Genesis: Creation, Fall, and Dominion

Biblical Wealth - Part 3 of 8

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: Old Testament Studies

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2004-07-25

Synopsis: John Weaver teaches that the purpose of wealth is to establish God's covenant by fulfilling the cultural/dominion mandate given to Adam and restored in Christ. Wealth is a tool for advancing God's kingdom in every sphere of life, not merely for personal enjoyment. The Great Commission expands this mandate, calling believers to bring all culture under Christ's lordship.

[John Weaver] Deuteronomy chapter 8 and let's begin reading. Oh, let's say. With verse, since we've read the entire chapter for several weeks, let's begin reading with verse 11. Deuteronomy chapter 8, verse 11. God says, Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God and not keeping his commandments and his judgments and his statutes, which I command thee this day, lest one now has eaten and are full. and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein. And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied, then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy God, who brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water, who brought thee forth water out of the rock of who fed thee in the wilderness with manna which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee to do thee

[John Weaver] good at thy latter end. And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth. But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God, for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware to thy fathers, as it is this day." And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the Lord thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day, that you shall utterly perish. As the nations which the Lord destroyeth before your face, so shall you perish, because you would not be obedient unto the voice of the Lord your God.

[John Weaver] Now let me call your attention to verse 18 again. But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God, For it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant, which he sware to thy fathers, as it is this day."

[John Weaver] Now, we've been dealing with the biblical doctrine of wealth, and so far we have looked at the sovereignty and the source of wealth. Very clearly, the Word of God says, it is the Lord thy God who giveth thee power to get wealth. And I demonstrated to you from history the philosophy of Thomism, where it was Thomas of Aquinas who introduced into history, Christian history that is, his philosophy that caused us to try to separate everything into two spheres, that is, the secular and the sacred. And I pointed out very clearly that for the child of God, there is only one sphere, and that is the sacred. Everything that we do, we're to do for God's honor and God's glory. Then secondly, we looked at the sovereignty of God and the subjects of wealth. I pointed out 1 Samuel 2, verses 7 and 8, where he said it is God who lifted up one and take it down another. It is God who makes rich and it's God who makes poor.

[John Weaver] And I told you, of course, God is absolutely sovereign in the distribution of his gifts and his blessings. But then I came back and I said this. It is true that God is sovereign. But God usually channels his blessings. And the door of God's blessing usually swings upon two hinges. The first hinge was the hinge of covenantal obedience, and the second hinge was individual responsibility. And in that message, I showed you where we are responsible to obey the word of God and at the same time fulfill our individual responsibilities.

[John Weaver] because laziness and indolence is a sin and it is wicked and ungodly. So, usually, God says that he gives those blessings upon the hinges of covenantal obedience and individual responsibility. I showed you there were general promises in the Bible, general principles in the Bible, and these general principles rested upon God's absolute sovereignty. It is true that you could be covenantally obedient and you could be individually responsible and never have wealth. That then falls back upon God's absolute sovereignty. He gives as he pleases.

[John Weaver] And he does so based upon his infinite wisdom. But usually speaking, if we use the means that God has ordained and we follow the word of God and obey God, God usually blesses in some way like that.

[John Weaver] Now, the question today is this. What is the purpose of wealth? So we're talking about biblical wealth and its purpose. If God graciously and sovereignly bestows wealth upon us as we obey his law, as we fulfill our covenantal obligations, and as long as we are individually responsible, if God blesses as we do those things, the question is, what in the world are we to do with the wealth? Should we waste it? Should we abuse it? Should we misuse it?

[John Weaver] Should we just simply relish it upon ourselves? In order to answer that question correctly, we must understand the purpose of wealth.

[John Weaver] Now, it is true that it is God who gives us power to get wealth. But what is His purpose in allowing us to have that wealth? Why does He graciously bestow that wealth upon us? The answer is very simple. It's very clearly stated in the Word of God. God does not give us that wealth because of our merits or because of our worthiness. But if you look in verse 18, here it is. But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God, for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth. Why? That he may establish his covenant, which he sware to thy fathers, as it is this day. The purpose in wealth is to establish God's covenant.

[John Weaver] Now, I can hear someone whimpering and complaining and saying, Brother Weaver, you've got to understand that this promise was given to Abraham and his descendants. Yes. But before I go further and explain that, look back in your Bibles to Deuteronomy chapter 7, beginning there with verse 9. Deuteronomy 7 verse 9. Look what he says. Know, therefore, that the Lord thy God, He is God, the faithful God, who keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love Him, and keep His commandments to a thousand generations.

[John Weaver] and repayeth them that hate him to their face, to destroy them, he will not be slack to him that hated him, he will repay him to his face. Thou shalt therefore keep the commandments and the statutes and the judgments which I command thee this day to do them. Wherefore it shall come to pass, if you hearken to these judgments, and keep and do them, that the Lord thy God shall keep unto thee the covenant and the mercies which ye swear unto thy fathers." and he will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee. He will also bless the fruit of thy womb, and the fruit of thy land, and thy corn, and thine wine, and thine oil, and the increase of thy kind, and the flux of thy sheep, and the land which he squared thy fathers to give thee. Thou shalt be blessed above all people."

[John Weaver] There shall not be male nor female barren among you or among your cattle. And the Lord will take away from thee all sickness, and will put none of the evil diseases of Egypt which thou knowest upon thee, but will lay them upon all them that hate thee.

[John Weaver] Now go back, if you would please, to verse 9. Know therefore that the Lord thy God is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love Him, and keepeth His commandments..." How long?"...to a thousand generations."

[John Weaver] Now, let me go a little bit further. If you say, but Brother Weaver, still, all of this is Abraham and his seed. Look in your Bibles to the book of Galatians chapter 3 and verse 16. I'm going to concur with you. But you've got to understand who the real, true, genuine seed of Abraham really is. Notice, if you would please, Galatians chapter 3 it is and verse 16. Galatians 3 verse 16. Notice what the Bible says. Watch carefully. Galatians 3, verse 16. Now to Abraham and his seed, singular, were the promises made. He saith not unto seeds as of many, but as of one, and to thy seed, which or who is Christ? Who is the true seed of Abraham? And the answer is Jesus Christ.

[John Weaver] Do you remember what our Lord said in John 8? Abraham rejoiced to see My day and was glad. Why? Because Jesus Christ is the true seed of Abraham. Look in Galatians 3 and look, if you would, at verse 29. Galatians 3 verse 29. Our Lord says, And if you be Christ's, then are you Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise. If you belong to Christ, then in Him you are Abraham's seed and what? You are also heirs according to the promise. So everything that God promised to Abraham was basically promised to Jesus Christ. If we are in Jesus Christ, then, of course, we are heirs according to all of those promises. Now, if these verses are insufficient, may I remind you, if you'll look back in your Bibles to Deuteronomy chapter 8 and verse 18, Deuteronomy 8 in verse 18, he says, But thou shalt remember the Lord by God, for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant.

[John Weaver] Now, watch this phrase, which is, Swear unto thy fathers, as it is this day. Now, the interesting thing is this. If you will take time to look up the phrase, swear unto thy fathers, you will find that this phrase occurs nine times in the Old Testament. It occurs in Exodus 13 in verse 5, Deuteronomy 6, verse 10 and verse 18, Deuteronomy 7, verse 12 and 13, Deuteronomy 8, verse 18, Deuteronomy 9, 5, Deuteronomy 28, 11, and Deuteronomy 30 and verse 20. Each of the nine occurrences of this phrase, which you swear under the fathers, is found in the book of Deuteronomy, except for the one in the book of Exodus. Nine times it occurs in the Old Testament.

[John Weaver] Now I want you to consider this fact, that in the New Testament, it is Jesus Christ who is considered the fulfillment of the promise when it is used, which he sware unto the fathers. Look in your Bibles to the book of Acts chapter 3. Acts chapter 3. And let's begin reading there with verse 22. Acts chapter 3, verse 22. Acts 3, verse 22, the word of God says this. Watch carefully. For Moses said unto the fathers.

[John Weaver] Who did he say this to? Unto the fathers. For Moses said unto the fathers, a prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren like unto me. Him shall you hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you, that it shall come to pass that every soul which shall not hear that prophet, he shall be destroyed from among the people. Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel, and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days. You are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And thy seed shall all the kingdoms of the earth be blessed. Unto you first, God, having raised up his Son Jesus, send him to bless you, and turning every one of you from his iniquities." Note, if you would, Jesus Christ is here, the fulfillment of the promise made to the fathers.

[John Weaver] Look in chapter 5, beginning with verse 30. Acts 5, verse 30. He says, the God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you slew and hanged on a tree. Him, hath God exalted with or at His right hand to be a Prince and a Savior. Why? For to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. Look, if you would please, in Romans 9 and verse 5. Romans 9 and verse 5. Just showing you that what He swore to the fathers The fulfillment of that swearing was found in Jesus Christ. Notice Romans 9 and verse 5. Look what the Bible says. Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all God blessed forever. Note that phrase. Whose are the fathers? In other words, all of these promises given to the fathers, out of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, that is, Christ came through them, who is overall God, blessed forever? Now look in Romans 15 and verse 8. Romans 15 and verse 8.

[John Weaver] Once again, Paul makes this exceedingly clear. He says, Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision For the truth of God, why? To confirm the promises made unto the fathers. Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of the promises made unto the fathers. He is the true covenantal fulfillment. In Him we have salvation. In Him we have a home. In Him, we have a land. In Him, we have everything that we need, for He is our all and in all.

[John Weaver] Now, if you understand that, you may with confidence then look at the purpose of wealth. So I want you to go back in your Bibles to the book of Genesis chapter 1, and let's begin by reading verses 26 through 28. Look in Genesis 1, and let's begin reading there with verse 26. Notice Genesis 1 verse 26, And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, And the image of God created he him, male and female created he them, 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."

[John Weaver] Now let me ask you a question. What was man's first responsibility under God? What was man's first responsibility under God? Well, according to Genesis 1, verses 26 through 28, it was to fulfill God's dominion charter. Now, this charter is sometimes referred to as the dominion mandate, the cultural mandate, or the great charter. So Genesis 1, 26 through 28 is called the cultural mandate, the dominion charter, or the dominion mandate, or the great charter.

[John Weaver] Whichever name you use, it speaks of the same revealed truth. I will probably use the terms interchangeably today. However, I will be speaking more probably using the term cultural mandate or dominion mandate. Now let me define my terms. Let me define, first of all, the word culture. The word culture literally means to educate, to refine, to cultivate. Sometimes this word is used in reference to the cultivation of plants and animals, especially with a view of improving them. Sometimes the word is used in the training, improvement, and refinement of the mind, of morals.

[John Weaver] of taste, of society, or education, or any sphere whatsoever. The word mandate refers then to an authoritative requirement, a command, an order, or a charge. So when you talk about a cultural mandate, you're talking about a charge an order, a command that God has given in reference to culture, the totality of culture, or the totality of dominion. Now, the cultural or dominion mandate, then, refers simply to this. It refers to covenantal man's responsibility to subdue the earth and to exercise dominion over that earth under God.

[John Weaver] Now look in your Bibles to Genesis 2 and verse 16. The Bible says, and the Lord God commanded the man saying.

[John Weaver] Now the Hebrew word for commanded literally means to put under an oath or to put under charge. That means this, that Adam was put under a covenant on which he gave his word. So Adam then was covenantally bound, he was covenantally responsible to obey God. God had given him the obligation to subdue the earth, to exercise a godly dominion or a godly culture over the earth. Now listen carefully. Adam did not have the authority to abuse, misuse, destroy, hinder, or thwart, or pervert God's creation. He had the authority to use the earth on God's terms. He did not have the authority to misuse the earth.

[John Weaver] Now it's important that you understand that sovereignty and ownership are intertwined. They go together. What did he say in Psalm 24 in verse 1? The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, the world and they that dwell therein. Why does the earth and everything in it belong to God? Because he's the creator of it. He's the owner of it. And consequently, he is sovereign over it. Therefore, God has the absolute right to tell man how man can use his earth, what man may do and what man may not do. Now, you see, God gave Adam dominion over the earth. God gave Adam dominion over everything in the earth.

[John Weaver] Let me try to put this where you and I can grasp it very easily. When God created man, when God created Adam, he created Adam to be his vicegerent, or to use a term that we're more familiar with, he created Adam to be his vice president. In other words, as God's vice president, Adam was therefore responsible and accountable to rule under God. Now, I find it very interesting that when God created Adam, the very first words that he heard were these. Have dominion.

[John Weaver] That's what he said in Genesis 1 verse 26. Have dominion. You have dominion over the earth. You have dominion over everything. I hope you understand that I'm talking today about the purpose of wealth. And I'm showing you that the purpose of wealth initially and originally is to carry out God's cultural mandate or God's dominion mandate. You say, Brother Weaver, I don't understand how important is culture. Let me explain to you the importance of culture in a simple sentence. Culture. is merely religion externalized. That's all culture is. Culture is religion externalized. A culture is a distinctive culture that is based upon a distinctive religion.

[John Weaver] Now just stop and ask yourself this question. Why are there so many different cultures in the world? We think about the African culture, the Oriental culture, The Indian culture? Do you know why cultures are different? Because religions are different. In other words, your culture is nothing more than the outworking of your religion or the lack thereof.

[John Weaver] Now, we have had in the South a distinctive, help me out, Southern culture. Why do we have a Southern culture? Why is it not a Northern culture? Why is it not an Eastern or a Western culture? Because the South was the Bible Belt and the South was based basically upon Biblical Christianity and our Southern culture was far more Christian than that of the North or the East or the West.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to understand something. The more we exercise a Christian worldview the more our culture will become Christian. The less we exercise a Christian worldview, the more our culture will become pagan. So culture is vitally important. I told you in time past, I don't know if you remember it or not, but I've told you in time past that you cannot have a change in culture without a change in theology. You see, in actuality, it is your change in theology that precedes a change in culture.

