How the Creation Mandate is Fulfilled

[Blood-Bought Pilgrim]

This may be a bad question to begin with, so feel free to offer as much correction as you'd like, but here it is: After the Fall, is the creation mandate fulfilled primarily through natural means, and thus it remains distinct from redemption and the spiritual things of the gospel? Or is the creation mandate primarily fulfilled through Christ's redemption of the world and subjection of the world to his rule? Or would you offer a different, more nuanced answer?

I ask because of some discussions I've had recently where the creation mandate seems to be used to more or less justify (or at least potentially justify) worldly ambitions in an unhealthy way. I'm trying to get a better grasp on the way in which the subversive, counter-intuitive ways of taking dominion of the gospel relates to the creation mandate.

Suggested excerpts for reading are welcome too, though at the moment I can't honestly say I have the bandwidth to add many full books to my plate.

 

[JD]

Providentially I was just listening to Voddie Baucham preach on this exact topic on Saturday:

Christlike Manhood

 

[davejonescue]

Personally, I believe the creation mandate to be, like many OT things a shadow of something fulfilled in Christ. While primarily, the OT was focused on population and promised physical prosperity; such as inheriting a land; post-Christ the former mandate is now allocated to multiplying citizens of Zion. More children does not necessarily equate to more Saints, since salvific inheritance is no longer ethnic, but regenerative for both Jew and Gentile. We see this plainly in the life of Paul; though childless; brought more sons to glory then a family ever could; and though Jacob had 12 children; Jesus only sprung from a single line. A person could have 10 kids and all of them end up being children of the Devil. Should this negate the desire for children? No. But it should give freedom to those who dont desire to have more children than they can properly take care of.

 

[Zach]

I think it's hard to read the interpretation of the creation mandate in Psalm 8 and the interpretation of Psalm 8 in Hebrews 2 and not see it as fulfilled by Christ.

 

[Parakaleo]

My take is that the creation mandate to fill and subdue the earth is imperfectly carried out and fulfilled in a limited sense by all human activity that genuinely improves people's temporal good and exercises good stewardship over the earth.

Christ's great work of redemption renews the purpose of the creation mandate and enables believers to carry it out to the glory of God. Psalm 128 comes to mind.