sure I am understanding your question. 

Rom 2:23 Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God? 
Rom 2:24 For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written. 
Rom 2:25 For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision. 
Rom 2:26 Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision? 
Rom 2:27 And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law? 
Rom 2:28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: 
Rom 2:29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.


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## Peairtach (May 10, 2013)

The CM is the Creation or "Cultural" Mandate, fulfilled in the various callings of Mankind. I suppose the unbeliever never truly, but only formally fulfils it, because it is impossible for him to please God, and he cannot truly commit his work to God. The believer does truly fulfil it and can learn to do that better by God's grace in whatever sphere he is placed. Yet we appreciate many of the products of unbelieving common grace , formal "fulfilment" of the Creation Mandate, as being good, useful, of great benefit and praiseworthy, as far as they go.

Martin


> What is the CM in Genesis 2 Richard?



My mistake; Genesis 1. 

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## Pergamum (May 10, 2013)

We are not merely to take dominion over creation, but are to take a godly dominion over creation for the glory of God. 

Unbelievers cannot do this.

Christians should try to influence the world as much as possible. Toilet scrubbers have honor, too, but some vocations influence people more than others and I think we should strive to maximize our influence/blessing to others (though feeding one's family through consistent work to the glory of God can be more of a godly example than the ungodly example produced by some politicians).


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## MW (May 10, 2013)

Peairtach said:


> I suppose the unbeliever never truly, but only formally fulfils it, because it is impossible for him to please God, and he cannot truly commit his work to God.



That is essentially the Reformed understanding of good works done by unregenerate men as taught in the Westminster Confession.

I think we could also say that the wicked lay up for the righteous. As temporal benefits are a part of the covenant of grace to the elect all of the reprobate's labours are turned to the good of the elect. Pictures of this in the OT include the Israelites spoiling the Egyptians and the Israelites inheriting the labours of the Canaanite nations, as brought out in the latter part of Ps. 105.


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## Jerusalem Blade (May 10, 2013)

Richard, would you please define what you mean by "Cultural Mandate", both then – in the beginning – and as applicable for now?


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## Mushroom (May 10, 2013)

> Psa 84:10 For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.


Does this verse offer anything to this discussion?


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## Peairtach (May 11, 2013)

Brad said:


> > Psa 84:10 For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.
> 
> 
> Does this verse offer anything to this discussion?



It probably does, although being a doorkeeper in God's House might have more to do with our involvement in the Great Commission than our involvement in the Cultural Mandate, although since both are part of the Christian life, they can't be "hived off" from each other.


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## Peairtach (May 11, 2013)

Jerusalem Blade said:


> Richard, would you please define what you mean by "Cultural Mandate", both then – in the beginning – and as applicable for now?



The Creation or Cultural mandate is set out in Genesis 1:28


> And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. (Genesis 1:28)



God gave Mankind the collective task of stewardship of the gifts that He had given Mankind, including the natural resources of the Earth, in order to produce something more, ultimately a godly civilisation.

Since the Fall our contribution to this task can only begin to be done in the way that was originally intended via regeneration, and yet the ungodly do produce many praiseworthy things via common grace. 

Like racehorses that have lost their rider they continue to run the race of the Cultural Mandate without the Lord at the reins; and some of them are winners, as far as their products being praiseworthy go.

The Christian can carry out his small (or larger or large) part in the Cultural Mandate with a proper motive (love for God and his fellow man), proper goal (to glorify God) and proper rule (according to God's law), within the limitations of the gifts and talents that God has given him. 

Sometimes non-Christians, although they are not following the Cultural Mandate in a godly way, produce more noteworthy works in their field than Christians in the same field, because of the particular talents that God has given them. Sometimes it's the other way around.

The work of the Cultural Mandate has continued since the First Advent of Christ, along with the Great Commission.

The Great Commission, in a real sense, should have priority over the Cultural Mandate in the Christian's life because, apart from other considerations, it is the means by which people can be converted to fulfill - in a godly way - the Cultural Mandate to God's glory, and indeed be converted to also carry on the Great Commission.


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## PuritanCovenanter (May 11, 2013)

I was wondering if the Cultural Mandate became a bit more focused after the fall. Not that the first one has completely changed but something appears to have changed after man fell in Adam. We don't see the same kind of dominion over the earth that Adam had in the Prelapsarian Covenant. 

I posted the following on Facebook after I listened to Dr. Kloosterman speak on this topic a bit. 

The Noahic and Abrahamic Covenants were both made with the Church and for the world. Noah and his sons were the Church. Who else existed? And the Abrahamic Covenant was made with the same scope in mind. "...in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed." Genesis 12:3 
Both are administrations of the one Covenant of Grace. 

Mat 5:13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. 
Mat 5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 
Mat 5:15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 
Mat 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. 
Mat 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. 
Mat 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. 
Mat 5:19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 

The Church exists for the sake of the world...

I found this to be very helpful in addressing a topic of the Cultural mandate.
08 - The Cultural Mandate and the Great Commission - an Integrationist Model - SermonAudio.com


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## Peairtach (May 11, 2013)

I listened to that address by Nelson Kloosterman when you posted it on your blog, Randy. Thanks for that.

I think the Church can only truly fulfill the Cultural Mandate as God, preceptively, wants Man to fulfill it.

Yet unbelievers in a merely formal, common grace sense, do their part too, and believers and unbelievers benefit from their labours.



> And again, she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a worker of the ground.(Genesis 4:2, ESV)


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## Peairtach (Jun 9, 2013)

> Does a humble Chrisian toilet attendant more truly fulfil the Cultural Mandate than the greatest unbelieving cultivators of the earth's resources, producers of offspring (see Genesis 2) , entrepreuners, composers of music, artists, etc ? Are unbelievers as it were "formally" fulfilling the CM by Common Grace ? Discuss.



The humble Christian toilet attendant can know that for motive, goal and normative standard, he does fulfill and contribute truly to the Cultural Mandate, compared to even the greatest and most talented of unbelievers.


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