[John Weaver] When I was a boy, you did not have the open promoting of sodomy. Why did our culture change? Because we changed theology. We dropped the word of God. You see, every cultural change is preceded by a theological change. Now, I want you to understand that the most basic truth is that God himself is the source of all culture. He created the world. He issued the cultural mandate. He created man as a dominion oriented creature, and he placed everything under man's hands. Thus, All culture is ultimately the handiwork of God, even though it is done through the agency of man. Now, if you look in your Bibles of Genesis 9, I want you to see that this cultural mandate was actually reissued to Noah and his sons after the flood. Look in Genesis 9, verse 1, And God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, Be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth.

[John Weaver] Now, that's the same thing God told Adam and Eve. Now he says in verse 2, And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the sea, upon all the fishes of the sea, into your hand they are delivered. Every moving thing that liveth shall be meet for you, even as the green herb that I have given you all things. Note, God says, I've given everything into your hands.

[John Weaver] Now, this dominion or cultural mandate is repeated again in Psalm 8. If you will turn there very quickly. Psalm 8, and I'm not going to read the entire Psalm, but just for your edification, I want to read the latter part of that Psalm. It's a very brief Psalm, but look in Psalm 8 and begin there with verse 4. What is man that thou art mindful of him, and the son of man that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honor. Now watch carefully, thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands. Thou hast put all things under his feet, all sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field, the fowl of the air, the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the sea. O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth. Now, by the way, in case you've forgotten, I'm going to tell you something.

[John Weaver] Do you realize that the trade routes in the ocean were discovered by a Christian man, Matthew Fontaine Murray. You know how those trade routes were discovered? Because Matthew Fontaine Murray was reading the scripture and he read this and wants to pass it through the paths of the sea. And Murray said, if God says there's paths in the sea, then there's paths in the sea. And he's the one that discovered the ocean currents and the trade routes that would move those ships far more quickly than just trying to sail anywhere else.

[John Weaver] This is an exercise of dominion. This is exactly what I'm talking about right now. So it's Matthew Fontaine Murray, who also was a confederate, by the way, who discovered the paths in the ocean.

[John Weaver] Now, let me point this out, and I want to deal with this later. I want you to understand that the Great Commission whether you and I realize it or not, is also an aspect of the cultural or the dominion mandate.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to stop with me just for a moment and think about this. Go back in your Bible to Genesis chapter 1. And of course, if you were to compare this with Genesis 2, you would see exactly what I'm talking about. But look in Genesis chapter 1, once again, beginning there with verse 26. Here we have this dominion mandate. God says, and God said, let us make man in our image after our likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth. So God created man in his own image, and the image of God created him, male and female, created to them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replace the earth, and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. Now, I want you to think of the cultural implications in the first command to exercise dominion.

[John Weaver] Adam was to subdue the earth. That was an agricultural task, Genesis 1, 28 and 2, 15. He was to cultivate the friendship of his wife. That was a socio-cultural task, Genesis 2, 18, 23 and 24. He was to tend to the plants and flowers. That was a horticultural task, Genesis 1, 29 through 30 and 2, 15. He was to cultivate bees and horses. That was an apiculture, an equicultural task. He was to cultivate himself. That was a physical cultural and a voice cultural task.

[John Weaver] Moreover, he was to rest on the Sabbath day. That was a liturgical cultural task. Everything that Adam did had significance to culture, what Adam was required by God to do was this. He was to take created nature and turn it into a culture that would glorify and honor his creator. That was his commission. That was his task. Now, instead of obedience, Adam and Eve endeavored to evade those tasks that were assigned by God to them. And they decided to evade those tasks by violating God's law and endeavoring to become a law unto themselves. Or, as the temptation of the serpent was, to become gods themselves. So what happened?

[John Weaver] Man then fell, according to Genesis 3, from his original state of purity and holiness and righteousness and knowledge. Now here is one of the problems that you and I face today. Everything has now been perverted by the fall. You know, in reality, it doesn't matter if you're talking about a pagan culture. Or a Christian culture. You're still not today going to have a perfect Christian culture. Why? Because it's been tainted by the fall.

[John Weaver] Now, that doesn't mean we cannot come close, doesn't mean we should not strive and work toward that end, but we've got to understand there will never be perfection until our Lord returns. Now, listen to this. This is what I'm talking about when I said that even in a Christian culture, it is not perfect. You know what the Bible says in Proverbs 21 in verse 4, even the plowing of the wicked is sin. Isn't that amazing?

[John Weaver] God requires a man to earn his living by the sweat of his brow. And then man goes out and plows, and God says it's sin. Why? Is he not exercising culture? Yes. But he's not doing that in exercise for God's honor and God's glory. And so when the wicked do not plow in faith, it is sin. What does the Bible say in Romans 14 in verse 23? Whatsoever is not of faith is sin. That means when you and I as Christians, when we try to do something, but we do not do it in faith, it's still sin.

[John Weaver] That's why I'm saying you're not going to have perfection, but at the same time, You've got to understand that Adam was required to subdue the earth. He was required to exercise a godly dominion and bring everything into obedience and submission to the Lord Jesus Christ himself.

[John Weaver] Now, look in your Bibles to Genesis 2 and verse 8. I want to ask you a question. Look in Genesis 2 and verse 8. And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there he put the man whom he had formed. God planted the garden eastward in Eden. So the garden was just a little part of it. And there he put the man whom he had formed. Now look in verse 15. And the Lord God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.

[John Weaver] Now remember that Adam was created with original righteousness, knowledge, and holiness. God has put him in this garden to dress it and to keep it. Have you ever asked yourself this question? What if Adam and Eve had not seen? What if they had obeyed God? If Adam and Eve had obeyed God. There would not be any sin. there would not be any death. And that means every descendant of Adam and Eve would be alive on this earth today. Now my question to you is this. If Adam had not sinned, would the blessing of God Upon Adam and Eve and upon His progeny, where would they all be today? Where would He put them all? You see the question I'm asking? I mean, can you stop and think about every individual that has ever been born and has ever lived still being alive today?

[John Weaver] Where would those people be? Now, I'll tell you what I think. and I'm underlining think, I think and I believe that Eden was nothing less than a laboratory experiment. When I say that, I mean this. If Adam had succeeded and obeyed God, I believe his descendants would have gone out from him, cultivated the entire world. And if that would be too little, then the entire universe. But what happened? Adam sinned. Adam fell.

[John Weaver] He didn't like to be vice president. He wanted to be president.

[John Weaver] Now, before I go any further, I want to stress several points that I believe are vitally important. First of all, I want you to know that there was work before the fall. Adam had to keep the garden, Adam had to dress it. There was work before the fall, naturally it was not attended with the sweat, blood and tears that we think of today, nor the drudgery that we associate with it, but it was still work. Work is not a result of sin.

[John Weaver] Had Adam and Eve not sinned, we would not just be lying around somewhere in a hammock, having grapes dropped in our mouth, being swung back and forth, doing nothing all day long. Had Adam not sinned, we would still be working, but there would be no drudgery. There'd be no sweat, blood and tears. So very obviously, work was before the fall. It was ordered by God and commanded by God.

[John Weaver] Secondly, I want you to see it should be evident that sin and laziness are not only in a direct contradiction to the command of God, but they are also in direct contradiction to our created nature. God created man to work. God created man to be dominion oriented. Thus, those who hate work basically hate and destroy themselves. Just like a welfare mentality not only destroys culture, but society.

[John Weaver] Thirdly, disobedience to God does not bring relief nor freedom. What was the temptation? What you shall be is God's knowing that is determining for yourself right and wrong. What you can get rid of this bondage. You don't need to be vice president. You can be president. Disobedience never brings liberty. It never brings freedom. All it brings is bondage and suffering. Look in Genesis three and verse 17.

[John Weaver] What happened after man fell? Well, he still had to work, but now look what God says. Verse 17, Genesis 3, And an enemy said, Because thou hast hearkened to the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it. Cursed is the ground for thy sake. In sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life. Thorns, also, and thistles shall it bring forth for thee, and thou shalt eat the herb of the field in the sweat of thy face. shalt thou eat bread, till thou returneth to the ground, for out of it was thou taken, for thus thou art, and thus thou shalt return." The drudgery and the heartache and the sweat, blood, and tears that now attend work is a result of the fall. But work was not a result of the fall.

[John Weaver] I tell you what, had Adam and Eve not sinned, You wouldn't be having to weed your garden. You see, it would take care of itself. You wouldn't be having to add herbicides and pesticides and chemicals and all that kind of junk that fouls up your system and destroys your body. No, no, no. All of that is a result of our sin against God. Let me tell you something. Whenever we want relief from trouble, whenever we want relief from problems, The easiest route is always obedience to God. Now, what did God do? God created man in the garden.

[John Weaver] He gave him a task. The very first one, you exercise dominion. You cultivate this earth. You bring everything into obedience to me. And what did Adam do? He sinned. He fell. God drove him out of the garden. Placed cherubims there with flaming swords to keep him from coming back in. And he left us in the state of misery and wretchedness.

[John Weaver] Now, my question is this. Is that the end of the story? Thankfully, the answer is no. Because God, in his grace and mercy, sent another man, the last Adam.

[John Weaver] Now, look in your Bibles to First Corinthians, Chapter 15. First Corinthians 15. And let's begin reading there with verse 45. First Corinthians 15 verse 45, and there are two terms that I want you to see in relationship to this truth. First Corinthians chapter 15, beginning there with verse 45. And so it is written, the first man, Adam, was made a living soul. The last Adam was made a quickening spirit. How be it that which was not first, which is spiritual, but that which is natural, and afterwards that which is spiritual. The first man, that is Adam, is of the earth, earthy, and the second man is the Lord from heaven. And as is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy, and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. If we have borne the image of the earthly, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. Now, let's stop there just for a moment. Note, if you would please, in verse 45, Jesus Christ is called the last Adam.

[John Weaver] Note, if you would also in verse 47, Jesus Christ is called the second man. The first man is of the earth, earthy, and the second man is the Lord from heaven.

[John Weaver] Now, before I explain the significance of these terms. Let me ask you and we will look back there just momentarily. Do you realize that there is a comparison and a contrast between the first Adam and the last Adam in Romans chapter 5. In Romans chapter 5 we have the failure of the first Adam and the success of the last Adam. You have the disobedience of the first Adam in Romans chapter 5 and the victory of the last Adam in Romans chapter 5. I'm going to deal with that in just a moment. Well, let me ask a question.

[John Weaver] Why is Christ, in verse 47, called the second man? Very obviously, chronologically speaking, He could not be the second man, because once God created Adam, until Christ came, there were millions who lived between the two of them. So how can Christ be called the second man? Let me explain that answer. Christ is called the second man because he is the second man in time who sustained a federal headship and relationship with the people. And in that sense, he was the second man. Now, let me explain it further. There are only two men that ever lived who had a federal headship and a federal relationship with the people. The first one was the first Adam, and the second one is the second man, the last Adam, Jesus Christ. Now, let me explain to you what I mean by a federal headship and relationship.

[John Weaver] Go back in your Bibles to Romans chapter five. I told you in this passage you have a contrast between the first Adam and the second Adam. But let me show you what the first Adam did for us. Romans 5 verse 12. Romans 5 verse 12. Wherefore, as by one man, that's Adam, sin entered into the world and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned.

[John Weaver] Now note what it says. Wherefore, as by one man, just one man, what happened sin entered into the world. What was the result of that? And death by sin, and so death passed upon all men. Why? For all sin. When did all sin? All of us sinned in Adam once and for all. Why? He was our federal representative. He was our head. What he did, we did.

[John Weaver] When he fell, we fell. When he sinned, we sinned. What does that mean? That means you and I now are not only sinners by nature. We're not only sinners by choice. We are also sinners by imputation. His sin was charged to the account of his posterity. You say, Brother Weaver, Had I been in that garden, I would have never sinned. Yes, you would have. You would have done exactly what Adam did. You were in him. And what he did, you did, and it was imputed to your account. It was charged to your account.

[John Weaver] You said, but I don't like that. Well, if you don't like that, then you don't like salvation. Because that is exactly why Christ is called the second man. Because Jesus Christ came in the same position as a federal head and a federal representative of his people. Let me show you. Since you're in Romans, look there first at Romans chapter 6. Romans 6. Note what the Bible says. Romans 6, beginning with verse 4, Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death, that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall also be in the likeness of his resurrection.

[John Weaver] Stop right there and turn in your Bibles to the book of Ephesians, chapter 2. Ephesians, chapter 2. And look, if you would please, beginning there with verse 5. Ephesians 2 verse 5. The Bible says, even when we were dead in sins, have quickened us together with Christ by grace are you saved and have raised us up together and made us to sit in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come, he might show the exceeding riches of his grace and his kindness toward us through Jesus Christ.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to note something, in Christ, We were crucified with him. In Christ, we died with him. In Christ, we were buried with him. In Christ, we were raised from the dead with him. In Christ, we are now seated at the right hand of God in him. Why? Because he is our federal head and our federal representative. What he did, we did.

[John Weaver] Now, the reformer Martin Luther said it like this. There are only two men. Adam and Christ. And everyone hangs from their girdles. What was he saying? You're either in Adam and lost as a hound dog. Or you're in Christ and you're saved as sanctified and on your way to being glorified. Why, because here's the first Adam. Everyone in him failed. Here's the second man, the last Adam, and everyone in him succeeds. Now. Why is he called the last Adam? He's not only called the second man. In 1 Corinthians 15 and verse 45, he's also called the last Adam. Why? Because he is the last one to sustain a federal headship and a federal relationship with a people. There will never, ever be another Adam. There was the first Adam. There's the second man, which is Christ, who is also called the last Adam.

[John Weaver] Let me reduce it down for you. If you're not saved by Jesus Christ, you never will be saved. If you do not like his salvation, there's no reason to wait for another. There will never be another salvation. There will never be another savior. That's why, Acts 4, verse 12, the apostle Peter said, there's none of the name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved. It is Christ or nothing. He's the last Adam. No other salvation in anyone else.

[John Weaver] Now, I've got to ask you a question. I've given you just a little bit of a comparison and contrast between the first Adam and the last Adam. But here's a very important question. Did we lose more in the first Adam than we gained in the last Adam? Let me put that another way. You think we would have been better off if Adam had never sinned? Or do you think we will be better off since he has sinned and Christ has come? Well, very obviously, We're better off because he sinned and Christ has come.

[John Weaver] Let me read to you Colossians 1 in verse 18. Here it is. And he is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn of the dead, that in all things he might have the preeminence. Did you hear that? In all things, Jesus Christ must have the preeminence. Jesus Christ is the God-man par excellence. Adam, a mere man, could never have the preeminence because Jesus Christ is perfect man and perfect God. He is the God-man. Now, what did Jesus Christ do for us? I want you to look back in your Bibles to Psalm 69, verse 4. Psalm 69, verse 4. Get ready, I want to tie all this together for you. Psalm 69, verse 4. Look at what the Bible says. Psalm 69, verse 4. Scripture says, They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head.

[John Weaver] They that would destroy me being mine enemies wrongfully are mighty. Then I restored that which I took not away.

[John Weaver] Now, this verse is applied to Jesus Christ in the New Testament in John 15 in verse 25. I'm not going to ask that you turn there. But I want to just point out the fact, verse 4, the latter part, Christ says, then I restored that which I took not away. What does it mean that Christ restored that which he did not take away? In order to answer that question, you must ask, what did we have in Adam originally? In Adam, we had original knowledge and holiness and righteousness and dominion. It is true that Adam did walk with God. He did have knowledge. He was also created with original righteousness and holiness. And God gave him a dominion mandate. Now the question is, what did Christ restore for us? What did we lose in Adam? First of all, we lost knowledge.

[John Weaver] Now, look in your Bibles, if you would, please, first of all, to the book of Ephesians, chapter four and the book of Colossians, chapter three. I want you to hold these passages. Go to Ephesians, chapter four, and then to Colossians, chapter three. And get ready for me to show you some passages. We had knowledge in Adam, but we lost it in the fall. Now what happens? Everyone knows and can quote this verse, Second Timothy 3, 16 and 17.

[John Weaver] All scripture is given by inspiration of God. That is, God breathed, theopneutos, exhaled. All scripture is exhaled out of the mouth of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God might be perfect, thoroughly furnished in every good work. The Bible is the word of God. OK, it's knowledge. Now listen. John 1, 1-3, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. Verse 14, And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory. The glory is of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. Adam had knowledge. But in Christ, we have knowledge and wisdom incarnate. We have the total revelation of God in Jesus Christ. Now, look in Ephesians 4 and notice if you would verse 21. What does Christ restore for us? If so be that you have heard him, that is Christ, and have been taught by him as the truth is in Jesus.

[John Weaver] that you put off concerning the former conversation, the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitful lust, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind." Then if you look in Colossians 3, and notice if you would please verse 10, look what he says very pointedly,"...and have put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge." That's the image of him. What do we get back in Christ? We get back not just the knowledge that Adam had. We get back far more than that, because we get the full and final revelation of God in Jesus Christ.

[John Weaver] Well, you say, but Brother Weaver, you don't understand. We had original righteousness and holiness in Adam, that's true. Look in your Bibles, Ephesians 4. and verse 24. These is for verse 24 and that you put on the new man. Which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

[John Weaver] Now wait a minute in Jesus Christ. We have a righteousness and a holiness. That far surpasses that which Adam had. Are you listening Adams holiness Adams righteousness was mutable. What do I mean by that? I mean it was changeable. Because Adam could sin and he did sin and he lost his original righteousness and holiness. Our righteousness and our holiness is immutable. It is unchangeable. Why? Because it is in Jesus Christ and not in us.

[John Weaver] Moreover, it is absolute perfection. For it is God Himself. So in Christ, He not only restores our knowledge, He restores our righteousness and our holiness. But you say, but Brother Weaver, Adam had dominion. Well, look in your Bibles to Matthew 28. And let's begin reading there with verse 18. Matthew 28 and verse 18. Are you ready? Matthew 28, verse 18. I like this verse. Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power.

[John Weaver] The word for powers exists to you. All authority, all jurisdiction, all power, all authority, all jurisdiction is given unto me in heaven and earth. Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things once for I have commanded you, and, lo, I am with you all the way, even unto the end of the world. Note, if you would please, we now have all authority in heaven and earth in Jesus Christ.

[John Weaver] Adam may have had dominion. He had authority in that garden. He may have had authority over the earth. But he did not have all authority in heaven and earth. We now have in Christ a complete and total worldly dominion. And let me tell you this, the Great Commission just simply expands the cultural mandate or the dominion mandate of Genesis 1, 26 through 28. I want you to note what our Lord said.

[John Weaver] Verse 20, teaching them to observe, help me with those next two words, all things whatsoever I have commanded you. In other words, our condition is to teach the whole counsel of God. That is the total revealed word of God. To whom are we to teach and preach it? And that is to the entire world. The Great Commission reaches all nations. The Great Commission is a demonstration of God's total absolute sovereignty which Christ now exercises because one cannot issue mandates nor send ambassadors into other countries without authority to do so. Christ has all authority.

[John Weaver] Do you know where we have messed up as Christians? Do you know why today we are so absolutely anemic? Because most of us have just simply interpreted the Great Commission as a commission to win souls. That's not what the Great Commission is about. Once someone is converted to Christ, that's only a first step. I said, you teach them to observe everything that I've commanded. What has he commanded?

[John Weaver] The entire word of God. You know what we do? We see someone get converted to Christ and we say, well, we're happy, let's go on our way. Never teach them. Never instruct them. Never build them up. Never tell them, look, there's a whole world to conquer and bring in submission to Jesus Christ. I have a book. Some of you would like to read it. I'd be glad for you to read it. It's a wonderful little book.

[John Weaver] It was written by Francis Nigel Lee. And the name of the book is The Central Significance of Culture. I read it years ago. It made a great impact upon me. And I want to read just three or four paragraphs from that book for you. Listen carefully. Here's what Nigel Lee wrote on the central significance of culture. All men are to be engaged in cultural activity, for all men are covenantally obliged to obey God's commands to Adam. It has been stated above that in the Adamic covenant of cultural works was made with all of Adam's future descendants, no less than it was made with Adam himself. For in Adam as its federal head and legal representative, all mankind is obligated to keep and execute this covenant. And indeed, Adam could never fulfill the covenant by discharging all those cultural tasks by himself alone.

[John Weaver] He needed a humanity to help him to do so. For although these tasks sound so easy by virtue of the very simplicity with which they're described in the Genesis account, in actual fact they embrace every possible aspect of all human endeavor. Adam's own personal agricultural task, for example, only started by cultivating the Garden of Eden in its simplicity. Yet in Adam, as its federal head, all mankind was required to develop every acre to subdue the entire earth. Adam's own nautical task commenced with merely asserting his authority over a few fish, but mankind was and is ultimately destined to achieve total dominion over all the world's oceans, to become king of its seas in all of its fullness. Adam's own engineering tasks were originally to collect gold and bejelum and onyx stone, but under mankind this was to develop to embrace the construction of gigantic mines and factories and automobiles throughout the world. Man's military task was initially simple, simply to keep the garden, that is to guard it against the intrusion of sin in the devil.

[John Weaver] But after the advent of sin, this task was ultimately to embrace all the armies of soldiers, doctors, and policemen throughout all the ages of the entire world, guarding the interests of mankind and fighting against the consequences of sin and the works of the devil. The unfolding of the world's culture is thus the task of all humanity by virtue of all humanity's involvement in the Adamic covenant works. In the command to have dominion over the land, we're commissioned to operate tractors and trucks and automobiles. In the command to have dominion over the air, we find the germ of all aeronautics, of airplanes, rockets, Sputnik satellites. In the command to have dominion over the sea, we are enjoined to construct great ocean liners and bathyscopes and submarines and to form the ocean beds. If the command to have dominion over the cattle and the beasts of the field, or the earth, we have the blueprint of all cattle ranching, sheep farming, and livestock husbandry.

[John Weaver] The command to exploit the creeping thing naturally includes the silkworm and the rock lobster, and hence points to the development of the rock lobster trade in the silk industry. And in reference to man's task of giving names to all the animals, we find the germ of all natural sciences as represented by zoology. Truly, Adam could never undertake all these tasks alone, and neither was this expected of him. As has already been stated, when God made the covenant works with Adam, he made it with all of his descendants as well. This is one of the chief reasons why God commanded man to multiply and replenish the earth and subdue it. For Adam could never subdue it alone. Only by multiplying could man subdue the earth, namely subdue it in and through his descendants. So God committed these tremendous tasks of developing the world's culture to all mankind, to every scientist, to every farmer, to every technician, to every teacher, to every housewife, to every one of us.

[John Weaver] Now, let me make some applications to try to tie this together. I want you to see, first of all, the inescapability of culture. All of us are involved in culture. We have a culture. You cannot escape culture. The question is, what kind of culture will we have? Will we have a Christian culture or a pagan culture? Let me tell you. Why is it God gives wealth? Why is it God gives blessings? Why is it God gives intellect?

[John Weaver] Why are some men doctors and others are engineers? Why are some men preachers and others are housewives? Why are some individuals economists? No, men are not housewives, Margaret. I knew you were going to think that. But you see what I'm saying? God gives different talents to different people, different blessings. Why? Because every one of us are to engage in a dominion aspect of cultivating and bringing all culture in submission to the Word of God and for the honor and glory of God in whatever field God has given us.

[John Weaver] And wealth is needed and necessary to accomplish those tasks. Cornelius Van Til, One of the greatest thinkers. In times past said this, he defined culture, he said culture, then is any and all human effort and labor expended upon the cosmos that is on the world to unearth its treasures and its riches and bring them into the service of man for the enrichment of human existence under the glory of God.

[John Weaver] You remember last week I ended. With whatsoever you do, and word and deed, whether you eat and drink, you do all to the honor and glory of God." Do you realize, folks, here we are sitting here and saying, well, the church's mission is to win souls. The church's mission is not to win souls. That is an aspect of it. The church's mission is to glorify Jesus Christ in everything. And what we've done, we've limited Our mission, narrowing it down. You remember, Dr. Bowen, when you were a boy, if you wanted your mule to plow straight, you put blinders on it.

[John Weaver] And that's what has happened to most Christians. They have blinders. All they can see is through one little tunnel. They've got tunnel vision, and they don't even know the entire world is out there to be conquered. and brought under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Why does God give us wealth? Oh, sure. We can enjoy some of it. And we lay up an inheritance for our children, our children's children. That's biblical.

[John Weaver] But first and foremost, it's so that we can bring His covenant to pass and conquer through Him and for Him to whom belongs glory both now and forever. Let's pray. Father, speak our hearts. Help us, Lord, to understand that Thou has given us a mandate to subdue and exercise dominion and bring everything into conformity to Your Word. Enable us, Lord, to live for Thee and to accomplish this in some measure. In Christ's name we pray, Amen.

Biblical Wealth - Part 3 of 8

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	73004204140
Subject	Old Testament Studies
Course	Genesis: Creation, Fall, and Dominion
Genre	Sermon
Date	2004-07-25
Dictation Name
Book	Book 052: Biblical Wealth — Chapter 3
Source Timed Segments	95

Formatted Transcript

Introduction and Scripture Reading

Weaver reads Deuteronomy 8:11-20, emphasizing verse 18 as the key text for the purpose of wealth.

Deuteronomy chapter 8, and let's begin reading—oh, let's say with verse—since we've read the entire chapter for several weeks, let's begin reading with verse 11. Deuteronomy chapter 8, verse 11. God says,

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 8:11-20

"Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day: lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein; and when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied; then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage; who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint; who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee

good at thy latter end. And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth. But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day. And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the Lord thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish. As the nations which the Lord destroyeth before your face, so shall ye perish; because ye would not be obedient unto the voice of the Lord your God."

Now let me call your attention to verse 18 again. "But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant, which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day."

Review of Previous Teachings on Wealth

Weaver reviews the sovereignty and source of wealth, and the two hinges of blessing: covenantal obedience and individual responsibility.

Now, we've been dealing with the biblical doctrine of wealth, and so far we have looked at the sovereignty and the source of wealth. Very clearly, the Word of God says, it is the Lord thy God who giveth thee power to get wealth. And I demonstrated to you from history the philosophy of Thomism, where it was Thomas Aquinas who introduced into history—Christian history, that is—his philosophy that caused us to try to separate everything into two spheres, that is, the secular and the sacred. And I pointed out very clearly that for the child of God, there is only one sphere, and that is the sacred. Everything that we do, we're to do for God's honor and God's glory. Then secondly, we looked at the sovereignty of God and the subjects of wealth. I pointed out 1 Samuel 2, verses 7 and 8, where he said it is God who lifteth up one and taketh down another. It is God who makes rich and it's God who makes poor.

And I told you, of course, God is absolutely sovereign in the distribution of his gifts and his blessings. But then I came back and I said this: It is true that God is sovereign. But God usually channels his blessings. And the door of God's blessing usually swings upon two hinges. The first hinge was the hinge of covenantal obedience, and the second hinge was individual responsibility. And in that message, I showed you where we are responsible to obey the word of God and at the same time fulfill our individual responsibilities. because laziness and indolence is a sin and it is wicked and ungodly. So, usually, God says that he gives those blessings upon the hinges of covenantal obedience and individual responsibility. I showed you there were general promises in the Bible, general principles in the Bible, and these general principles rested upon God's absolute sovereignty. It is true that you could be covenantally obedient and you could be individually responsible and never have wealth. That then falls back upon God's absolute sovereignty. He gives as he pleases.

And he does so based upon his infinite wisdom. But usually speaking, if we use the means that God has ordained and we follow the word of God and obey God, God usually blesses in some way like that. Now, the question today is this: What is the purpose of wealth? So we're talking about biblical wealth and its purpose. If God graciously and sovereignly bestows wealth upon us as we obey his law, as we fulfill our covenantal obligations, and as long as we are individually responsible, if God blesses as we do those things, the question is, what in the world are we to do with the wealth? Should we waste it? Should we abuse it? Should we misuse it?

The Purpose of Wealth: To Establish God's Covenant

Weaver states that the purpose of wealth is to establish God's covenant, as stated in Deuteronomy 8:18.

Should we just simply lavish it upon ourselves? In order to answer that question correctly, we must understand the purpose of wealth. Now, it is true that it is God who gives us power to get wealth. But what is His purpose in allowing us to have that wealth? Why does He graciously bestow that wealth upon us? The answer is very simple. It's very clearly stated in the Word of God. God does not give us that wealth because of our merits or because of our worthiness. But if you look in verse 18, here it is: "But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God, for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth." Why? "That he may establish his covenant, which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day." The purpose in wealth is to establish God's covenant.

Now, I can hear someone whimpering and complaining and saying, "Brother Weaver, you've got to understand that this promise was given to Abraham and his descendants." Yes. But before I go further and explain that, look back in your Bibles to Deuteronomy chapter 7, beginning there with verse 9. Deuteronomy 7 verse 9. Look what he says: "Know therefore that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;

The Covenant Promise and Its Fulfillment in Christ

Weaver argues that the covenant promises to Abraham are fulfilled in Christ, and believers are heirs through faith.

and repayeth them that hate him to their face, to destroy them: he will not be slack to him that hateth him, he will repay him to his face. Thou shalt therefore keep the commandments, and the statutes, and the judgments, which I command thee this day, to do them. Wherefore it shall come to pass, if ye hearken to these judgments, and keep, and do them, that the Lord thy God shall keep unto thee the covenant and the mercy which he sware unto thy fathers: and he will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee: he will also bless the fruit of thy womb, and the fruit of thy land, thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep, in the land which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee. Thou shalt be blessed above all people.

There shall not be male or female barren among you, or among your cattle. And the Lord will take away from thee all sickness, and will put none of the evil diseases of Egypt, which thou knowest, upon thee; but will lay them upon all them that hate thee." Now go back, if you would please, to verse 9. "Know therefore that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments..." How long? "...to a thousand generations."

Now, let me go a little bit further. If you say, "But Brother Weaver, still, all of this is Abraham and his seed." Look in your Bibles to the book of Galatians chapter 3 and verse 16. I'm going to concur with you. But you've got to understand who the real, true, genuine seed of Abraham really is. Notice, if you would please, Galatians chapter 3 and verse 16. Galatians 3 verse 16. Notice what the Bible says. Watch carefully. Galatians 3, verse 16: "Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ." Who is the true seed of Abraham? And the answer is Jesus Christ.

Scripture Reading — Galatians 3:16

Do you remember what our Lord said in John 8? "Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad." Why? Because Jesus Christ is the true seed of Abraham. Look in Galatians 3 and look, if you would, at verse 29. Galatians 3 verse 29. Our Lord says, "And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." If you belong to Christ, then in Him you are Abraham's seed and what? You are also heirs according to the promise. So everything that God promised to Abraham was basically promised to Jesus Christ. If we are in Jesus Christ, then, of course, we are heirs according to all of those promises. Now, if these verses are insufficient, may I remind you, if you'll look back in your Bibles to Deuteronomy chapter 8 and verse 18, Deuteronomy 8 in verse 18, he says, "But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant."

Now, watch this phrase, "which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day." Now, the interesting thing is this: If you will take time to look up the phrase "sware unto thy fathers," you will find that this phrase occurs nine times in the Old Testament. It occurs in Exodus 13 in verse 5, Deuteronomy 6, verse 10 and verse 18, Deuteronomy 7, verse 12 and 13, Deuteronomy 8, verse 18, Deuteronomy 9, 5, Deuteronomy 28, 11, and Deuteronomy 30 and verse 20. Each of the nine occurrences of this phrase, "which he sware unto thy fathers," is found in the book of Deuteronomy, except for the one in the book of Exodus. Nine times it occurs in the Old Testament.

Now I want you to consider this fact, that in the New Testament, it is Jesus Christ who is considered the fulfillment of the promise when it is used, "which he sware unto the fathers." Look in your Bibles to the book of Acts chapter 3. Acts chapter 3. And let's begin reading there with verse 22. Acts chapter 3, verse 22. Acts 3, verse 22, the word of God says this. Watch carefully. "For Moses truly said unto the fathers,

A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people. Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days. Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed. Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities." Note, if you would, Jesus Christ is here the fulfillment of the promise made to the fathers.

Look in chapter 5, beginning with verse 30. Acts 5, verse 30. He says,

Scripture Reading — Acts 5:30-31

"The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins."

Look, if you would please, in Romans 9 and verse 5. Romans 9 and verse 5. Just showing you that what He swore to the fathers, the fulfillment of that swearing was found in Jesus Christ. Notice Romans 9 and verse 5. Look what the Bible says: "Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen." Note that phrase: "Whose are the fathers?" In other words, all of these promises given to the fathers, out of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, that is, Christ came through them, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Now look in Romans 15 and verse 8. Romans 15 and verse 8.

Once again, Paul makes this exceedingly clear. He says, "Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers." Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of the promises made unto the fathers. He is the true covenantal fulfillment. In Him we have salvation. In Him we have a home. In Him, we have a land. In Him, we have everything that we need, for He is our all and in all.

Now, if you understand that, you may with confidence then look at the purpose of wealth. So I want you to go back in your Bibles to the book of Genesis chapter 1, and let's begin by reading verses 26 through 28. Look in Genesis 1, and let's begin reading there with verse 26. Notice Genesis 1 verse 26, "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 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."

The Dominion Mandate in Genesis

Weaver explains the cultural/dominion mandate given to Adam in Genesis 1:26-28, defining culture and mandate.

Now let me ask you a question. What was man's first responsibility under God? What was man's first responsibility under God? Well, according to Genesis 1, verses 26 through 28, it was to fulfill God's dominion charter. Now, this charter is sometimes referred to as the dominion mandate, the cultural mandate, or the great charter. So Genesis 1, 26 through 28 is called the cultural mandate, the dominion charter, or the dominion mandate, or the great charter. Whichever name you use, it speaks of the same revealed truth. I will probably use the terms interchangeably today. However, I will be speaking more probably using the term cultural mandate or dominion mandate. Now let me define my terms. Let me define, first of all, the word culture. The word culture literally means to educate, to refine, to cultivate. Sometimes this word is used in reference to the cultivation of plants and animals, especially with a view of improving them. Sometimes the word is used in the training, improvement, and refinement of the mind, of morals,

of taste, of society, or education, or any sphere whatsoever. The word mandate refers then to an authoritative requirement, a command, an order, or a charge. So when you talk about a cultural mandate, you're talking about a charge, an order, a command that God has given in reference to culture, the totality of culture, or the totality of dominion. Now, the cultural or dominion mandate, then, refers simply to this: It refers to covenantal man's responsibility to subdue the earth and to exercise dominion over that earth under God.

Now look in your Bibles to Genesis 2 and verse 16. The Bible says, "And the Lord God commanded the man, saying..."

The Nature and Scope of the Dominion Mandate

Weaver elaborates on Adam's responsibilities and the comprehensive nature of the dominion mandate, including its reissuance to Noah and its reflection in Psalm 8.

Now the Hebrew word for commanded literally means to put under an oath or to put under charge. That means this, that Adam was put under a covenant on which he gave his word. So Adam then was covenantally bound, he was covenantally responsible to obey God. God had given him the obligation to subdue the earth, to exercise a godly dominion or a godly culture over the earth. Now listen carefully. Adam did not have the authority to abuse, misuse, destroy, hinder, or thwart, or pervert God's creation. He had the authority to use the earth on God's terms. He did not have the authority to misuse the earth.

Now it's important that you understand that sovereignty and ownership are intertwined. They go together. What did he say in Psalm 24 in verse 1?

Scripture Reading — Psalm 24:1

"The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein."

Why does the earth and everything in it belong to God? Because he's the creator of it. He's the owner of it. And consequently, he is sovereign over it. Therefore, God has the absolute right to tell man how man can use his earth, what man may do and what man may not do. Now, you see, God gave Adam dominion over the earth. God gave Adam dominion over everything in the earth.

Let me try to put this where you and I can grasp it very easily. When God created man, when God created Adam, he created Adam to be his vicegerent, or to use a term that we're more familiar with, he created Adam to be his vice president. In other words, as God's vice president, Adam was therefore responsible and accountable to rule under God. Now, I find it very interesting that when God created Adam, the very first words that he heard were these: "Have dominion." That's what he said in Genesis 1 verse 26. "Have dominion." You have dominion over the earth. You have dominion over everything. I hope you understand that I'm talking today about the purpose of wealth. And I'm showing you that the purpose of wealth initially and originally is to carry out God's cultural mandate or God's dominion mandate. You say, "Brother Weaver, I don't understand how important is culture." Let me explain to you the importance of culture in a simple sentence. Culture is merely religion externalized. That's all culture is. Culture is religion externalized. A culture is a distinctive culture that is based upon a distinctive religion.

Now just stop and ask yourself this question. Why are there so many different cultures in the world? We think about the African culture, the Oriental culture, the Indian culture. Do you know why cultures are different? Because religions are different. In other words, your culture is nothing more than the outworking of your religion or the lack thereof.

Now, we have had in the South a distinctive—help me out—Southern culture. Why do we have a Southern culture? Why is it not a Northern culture? Why is it not an Eastern or a Western culture? Because the South was the Bible Belt and the South was based basically upon Biblical Christianity and our Southern culture was far more Christian than that of the North or the East or the West.

Now, I want you to understand something. The more we exercise a Christian worldview, the more our culture will become Christian. The less we exercise a Christian worldview, the more our culture will become pagan. So culture is vitally important. I told you in time past, I don't know if you remember it or not, but I've told you in time past that you cannot have a change in culture without a change in theology. You see, in actuality, it is your change in theology that precedes a change in culture.

When I was a boy, you did not have the open promoting of sodomy. Why did our culture change? Because we changed theology. We dropped the word of God. You see, every cultural change is preceded by a theological change. Now, I want you to understand that the most basic truth is that God himself is the source of all culture. He created the world. He issued the cultural mandate. He created man as a dominion-oriented creature, and he placed everything under man's hands. Thus, all culture is ultimately the handiwork of God, even though it is done through the agency of man. Now, if you look in your Bibles at Genesis 9, I want you to see that this cultural mandate was actually reissued to Noah and his sons after the flood. Look in Genesis 9, verse 1, "And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth."

Now, that's the same thing God told Adam and Eve. Now he says in verse 2, "And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered. Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things." Note, God says, "I've given everything into your hands." Now, this dominion or cultural mandate is repeated again in Psalm 8. If you will turn there very quickly. Psalm 8, and I'm not going to read the entire Psalm, but just for your edification, I want to read the latter part of that Psalm. It's a very brief Psalm, but look in Psalm 8 and begin there with verse 4. "What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet: all sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; the fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas. O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!" Now, by the way, in case you've forgotten, I'm going to tell you something.

Do you realize that the trade routes in the ocean were discovered by a Christian man, Matthew Fontaine Maury. You know how those trade routes were discovered? Because Matthew Fontaine Maury was reading the scripture and he read this: "and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas." And Maury said, "If God says there's paths in the sea, then there's paths in the sea." And he's the one that discovered the ocean currents and the trade routes that would move those ships far more quickly than just trying to sail anywhere else. This is an exercise of dominion. This is exactly what I'm talking about right now. So it's Matthew Fontaine Maury, who also was a Confederate, by the way, who discovered the paths in the ocean.

Now, let me point this out, and I want to deal with this later. I want you to understand that the Great Commission, whether you and I realize it or not, is also an aspect of the cultural or the dominion mandate.

The Fall and Its Effects on Culture

Weaver discusses how the fall perverted culture and work, but work itself was pre-fall and is part of man's created nature.

Now, I want you to stop with me just for a moment and think about this. Go back in your Bible to Genesis chapter 1. And of course, if you were to compare this with Genesis 2, you would see exactly what I'm talking about. But look in Genesis chapter 1, once again, beginning there with verse 26. Here we have this dominion mandate. God says, "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 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." Now, I want you to think of the cultural implications in the first command to exercise dominion.

Adam was to subdue the earth. That was an agricultural task, Genesis 1:28 and 2:15. He was to cultivate the friendship of his wife. That was a socio-cultural task, Genesis 2:18, 23 and 24. He was to tend to the plants and flowers. That was a horticultural task, Genesis 1:29 through 30 and 2:15. He was to cultivate bees and horses. That was an apicultural, an equicultural task. He was to cultivate himself. That was a physical cultural and a vocal cultural task.

Moreover, he was to rest on the Sabbath day. That was a liturgical cultural task. Everything that Adam did had significance to culture. What Adam was required by God to do was this: He was to take created nature and turn it into a culture that would glorify and honor his creator. That was his commission. That was his task. Now, instead of obedience, Adam and Eve endeavored to evade those tasks that were assigned by God to them. And they decided to evade those tasks by violating God's law and endeavoring to become a law unto themselves. Or, as the temptation of the serpent was, to become gods themselves. So what happened?

Man then fell, according to Genesis 3, from his original state of purity and holiness and righteousness and knowledge. Now here is one of the problems that you and I face today. Everything has now been perverted by the fall. You know, in reality, it doesn't matter if you're talking about a pagan culture or a Christian culture. You're still not today going to have a perfect Christian culture. Why? Because it's been tainted by the fall.

Now, that doesn't mean we cannot come close, doesn't mean we should not strive and work toward that end, but we've got to understand there will never be perfection until our Lord returns. Now, listen to this. This is what I'm talking about when I said that even in a Christian culture, it is not perfect. You know what the Bible says in Proverbs 21 in verse 4?

Scripture Reading — Proverbs 21:4

"Even the plowing of the wicked is sin."

Isn't that amazing? God requires a man to earn his living by the sweat of his brow. And then man goes out and plows, and God says it's sin. Why? Is he not exercising culture? Yes. But he's not doing that in exercise for God's honor and God's glory. And so when the wicked do not plow in faith, it is sin. What does the Bible say in Romans 14 in verse 23? "Whatsoever is not of faith is sin." That means when you and I as Christians, when we try to do something, but we do not do it in faith, it's still sin.

That's why I'm saying you're not going to have perfection, but at the same time, you've got to understand that Adam was required to subdue the earth. He was required to exercise a godly dominion and bring everything into obedience and submission to the Lord Jesus Christ himself. Now, look in your Bibles to Genesis 2 and verse 8. I want to ask you a question. Look in Genesis 2 and verse 8. "And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed." God planted the garden eastward in Eden. So the garden was just a little part of it. And there he put the man whom he had formed. Now look in verse 15. "And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it."

Now remember that Adam was created with original righteousness, knowledge, and holiness. God has put him in this garden to dress it and to keep it. Have you ever asked yourself this question? What if Adam and Eve had not sinned? What if they had obeyed God? If Adam and Eve had obeyed God, there would not be any sin. There would not be any death. And that means every descendant of Adam and Eve would be alive on this earth today. Now my question to you is this: If Adam had not sinned, would the blessing of God upon Adam and Eve and upon His progeny, where would they all be today? Where would He put them all? You see the question I'm asking? I mean, can you stop and think about every individual that has ever been born and has ever lived still being alive today?

Where would those people be? Now, I'll tell you what I think—and I'm underlining think—I think and I believe that Eden was nothing less than a laboratory experiment. When I say that, I mean this: If Adam had succeeded and obeyed God, I believe his descendants would have gone out from him, cultivated the entire world. And if that would be too little, then the entire universe. But what happened? Adam sinned. Adam fell.

He didn't like to be vice president. He wanted to be president. Now, before I go any further, I want to stress several points that I believe are vitally important. First of all, I want you to know that there was work before the fall. Adam had to keep the garden, Adam had to dress it. There was work before the fall, naturally it was not attended with the sweat, blood and tears that we think of today, nor the drudgery that we associate with it, but it was still work. Work is not a result of sin.

Had Adam and Eve not sinned, we would not just be lying around somewhere in a hammock, having grapes dropped in our mouth, being swung back and forth, doing nothing all day long. Had Adam not sinned, we would still be working, but there would be no drudgery. There'd be no sweat, blood and tears. So very obviously, work was before the fall. It was ordered by God and commanded by God. Secondly, I want you to see it should be evident that sin and laziness are not only in a direct contradiction to the command of God, but they are also in direct contradiction to our created nature. God created man to work. God created man to be dominion-oriented. Thus, those who hate work basically hate and destroy themselves. Just like a welfare mentality not only destroys culture, but society.

Thirdly, disobedience to God does not bring relief nor freedom. What was the temptation? "Ye shall be as gods, knowing"—that is, determining for yourself—"right and wrong." "You can get rid of this bondage. You don't need to be vice president. You can be president." Disobedience never brings liberty. It never brings freedom. All it brings is bondage and suffering. Look in Genesis three and verse 17.

What happened after man fell? Well, he still had to work, but now look what God says. Verse 17, Genesis 3,

Scripture Reading — Genesis 3:17-19

"And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return."

The drudgery and the heartache and the sweat, blood, and tears that now attend work is a result of the fall. But work was not a result of the fall.

I tell you what, had Adam and Eve not sinned, you wouldn't be having to weed your garden. You see, it would take care of itself. You wouldn't be having to add herbicides and pesticides and chemicals and all that kind of junk that fouls up your system and destroys your body. No, no, no. All of that is a result of our sin against God. Let me tell you something. Whenever we want relief from trouble, whenever we want relief from problems, the easiest route is always obedience to God. Now, what did God do? God created man in the garden.

He gave him a task. The very first one: "You exercise dominion. You cultivate this earth. You bring everything into obedience to me." And what did Adam do? He sinned. He fell. God drove him out of the garden. Placed cherubims there with flaming swords to keep him from coming back in. And he left us in the state of misery and wretchedness.

Now, my question is this: Is that the end of the story? Thankfully, the answer is no. Because God, in his grace and mercy, sent another man, the last Adam.

Restoration in Christ, the Last Adam

Weaver contrasts the first Adam with Christ, the last Adam, showing that in Christ we regain and surpass what was lost: knowledge, righteousness, holiness, and dominion.

Now, look in your Bibles to First Corinthians, Chapter 15. First Corinthians 15. And let's begin reading there with verse 45. First Corinthians 15 verse 45, and there are two terms that I want you to see in relationship to this truth. First Corinthians chapter 15, beginning there with verse 45.

Scripture Reading — 1 Corinthians 15:45-49

"And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly."

Now, let's stop there just for a moment. Note, if you would please, in verse 45, Jesus Christ is called the last Adam.

Note, if you would also in verse 47, Jesus Christ is called the second man. "The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven." Now, before I explain the significance of these terms, let me ask you—and we will look back there just momentarily—do you realize that there is a comparison and a contrast between the first Adam and the last Adam in Romans chapter 5? In Romans chapter 5 we have the failure of the first Adam and the success of the last Adam. You have the disobedience of the first Adam in Romans chapter 5 and the victory of the last Adam in Romans chapter 5. I'm going to deal with that in just a moment. Well, let me ask a question.

Why is Christ, in verse 47, called the second man? Very obviously, chronologically speaking, He could not be the second man, because once God created Adam, until Christ came, there were millions who lived between the two of them. So how can Christ be called the second man? Let me explain that answer. Christ is called the second man because he is the second man in time who sustained a federal headship and relationship with the people. And in that sense, he was the second man. Now, let me explain it further. There are only two men that ever lived who had a federal headship and a federal relationship with the people. The first one was the first Adam, and the second one is the second man, the last Adam, Jesus Christ. Now, let me explain to you what I mean by a federal headship and relationship.

Go back in your Bibles to Romans chapter five. I told you in this passage you have a contrast between the first Adam and the second Adam. But let me show you what the first Adam did for us. Romans 5 verse 12. Romans 5 verse 12. "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned."

Now note what it says. "Wherefore, as by one man"—just one man—what happened? "Sin entered into the world." What was the result of that? "And death by sin; and so death passed upon all men." Why? "For that all have sinned." When did all sin? All of us sinned in Adam once and for all. Why? He was our federal representative. He was our head. What he did, we did.

When he fell, we fell. When he sinned, we sinned. What does that mean? That means you and I now are not only sinners by nature. We're not only sinners by choice. We are also sinners by imputation. His sin was charged to the account of his posterity. You say, "Brother Weaver, had I been in that garden, I would have never sinned." Yes, you would have. You would have done exactly what Adam did. You were in him. And what he did, you did, and it was imputed to your account. It was charged to your account.

You said, "But I don't like that." Well, if you don't like that, then you don't like salvation. Because that is exactly why Christ is called the second man. Because Jesus Christ came in the same position as a federal head and a federal representative of his people. Let me show you. Since you're in Romans, look there first at Romans chapter 6. Romans 6. Note what the Bible says. Romans 6, beginning with verse 4, "Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection."

Stop right there and turn in your Bibles to the book of Ephesians, chapter 2. Ephesians, chapter 2. And look, if you would please, beginning there with verse 5. Ephesians 2 verse 5. The Bible says, "Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: that in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus."

Now, I want you to note something: in Christ, we were crucified with him. In Christ, we died with him. In Christ, we were buried with him. In Christ, we were raised from the dead with him. In Christ, we are now seated at the right hand of God in him. Why? Because he is our federal head and our federal representative. What he did, we did.

Now, the reformer Martin Luther said it like this: "There are only two men: Adam and Christ. And everyone hangs from their girdles." What was he saying? You're either in Adam and lost as a hound dog, or you're in Christ and you're saved, sanctified, and on your way to being glorified. Why? Because here's the first Adam. Everyone in him failed. Here's the second man, the last Adam, and everyone in him succeeds. Now, why is he called the last Adam? He's not only called the second man. In 1 Corinthians 15 and verse 45, he's also called the last Adam. Why? Because he is the last one to sustain a federal headship and a federal relationship with a people. There will never, ever be another Adam. There was the first Adam. There's the second man, which is Christ, who is also called the last Adam.

Let me reduce it down for you. If you're not saved by Jesus Christ, you never will be saved. If you do not like his salvation, there's no reason to wait for another. There will never be another salvation. There will never be another savior. That's why, Acts 4, verse 12, the apostle Peter said, "There is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." It is Christ or nothing. He's the last Adam. No other salvation in anyone else.

Now, I've got to ask you a question. I've given you just a little bit of a comparison and contrast between the first Adam and the last Adam. But here's a very important question: Did we lose more in the first Adam than we gained in the last Adam? Let me put that another way. You think we would have been better off if Adam had never sinned? Or do you think we will be better off since he has sinned and Christ has come? Well, very obviously, we're better off because he sinned and Christ has come.

Let me read to you Colossians 1 in verse 18. Here it is: "And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence." Did you hear that? In all things, Jesus Christ must have the preeminence. Jesus Christ is the God-man par excellence. Adam, a mere man, could never have the preeminence because Jesus Christ is perfect man and perfect God. He is the God-man. Now, what did Jesus Christ do for us? I want you to look back in your Bibles to Psalm 69, verse 4. Psalm 69, verse 4. Get ready, I want to tie all this together for you. Psalm 69, verse 4. Look at what the Bible says. Psalm 69, verse 4. Scripture says, "They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head:

they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away." Now, this verse is applied to Jesus Christ in the New Testament in John 15 in verse 25. I'm not going to ask that you turn there. But I want to just point out the fact, verse 4, the latter part, Christ says, "then I restored that which I took not away." What does it mean that Christ restored that which he did not take away? In order to answer that question, you must ask, what did we have in Adam originally? In Adam, we had original knowledge and holiness and righteousness and dominion. It is true that Adam did walk with God. He did have knowledge. He was also created with original righteousness and holiness. And God gave him a dominion mandate. Now the question is, what did Christ restore for us? What did we lose in Adam? First of all, we lost knowledge.

Now, look in your Bibles, if you would, please, first of all, to the book of Ephesians, chapter four and the book of Colossians, chapter three. I want you to hold these passages. Go to Ephesians, chapter four, and then to Colossians, chapter three. And get ready for me to show you some passages. We had knowledge in Adam, but we lost it in the fall. Now what happens? Everyone knows and can quote this verse, Second Timothy 3, 16 and 17.

"All scripture is given by inspiration of God"—that is, God-breathed, theopneustos, exhaled. All scripture is exhaled out of the mouth of God—"and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works." The Bible is the word of God. OK, it's knowledge. Now listen. John 1, 1-3, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God." Verse 14, "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." Adam had knowledge. But in Christ, we have knowledge and wisdom incarnate. We have the total revelation of God in Jesus Christ. Now, look in Ephesians 4 and notice if you would verse 21. What does Christ restore for us? "If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:

that ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind." Then if you look in Colossians 3, and notice if you would please verse 10, look what he says very pointedly, "and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him." What do we get back in Christ? We get back not just the knowledge that Adam had. We get back far more than that, because we get the full and final revelation of God in Jesus Christ. Well, you say, "But Brother Weaver, you don't understand. We had original righteousness and holiness in Adam." That's true. Look in your Bibles, Ephesians 4 and verse 24. "And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness."

Now wait a minute. In Jesus Christ, we have a righteousness and a holiness that far surpasses that which Adam had. Are you listening? Adam's holiness, Adam's righteousness was mutable. What do I mean by that? I mean it was changeable. Because Adam could sin and he did sin and he lost his original righteousness and holiness. Our righteousness and our holiness is immutable. It is unchangeable. Why? Because it is in Jesus Christ and not in us.

Moreover, it is absolute perfection. For it is God Himself. So in Christ, He not only restores our knowledge, He restores our righteousness and our holiness. But you say, "But Brother Weaver, Adam had dominion." Well, look in your Bibles to Matthew 28. And let's begin reading there with verse 18. Matthew 28 and verse 18. Are you ready? Matthew 28, verse 18. I like this verse. "And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power

is given unto me in heaven and in earth." The word for power is exousia. All authority, all jurisdiction, all power, all authority, all jurisdiction is given unto me in heaven and earth. "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen." Note, if you would please, we now have all authority in heaven and earth in Jesus Christ. Adam may have had dominion. He had authority in that garden. He may have had authority over the earth. But he did not have all authority in heaven and earth. We now have in Christ a complete and total worldly dominion. And let me tell you this, the Great Commission just simply expands the cultural mandate or the dominion mandate of Genesis 1, 26 through 28. I want you to note what our Lord said.

The Great Commission as the Expanded Dominion Mandate

Weaver connects the Great Commission to the dominion mandate, emphasizing that it involves teaching all nations to observe all of Christ's commands.

Verse 20, "teaching them to observe"—help me with those next two words—"all things whatsoever I have commanded you." In other words, our commission is to teach the whole counsel of God. That is the total revealed word of God. To whom are we to teach and preach it? And that is to the entire world. The Great Commission reaches all nations. The Great Commission is a demonstration of God's total absolute sovereignty which Christ now exercises because one cannot issue mandates nor send ambassadors into other countries without authority to do so. Christ has all authority.

Do you know where we have messed up as Christians? Do you know why today we are so absolutely anemic? Because most of us have just simply interpreted the Great Commission as a commission to win souls. That's not what the Great Commission is about. Once someone is converted to Christ, that's only a first step. He said, "You teach them to observe everything that I've commanded." What has he commanded? The entire word of God. You know what we do? We see someone get converted to Christ and we say, "Well, we're happy, let's go on our way." Never teach them. Never instruct them. Never build them up. Never tell them, "Look, there's a whole world to conquer and bring in submission to Jesus Christ." I have a book. Some of you would like to read it. I'd be glad for you to read it. It's a wonderful little book.

The Inescapability of Culture and the Role of Wealth

Weaver concludes that all are involved in culture, and wealth is necessary to fulfill the dominion mandate in every sphere of life for God's glory.

Now, let me make some applications to try to tie this together. I want you to see, first of all, the inescapability of culture. All of us are involved in culture. We have a culture. You cannot escape culture. The question is, what kind of culture will we have? Will we have a Christian culture or a pagan culture? Let me tell you. Why is it God gives wealth? Why is it God gives blessings? Why is it God gives intellect?

Why are some men doctors and others are engineers? Why are some men preachers and others are housewives? Why are some individuals economists? No, men are not housewives, Margaret. I knew you were going to think that. But you see what I'm saying? God gives different talents to different people, different blessings. Why? Because every one of us are to engage in a dominion aspect of cultivating and bringing all culture in submission to the Word of God and for the honor and glory of God in whatever field God has given us.

And wealth is needed and necessary to accomplish those tasks. Cornelius Van Til, one of the greatest thinkers in times past, said this—he defined culture, he said, "Culture, then, is any and all human effort and labor expended upon the cosmos, that is on the world, to unearth its treasures and its riches and bring them into the service of man for the enrichment of human existence unto the glory of God." You remember last week I ended with, "Whatsoever ye do, in word and deed, whether ye eat or drink, do all to the honor and glory of God." Do you realize, folks, here we are sitting here and saying, "Well, the church's mission is to win souls." The church's mission is not to win souls. That is an aspect of it. The church's mission is to glorify Jesus Christ in everything. And what we've done, we've limited our mission, narrowing it down. You remember, Dr. Bowen, when you were a boy, if you wanted your mule to plow straight, you put blinders on it.

And that's what has happened to most Christians. They have blinders. All they can see is through one little tunnel. They've got tunnel vision, and they don't even know the entire world is out there to be conquered and brought under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Why does God give us wealth? Oh, sure. We can enjoy some of it. And we lay up an inheritance for our children, our children's children. That's biblical.

But first and foremost, it's so that we can bring His covenant to pass and conquer through Him and for Him to whom belongs glory both now and forever. Let's pray. Father, speak to our hearts. Help us, Lord, to understand that Thou hast given us a mandate to subdue and exercise dominion and bring everything into conformity to Your Word. Enable us, Lord, to live for Thee and to accomplish this in some measure. In Christ's name we pray, Amen.

Study Guide

Major Themes

Purpose of Wealth

Summary: Wealth is given by God primarily to establish His covenant and advance His kingdom, not for selfish indulgence.

Evidence: Deuteronomy 8:18: 'that he may establish his covenant'.

Dominion Mandate

Summary: God's original command to Adam to subdue the earth and exercise dominion is a comprehensive cultural task that extends to all human endeavor.

Evidence: Genesis 1:26-28; Weaver defines culture and mandate.

Christ as the Last Adam

Summary: Jesus Christ is the federal head who restores and surpasses what was lost in Adam, including knowledge, righteousness, holiness, and dominion.

Evidence: 1 Corinthians 15:45-47; Romans 5; Ephesians 4:24; Colossians 3:10.

Great Commission as Dominion Expansion

Summary: The Great Commission is not merely soul-winning but teaching all nations to obey all of Christ's commands, thus expanding the dominion mandate globally.

Evidence: Matthew 28:18-20; Weaver states 'the Great Commission just simply expands the cultural mandate'.

Culture as Religion Externalized

Summary: Culture is the outworking of religion; a change in theology precedes a change in culture.

Evidence: Weaver explains that Southern culture was based on Biblical Christianity and that cultural changes follow theological changes.

Sovereignty of God in Wealth Distribution

Summary: God is absolutely sovereign in giving wealth, but He usually channels blessings through covenantal obedience and individual responsibility.

Evidence: Review of previous messages; 1 Samuel 2:7-8.

Key Arguments

Wealth's purpose is covenantal, not personal merit

Summary: God gives wealth to establish His covenant, not because of our worthiness.

Evidence: Deuteronomy 8:18: 'that he may establish his covenant'.

Believers are heirs of Abraham's promises through Christ

Summary: The promises to Abraham are fulfilled in Christ, and those in Christ are Abraham's seed and heirs.

Evidence: Galatians 3:16, 29; Romans 9:5; Romans 15:8.

The dominion mandate is comprehensive and inescapable

Summary: All human activity is cultural and falls under the mandate to subdue the earth for God's glory.

Evidence: Genesis 1:26-28; Weaver's explanation of various cultural tasks.

Work is pre-fall and part of created nature

Summary: Work existed before sin; laziness contradicts God's command and human nature.

Evidence: Genesis 2:15; Weaver states 'work was before the fall'.

In Christ we regain more than Adam lost

Summary: Christ restores knowledge, righteousness, holiness, and dominion in a superior, immutable form.

Evidence: Ephesians 4:24; Colossians 3:10; Matthew 28:18.

The Great Commission is a dominion mandate

Summary: Christ's authority and command to teach all nations encompasses all of life, not just evangelism.

Evidence: Matthew 28:18-20; Weaver says 'the Great Commission just simply expands the cultural mandate'.

Scripture References

Deuteronomy 8:11-20

Context: Read as the primary text, warning against forgetting God in prosperity and stating the purpose of wealth.

Deuteronomy 8:18

Context: Key verse: God gives power to get wealth to establish His covenant.

1 Samuel 2:7-8

Context: Referenced in review: God makes rich and poor, sovereign in distribution.

Deuteronomy 7:9-15

Context: God keeps covenant and mercy with those who love Him; blessings for obedience.

Galatians 3:16

Context: The promises to Abraham were made to his seed, which is Christ.

Galatians 3:29

Context: If you are Christ's, you are Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise.

Acts 3:22-26

Context: Jesus is the fulfillment of the promise made to the fathers.

Acts 5:30-31

Context: The God of our fathers raised up Jesus as Prince and Savior.

Romans 9:5

Context: Christ came from the fathers according to the flesh, God blessed forever.

Romans 15:8

Context: Christ confirmed the promises made to the fathers.

Genesis 1:26-28

Context: The dominion mandate: man created in God's image to have dominion and subdue the earth.

Genesis 2:16

Context: God commanded the man, putting him under a covenant.

Psalm 24:1

Context: The earth is the Lord's; sovereignty and ownership intertwined.

Genesis 9:1-3

Context: The dominion mandate reissued to Noah after the flood.

Psalm 8:4-9

Context: Man crowned with glory and honor, given dominion over creation.

Proverbs 21:4

Context: Even the plowing of the wicked is sin; culture without faith is sinful.

Romans 14:23

Context: Whatever is not of faith is sin.

Genesis 2:8, 15

Context: God placed Adam in the garden to dress and keep it; work before the fall.

Genesis 3:17-19

Context: The curse on the ground; work now attended by sweat and sorrow.

1 Corinthians 15:45-49

Context: Christ as the last Adam and second man; federal headship.

Historical References

Thomas Aquinas and Thomism

Context: Weaver mentions Aquinas introduced a philosophy separating secular and sacred spheres, which he rejects.

Matthew Fontaine Maury

Context: A Christian and Confederate who discovered ocean trade routes by reading Psalm 8:8 about 'paths of the seas'.

Martin Luther

Context: Quoted: 'There are only two men: Adam and Christ. And everyone hangs from their girdles.'

Francis Nigel Lee

Context: Author of 'The Central Significance of Culture'; Weaver reads an extended quote on the comprehensive nature of the dominion mandate.

Cornelius Van Til

Context: Defined culture as human effort to unearth creation's treasures for the enrichment of human existence unto God's glory.

Important Quotes

But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant, which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.

Significance: Key verse stating the purpose of wealth is to establish God's covenant.

Culture is merely religion externalized.

Significance: Concise definition of culture as the outworking of religious belief.

You cannot have a change in culture without a change in theology.

Significance: Argues that theological shifts precede cultural changes.

There are only two men: Adam and Christ. And everyone hangs from their girdles.

Significance: Martin Luther's summary of federal headship; all are either in Adam or in Christ.

The Great Commission just simply expands the cultural mandate or the dominion mandate of Genesis 1, 26 through 28.

Significance: Connects the Great Commission to the original dominion mandate.

Culture, then, is any and all human effort and labor expended upon the cosmos, that is on the world, to unearth its treasures and its riches and bring them into the service of man for the enrichment of human existence unto the glory of God.

Significance: Cornelius Van Til's definition of culture, emphasizing its God-glorifying purpose.

Discussion Questions

How does understanding wealth as a tool for establishing God's covenant change your perspective on financial blessings?

Context: Based on Deuteronomy 8:18 and the sermon's main point.

In what ways does the dominion mandate apply to your daily work and responsibilities?

Context: Weaver explains the comprehensive nature of the cultural mandate.

How does the concept of Christ as the last Adam and federal head impact your assurance of salvation?

Context: Discussion of Romans 5 and 1 Corinthians 15.

What are some practical ways the church can move beyond a narrow focus on soul-winning to a full-orbed dominion mandate?

Context: Weaver critiques limiting the Great Commission to evangelism.

How can we discern whether our cultural activities are done in faith and for God's glory?

Context: Reference to Proverbs 21:4 and Romans 14:23.

Applications

Use wealth for covenant purposes

Summary: Recognize that wealth is given to advance God's kingdom, not just for personal comfort.

Evidence: Deuteronomy 8:18; 'that he may establish his covenant'.

Engage in dominion work in your vocation

Summary: View your job as a calling to exercise dominion and bring that sphere under Christ's lordship.

Evidence: Genesis 1:26-28; Weaver's examples of various cultural tasks.

Reject the sacred/secular divide

Summary: All of life is sacred; do everything for God's glory.

Evidence: Review of Thomism; 'whatsoever ye do, do all to the honor and glory of God'.

Teach the whole counsel of God

Summary: Disciple others to observe all of Christ's commands, not just initial conversion.

Evidence: Matthew 28:20; 'teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you'.

Work diligently as part of created nature

Summary: Embrace work as a pre-fall good, avoiding laziness which contradicts God's design.

Evidence: Genesis 2:15; 'work was before the fall'.

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-06T03:07:12Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T16:09:19Z

Clean Transcript

Biblical Wealth - Part 3 of 8

Clean readable transcript. This view follows the Commentary.net cleaned segment text while preserving timestamps for audio follow-along.

Deuteronomy chapter 8, and let's begin reading—oh, let's say with verse—since we've read the entire chapter for several weeks, let's begin reading with verse 11. Deuteronomy chapter 8, verse 11. God says, "Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day: lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein; and when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied; then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage; who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint; who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee
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good at thy latter end. And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth. But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day. And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the Lord thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish. As the nations which the Lord destroyeth before your face, so shall ye perish; because ye would not be obedient unto the voice of the Lord your God."
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Now let me call your attention to verse 18 again. "But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant, which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day."
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Now, we've been dealing with the biblical doctrine of wealth, and so far we have looked at the sovereignty and the source of wealth. Very clearly, the Word of God says, it is the Lord thy God who giveth thee power to get wealth. And I demonstrated to you from history the philosophy of Thomism, where it was Thomas Aquinas who introduced into history—Christian history, that is—his philosophy that caused us to try to separate everything into two spheres, that is, the secular and the sacred. And I pointed out very clearly that for the child of God, there is only one sphere, and that is the sacred. Everything that we do, we're to do for God's honor and God's glory. Then secondly, we looked at the sovereignty of God and the subjects of wealth. I pointed out 1 Samuel 2, verses 7 and 8, where he said it is God who lifteth up one and taketh down another. It is God who makes rich and it's God who makes poor.
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And I told you, of course, God is absolutely sovereign in the distribution of his gifts and his blessings. But then I came back and I said this: It is true that God is sovereign. But God usually channels his blessings. And the door of God's blessing usually swings upon two hinges. The first hinge was the hinge of covenantal obedience, and the second hinge was individual responsibility. And in that message, I showed you where we are responsible to obey the word of God and at the same time fulfill our individual responsibilities.
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because laziness and indolence is a sin and it is wicked and ungodly. So, usually, God says that he gives those blessings upon the hinges of covenantal obedience and individual responsibility. I showed you there were general promises in the Bible, general principles in the Bible, and these general principles rested upon God's absolute sovereignty. It is true that you could be covenantally obedient and you could be individually responsible and never have wealth. That then falls back upon God's absolute sovereignty. He gives as he pleases.
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And he does so based upon his infinite wisdom. But usually speaking, if we use the means that God has ordained and we follow the word of God and obey God, God usually blesses in some way like that.
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Now, the question today is this: What is the purpose of wealth? So we're talking about biblical wealth and its purpose. If God graciously and sovereignly bestows wealth upon us as we obey his law, as we fulfill our covenantal obligations, and as long as we are individually responsible, if God blesses as we do those things, the question is, what in the world are we to do with the wealth? Should we waste it? Should we abuse it? Should we misuse it?
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Should we just simply lavish it upon ourselves? In order to answer that question correctly, we must understand the purpose of wealth.
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Now, it is true that it is God who gives us power to get wealth. But what is His purpose in allowing us to have that wealth? Why does He graciously bestow that wealth upon us? The answer is very simple. It's very clearly stated in the Word of God. God does not give us that wealth because of our merits or because of our worthiness. But if you look in verse 18, here it is: "But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God, for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth." Why? "That he may establish his covenant, which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day." The purpose in wealth is to establish God's covenant.
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Now, I can hear someone whimpering and complaining and saying, "Brother Weaver, you've got to understand that this promise was given to Abraham and his descendants." Yes. But before I go further and explain that, look back in your Bibles to Deuteronomy chapter 7, beginning there with verse 9. Deuteronomy 7 verse 9. Look what he says: "Know therefore that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;
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and repayeth them that hate him to their face, to destroy them: he will not be slack to him that hateth him, he will repay him to his face. Thou shalt therefore keep the commandments, and the statutes, and the judgments, which I command thee this day, to do them. Wherefore it shall come to pass, if ye hearken to these judgments, and keep, and do them, that the Lord thy God shall keep unto thee the covenant and the mercy which he sware unto thy fathers: and he will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee: he will also bless the fruit of thy womb, and the fruit of thy land, thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep, in the land which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee. Thou shalt be blessed above all people.
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There shall not be male or female barren among you, or among your cattle. And the Lord will take away from thee all sickness, and will put none of the evil diseases of Egypt, which thou knowest, upon thee; but will lay them upon all them that hate thee."
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Now go back, if you would please, to verse 9. "Know therefore that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments..." How long? "...to a thousand generations."
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Now, let me go a little bit further. If you say, "But Brother Weaver, still, all of this is Abraham and his seed." Look in your Bibles to the book of Galatians chapter 3 and verse 16. I'm going to concur with you. But you've got to understand who the real, true, genuine seed of Abraham really is. Notice, if you would please, Galatians chapter 3 and verse 16. Galatians 3 verse 16. Notice what the Bible says. Watch carefully. Galatians 3, verse 16: "Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ." Who is the true seed of Abraham? And the answer is Jesus Christ.
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Do you remember what our Lord said in John 8? "Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad." Why? Because Jesus Christ is the true seed of Abraham. Look in Galatians 3 and look, if you would, at verse 29. Galatians 3 verse 29. Our Lord says, "And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." If you belong to Christ, then in Him you are Abraham's seed and what? You are also heirs according to the promise. So everything that God promised to Abraham was basically promised to Jesus Christ. If we are in Jesus Christ, then, of course, we are heirs according to all of those promises. Now, if these verses are insufficient, may I remind you, if you'll look back in your Bibles to Deuteronomy chapter 8 and verse 18, Deuteronomy 8 in verse 18, he says, "But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant."
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Now, watch this phrase, "which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day." Now, the interesting thing is this: If you will take time to look up the phrase "sware unto thy fathers," you will find that this phrase occurs nine times in the Old Testament. It occurs in Exodus 13 in verse 5, Deuteronomy 6, verse 10 and verse 18, Deuteronomy 7, verse 12 and 13, Deuteronomy 8, verse 18, Deuteronomy 9, 5, Deuteronomy 28, 11, and Deuteronomy 30 and verse 20. Each of the nine occurrences of this phrase, "which he sware unto thy fathers," is found in the book of Deuteronomy, except for the one in the book of Exodus. Nine times it occurs in the Old Testament.
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Now I want you to consider this fact, that in the New Testament, it is Jesus Christ who is considered the fulfillment of the promise when it is used, "which he sware unto the fathers." Look in your Bibles to the book of Acts chapter 3. Acts chapter 3. And let's begin reading there with verse 22. Acts chapter 3, verse 22. Acts 3, verse 22, the word of God says this. Watch carefully. "For Moses truly said unto the fathers,
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A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people. Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days. Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed. Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities." Note, if you would, Jesus Christ is here the fulfillment of the promise made to the fathers.
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Look in chapter 5, beginning with verse 30. Acts 5, verse 30. He says, "The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins." Look, if you would please, in Romans 9 and verse 5. Romans 9 and verse 5. Just showing you that what He swore to the fathers, the fulfillment of that swearing was found in Jesus Christ. Notice Romans 9 and verse 5. Look what the Bible says: "Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen." Note that phrase: "Whose are the fathers?" In other words, all of these promises given to the fathers, out of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, that is, Christ came through them, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Now look in Romans 15 and verse 8. Romans 15 and verse 8.
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Once again, Paul makes this exceedingly clear. He says, "Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers." Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of the promises made unto the fathers. He is the true covenantal fulfillment. In Him we have salvation. In Him we have a home. In Him, we have a land. In Him, we have everything that we need, for He is our all and in all.
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Now, if you understand that, you may with confidence then look at the purpose of wealth. So I want you to go back in your Bibles to the book of Genesis chapter 1, and let's begin by reading verses 26 through 28. Look in Genesis 1, and let's begin reading there with verse 26. Notice Genesis 1 verse 26, "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 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."
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Now let me ask you a question. What was man's first responsibility under God? What was man's first responsibility under God? Well, according to Genesis 1, verses 26 through 28, it was to fulfill God's dominion charter. Now, this charter is sometimes referred to as the dominion mandate, the cultural mandate, or the great charter. So Genesis 1, 26 through 28 is called the cultural mandate, the dominion charter, or the dominion mandate, or the great charter.
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Whichever name you use, it speaks of the same revealed truth. I will probably use the terms interchangeably today. However, I will be speaking more probably using the term cultural mandate or dominion mandate. Now let me define my terms. Let me define, first of all, the word culture. The word culture literally means to educate, to refine, to cultivate. Sometimes this word is used in reference to the cultivation of plants and animals, especially with a view of improving them. Sometimes the word is used in the training, improvement, and refinement of the mind, of morals,
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of taste, of society, or education, or any sphere whatsoever. The word mandate refers then to an authoritative requirement, a command, an order, or a charge. So when you talk about a cultural mandate, you're talking about a charge, an order, a command that God has given in reference to culture, the totality of culture, or the totality of dominion. Now, the cultural or dominion mandate, then, refers simply to this: It refers to covenantal man's responsibility to subdue the earth and to exercise dominion over that earth under God.
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Now look in your Bibles to Genesis 2 and verse 16. The Bible says, "And the Lord God commanded the man, saying..."
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Now the Hebrew word for commanded literally means to put under an oath or to put under charge. That means this, that Adam was put under a covenant on which he gave his word. So Adam then was covenantally bound, he was covenantally responsible to obey God. God had given him the obligation to subdue the earth, to exercise a godly dominion or a godly culture over the earth. Now listen carefully. Adam did not have the authority to abuse, misuse, destroy, hinder, or thwart, or pervert God's creation. He had the authority to use the earth on God's terms. He did not have the authority to misuse the earth.
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Now it's important that you understand that sovereignty and ownership are intertwined. They go together. What did he say in Psalm 24 in verse 1? "The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein." Why does the earth and everything in it belong to God? Because he's the creator of it. He's the owner of it. And consequently, he is sovereign over it. Therefore, God has the absolute right to tell man how man can use his earth, what man may do and what man may not do. Now, you see, God gave Adam dominion over the earth. God gave Adam dominion over everything in the earth.
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Let me try to put this where you and I can grasp it very easily. When God created man, when God created Adam, he created Adam to be his vicegerent, or to use a term that we're more familiar with, he created Adam to be his vice president. In other words, as God's vice president, Adam was therefore responsible and accountable to rule under God. Now, I find it very interesting that when God created Adam, the very first words that he heard were these: "Have dominion."
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That's what he said in Genesis 1 verse 26. "Have dominion." You have dominion over the earth. You have dominion over everything. I hope you understand that I'm talking today about the purpose of wealth. And I'm showing you that the purpose of wealth initially and originally is to carry out God's cultural mandate or God's dominion mandate. You say, "Brother Weaver, I don't understand how important is culture." Let me explain to you the importance of culture in a simple sentence. Culture is merely religion externalized. That's all culture is. Culture is religion externalized. A culture is a distinctive culture that is based upon a distinctive religion.
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Now just stop and ask yourself this question. Why are there so many different cultures in the world? We think about the African culture, the Oriental culture, the Indian culture. Do you know why cultures are different? Because religions are different. In other words, your culture is nothing more than the outworking of your religion or the lack thereof.
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Now, we have had in the South a distinctive—help me out—Southern culture. Why do we have a Southern culture? Why is it not a Northern culture? Why is it not an Eastern or a Western culture? Because the South was the Bible Belt and the South was based basically upon Biblical Christianity and our Southern culture was far more Christian than that of the North or the East or the West.
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Now, I want you to understand something. The more we exercise a Christian worldview, the more our culture will become Christian. The less we exercise a Christian worldview, the more our culture will become pagan. So culture is vitally important. I told you in time past, I don't know if you remember it or not, but I've told you in time past that you cannot have a change in culture without a change in theology. You see, in actuality, it is your change in theology that precedes a change in culture.
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When I was a boy, you did not have the open promoting of sodomy. Why did our culture change? Because we changed theology. We dropped the word of God. You see, every cultural change is preceded by a theological change. Now, I want you to understand that the most basic truth is that God himself is the source of all culture. He created the world. He issued the cultural mandate. He created man as a dominion-oriented creature, and he placed everything under man's hands. Thus, all culture is ultimately the handiwork of God, even though it is done through the agency of man. Now, if you look in your Bibles at Genesis 9, I want you to see that this cultural mandate was actually reissued to Noah and his sons after the flood. Look in Genesis 9, verse 1, "And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth."
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Now, that's the same thing God told Adam and Eve. Now he says in verse 2, "And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered. Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things." Note, God says, "I've given everything into your hands."
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Now, this dominion or cultural mandate is repeated again in Psalm 8. If you will turn there very quickly. Psalm 8, and I'm not going to read the entire Psalm, but just for your edification, I want to read the latter part of that Psalm. It's a very brief Psalm, but look in Psalm 8 and begin there with verse 4. "What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet: all sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; the fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas. O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!" Now, by the way, in case you've forgotten, I'm going to tell you something.
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Do you realize that the trade routes in the ocean were discovered by a Christian man, Matthew Fontaine Maury. You know how those trade routes were discovered? Because Matthew Fontaine Maury was reading the scripture and he read this: "and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas." And Maury said, "If God says there's paths in the sea, then there's paths in the sea." And he's the one that discovered the ocean currents and the trade routes that would move those ships far more quickly than just trying to sail anywhere else.
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This is an exercise of dominion. This is exactly what I'm talking about right now. So it's Matthew Fontaine Maury, who also was a Confederate, by the way, who discovered the paths in the ocean.
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Now, let me point this out, and I want to deal with this later. I want you to understand that the Great Commission, whether you and I realize it or not, is also an aspect of the cultural or the dominion mandate.
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Now, I want you to stop with me just for a moment and think about this. Go back in your Bible to Genesis chapter 1. And of course, if you were to compare this with Genesis 2, you would see exactly what I'm talking about. But look in Genesis chapter 1, once again, beginning there with verse 26. Here we have this dominion mandate. God says, "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 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." Now, I want you to think of the cultural implications in the first command to exercise dominion.
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Adam was to subdue the earth. That was an agricultural task, Genesis 1:28 and 2:15. He was to cultivate the friendship of his wife. That was a socio-cultural task, Genesis 2:18, 23 and 24. He was to tend to the plants and flowers. That was a horticultural task, Genesis 1:29 through 30 and 2:15. He was to cultivate bees and horses. That was an apicultural, an equicultural task. He was to cultivate himself. That was a physical cultural and a vocal cultural task.
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Moreover, he was to rest on the Sabbath day. That was a liturgical cultural task. Everything that Adam did had significance to culture. What Adam was required by God to do was this: He was to take created nature and turn it into a culture that would glorify and honor his creator. That was his commission. That was his task. Now, instead of obedience, Adam and Eve endeavored to evade those tasks that were assigned by God to them. And they decided to evade those tasks by violating God's law and endeavoring to become a law unto themselves. Or, as the temptation of the serpent was, to become gods themselves. So what happened?
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Man then fell, according to Genesis 3, from his original state of purity and holiness and righteousness and knowledge. Now here is one of the problems that you and I face today. Everything has now been perverted by the fall. You know, in reality, it doesn't matter if you're talking about a pagan culture or a Christian culture. You're still not today going to have a perfect Christian culture. Why? Because it's been tainted by the fall.
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Now, that doesn't mean we cannot come close, doesn't mean we should not strive and work toward that end, but we've got to understand there will never be perfection until our Lord returns. Now, listen to this. This is what I'm talking about when I said that even in a Christian culture, it is not perfect. You know what the Bible says in Proverbs 21 in verse 4? "Even the plowing of the wicked is sin." Isn't that amazing?
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God requires a man to earn his living by the sweat of his brow. And then man goes out and plows, and God says it's sin. Why? Is he not exercising culture? Yes. But he's not doing that in exercise for God's honor and God's glory. And so when the wicked do not plow in faith, it is sin. What does the Bible say in Romans 14 in verse 23? "Whatsoever is not of faith is sin." That means when you and I as Christians, when we try to do something, but we do not do it in faith, it's still sin.
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That's why I'm saying you're not going to have perfection, but at the same time, you've got to understand that Adam was required to subdue the earth. He was required to exercise a godly dominion and bring everything into obedience and submission to the Lord Jesus Christ himself.
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Now, look in your Bibles to Genesis 2 and verse 8. I want to ask you a question. Look in Genesis 2 and verse 8. "And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed." God planted the garden eastward in Eden. So the garden was just a little part of it. And there he put the man whom he had formed. Now look in verse 15. "And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it."
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Now remember that Adam was created with original righteousness, knowledge, and holiness. God has put him in this garden to dress it and to keep it. Have you ever asked yourself this question? What if Adam and Eve had not sinned? What if they had obeyed God? If Adam and Eve had obeyed God, there would not be any sin. There would not be any death. And that means every descendant of Adam and Eve would be alive on this earth today. Now my question to you is this: If Adam had not sinned, would the blessing of God upon Adam and Eve and upon His progeny, where would they all be today? Where would He put them all? You see the question I'm asking? I mean, can you stop and think about every individual that has ever been born and has ever lived still being alive today?
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Where would those people be? Now, I'll tell you what I think—and I'm underlining think—I think and I believe that Eden was nothing less than a laboratory experiment. When I say that, I mean this: If Adam had succeeded and obeyed God, I believe his descendants would have gone out from him, cultivated the entire world. And if that would be too little, then the entire universe. But what happened? Adam sinned. Adam fell.
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He didn't like to be vice president. He wanted to be president.
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Now, before I go any further, I want to stress several points that I believe are vitally important. First of all, I want you to know that there was work before the fall. Adam had to keep the garden, Adam had to dress it. There was work before the fall, naturally it was not attended with the sweat, blood and tears that we think of today, nor the drudgery that we associate with it, but it was still work. Work is not a result of sin.
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Had Adam and Eve not sinned, we would not just be lying around somewhere in a hammock, having grapes dropped in our mouth, being swung back and forth, doing nothing all day long. Had Adam not sinned, we would still be working, but there would be no drudgery. There'd be no sweat, blood and tears. So very obviously, work was before the fall. It was ordered by God and commanded by God.
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Secondly, I want you to see it should be evident that sin and laziness are not only in a direct contradiction to the command of God, but they are also in direct contradiction to our created nature. God created man to work. God created man to be dominion-oriented. Thus, those who hate work basically hate and destroy themselves. Just like a welfare mentality not only destroys culture, but society.
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Thirdly, disobedience to God does not bring relief nor freedom. What was the temptation? "Ye shall be as gods, knowing"—that is, determining for yourself—"right and wrong." "You can get rid of this bondage. You don't need to be vice president. You can be president." Disobedience never brings liberty. It never brings freedom. All it brings is bondage and suffering. Look in Genesis three and verse 17.
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What happened after man fell? Well, he still had to work, but now look what God says. Verse 17, Genesis 3, "And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return." The drudgery and the heartache and the sweat, blood, and tears that now attend work is a result of the fall. But work was not a result of the fall.
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I tell you what, had Adam and Eve not sinned, you wouldn't be having to weed your garden. You see, it would take care of itself. You wouldn't be having to add herbicides and pesticides and chemicals and all that kind of junk that fouls up your system and destroys your body. No, no, no. All of that is a result of our sin against God. Let me tell you something. Whenever we want relief from trouble, whenever we want relief from problems, the easiest route is always obedience to God. Now, what did God do? God created man in the garden.
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He gave him a task. The very first one: "You exercise dominion. You cultivate this earth. You bring everything into obedience to me." And what did Adam do? He sinned. He fell. God drove him out of the garden. Placed cherubims there with flaming swords to keep him from coming back in. And he left us in the state of misery and wretchedness.
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Now, my question is this: Is that the end of the story? Thankfully, the answer is no. Because God, in his grace and mercy, sent another man, the last Adam.
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Now, look in your Bibles to First Corinthians, Chapter 15. First Corinthians 15. And let's begin reading there with verse 45. First Corinthians 15 verse 45, and there are two terms that I want you to see in relationship to this truth. First Corinthians chapter 15, beginning there with verse 45. "And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly." Now, let's stop there just for a moment. Note, if you would please, in verse 45, Jesus Christ is called the last Adam.
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Note, if you would also in verse 47, Jesus Christ is called the second man. "The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven."
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Now, before I explain the significance of these terms, let me ask you—and we will look back there just momentarily—do you realize that there is a comparison and a contrast between the first Adam and the last Adam in Romans chapter 5? In Romans chapter 5 we have the failure of the first Adam and the success of the last Adam. You have the disobedience of the first Adam in Romans chapter 5 and the victory of the last Adam in Romans chapter 5. I'm going to deal with that in just a moment. Well, let me ask a question.
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Why is Christ, in verse 47, called the second man? Very obviously, chronologically speaking, He could not be the second man, because once God created Adam, until Christ came, there were millions who lived between the two of them. So how can Christ be called the second man? Let me explain that answer. Christ is called the second man because he is the second man in time who sustained a federal headship and relationship with the people. And in that sense, he was the second man. Now, let me explain it further. There are only two men that ever lived who had a federal headship and a federal relationship with the people. The first one was the first Adam, and the second one is the second man, the last Adam, Jesus Christ. Now, let me explain to you what I mean by a federal headship and relationship.
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Go back in your Bibles to Romans chapter five. I told you in this passage you have a contrast between the first Adam and the second Adam. But let me show you what the first Adam did for us. Romans 5 verse 12. Romans 5 verse 12. "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned."
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Now note what it says. "Wherefore, as by one man"—just one man—what happened? "Sin entered into the world." What was the result of that? "And death by sin; and so death passed upon all men." Why? "For that all have sinned." When did all sin? All of us sinned in Adam once and for all. Why? He was our federal representative. He was our head. What he did, we did.
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When he fell, we fell. When he sinned, we sinned. What does that mean? That means you and I now are not only sinners by nature. We're not only sinners by choice. We are also sinners by imputation. His sin was charged to the account of his posterity. You say, "Brother Weaver, had I been in that garden, I would have never sinned." Yes, you would have. You would have done exactly what Adam did. You were in him. And what he did, you did, and it was imputed to your account. It was charged to your account.
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You said, "But I don't like that." Well, if you don't like that, then you don't like salvation. Because that is exactly why Christ is called the second man. Because Jesus Christ came in the same position as a federal head and a federal representative of his people. Let me show you. Since you're in Romans, look there first at Romans chapter 6. Romans 6. Note what the Bible says. Romans 6, beginning with verse 4, "Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection."
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Stop right there and turn in your Bibles to the book of Ephesians, chapter 2. Ephesians, chapter 2. And look, if you would please, beginning there with verse 5. Ephesians 2 verse 5. The Bible says, "Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: that in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus."
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Now, I want you to note something: in Christ, we were crucified with him. In Christ, we died with him. In Christ, we were buried with him. In Christ, we were raised from the dead with him. In Christ, we are now seated at the right hand of God in him. Why? Because he is our federal head and our federal representative. What he did, we did.
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Now, the reformer Martin Luther said it like this: "There are only two men: Adam and Christ. And everyone hangs from their girdles." What was he saying? You're either in Adam and lost as a hound dog, or you're in Christ and you're saved, sanctified, and on your way to being glorified. Why? Because here's the first Adam. Everyone in him failed. Here's the second man, the last Adam, and everyone in him succeeds. Now, why is he called the last Adam? He's not only called the second man. In 1 Corinthians 15 and verse 45, he's also called the last Adam. Why? Because he is the last one to sustain a federal headship and a federal relationship with a people. There will never, ever be another Adam. There was the first Adam. There's the second man, which is Christ, who is also called the last Adam.
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Let me reduce it down for you. If you're not saved by Jesus Christ, you never will be saved. If you do not like his salvation, there's no reason to wait for another. There will never be another salvation. There will never be another savior. That's why, Acts 4, verse 12, the apostle Peter said, "There is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." It is Christ or nothing. He's the last Adam. No other salvation in anyone else.
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Now, I've got to ask you a question. I've given you just a little bit of a comparison and contrast between the first Adam and the last Adam. But here's a very important question: Did we lose more in the first Adam than we gained in the last Adam? Let me put that another way. You think we would have been better off if Adam had never sinned? Or do you think we will be better off since he has sinned and Christ has come? Well, very obviously, we're better off because he sinned and Christ has come.
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Let me read to you Colossians 1 in verse 18. Here it is: "And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence." Did you hear that? In all things, Jesus Christ must have the preeminence. Jesus Christ is the God-man par excellence. Adam, a mere man, could never have the preeminence because Jesus Christ is perfect man and perfect God. He is the God-man. Now, what did Jesus Christ do for us? I want you to look back in your Bibles to Psalm 69, verse 4. Psalm 69, verse 4. Get ready, I want to tie all this together for you. Psalm 69, verse 4. Look at what the Bible says. Psalm 69, verse 4. Scripture says, "They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head:
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they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away."
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Now, this verse is applied to Jesus Christ in the New Testament in John 15 in verse 25. I'm not going to ask that you turn there. But I want to just point out the fact, verse 4, the latter part, Christ says, "then I restored that which I took not away." What does it mean that Christ restored that which he did not take away? In order to answer that question, you must ask, what did we have in Adam originally? In Adam, we had original knowledge and holiness and righteousness and dominion. It is true that Adam did walk with God. He did have knowledge. He was also created with original righteousness and holiness. And God gave him a dominion mandate. Now the question is, what did Christ restore for us? What did we lose in Adam? First of all, we lost knowledge.
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Now, look in your Bibles, if you would, please, first of all, to the book of Ephesians, chapter four and the book of Colossians, chapter three. I want you to hold these passages. Go to Ephesians, chapter four, and then to Colossians, chapter three. And get ready for me to show you some passages. We had knowledge in Adam, but we lost it in the fall. Now what happens? Everyone knows and can quote this verse, Second Timothy 3, 16 and 17.
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"All scripture is given by inspiration of God"—that is, God-breathed, theopneustos, exhaled. All scripture is exhaled out of the mouth of God—"and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works." The Bible is the word of God. OK, it's knowledge. Now listen. John 1, 1-3, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God." Verse 14, "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." Adam had knowledge. But in Christ, we have knowledge and wisdom incarnate. We have the total revelation of God in Jesus Christ. Now, look in Ephesians 4 and notice if you would verse 21. What does Christ restore for us? "If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
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that ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind." Then if you look in Colossians 3, and notice if you would please verse 10, look what he says very pointedly, "and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him." What do we get back in Christ? We get back not just the knowledge that Adam had. We get back far more than that, because we get the full and final revelation of God in Jesus Christ.
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Well, you say, "But Brother Weaver, you don't understand. We had original righteousness and holiness in Adam." That's true. Look in your Bibles, Ephesians 4 and verse 24. "And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness."
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Now wait a minute. In Jesus Christ, we have a righteousness and a holiness that far surpasses that which Adam had. Are you listening? Adam's holiness, Adam's righteousness was mutable. What do I mean by that? I mean it was changeable. Because Adam could sin and he did sin and he lost his original righteousness and holiness. Our righteousness and our holiness is immutable. It is unchangeable. Why? Because it is in Jesus Christ and not in us.
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Moreover, it is absolute perfection. For it is God Himself. So in Christ, He not only restores our knowledge, He restores our righteousness and our holiness. But you say, "But Brother Weaver, Adam had dominion." Well, look in your Bibles to Matthew 28. And let's begin reading there with verse 18. Matthew 28 and verse 18. Are you ready? Matthew 28, verse 18. I like this verse. "And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power
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is given unto me in heaven and in earth." The word for power is exousia. All authority, all jurisdiction, all power, all authority, all jurisdiction is given unto me in heaven and earth. "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen." Note, if you would please, we now have all authority in heaven and earth in Jesus Christ.
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Adam may have had dominion. He had authority in that garden. He may have had authority over the earth. But he did not have all authority in heaven and earth. We now have in Christ a complete and total worldly dominion. And let me tell you this, the Great Commission just simply expands the cultural mandate or the dominion mandate of Genesis 1, 26 through 28. I want you to note what our Lord said.
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Verse 20, "teaching them to observe"—help me with those next two words—"all things whatsoever I have commanded you." In other words, our commission is to teach the whole counsel of God. That is the total revealed word of God. To whom are we to teach and preach it? And that is to the entire world. The Great Commission reaches all nations. The Great Commission is a demonstration of God's total absolute sovereignty which Christ now exercises because one cannot issue mandates nor send ambassadors into other countries without authority to do so. Christ has all authority.
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Do you know where we have messed up as Christians? Do you know why today we are so absolutely anemic? Because most of us have just simply interpreted the Great Commission as a commission to win souls. That's not what the Great Commission is about. Once someone is converted to Christ, that's only a first step. He said, "You teach them to observe everything that I've commanded." What has he commanded?
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The entire word of God. You know what we do? We see someone get converted to Christ and we say, "Well, we're happy, let's go on our way." Never teach them. Never instruct them. Never build them up. Never tell them, "Look, there's a whole world to conquer and bring in submission to Jesus Christ." I have a book. Some of you would like to read it. I'd be glad for you to read it. It's a wonderful little book.
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It was written by Francis Nigel Lee. And the name of the book is The Central Significance of Culture. I read it years ago. It made a great impact upon me. And I want to read just three or four paragraphs from that book for you. Listen carefully. Here's what Nigel Lee wrote on the central significance of culture: "All men are to be engaged in cultural activity, for all men are covenantally obliged to obey God's commands to Adam. It has been stated above that the Adamic covenant of cultural works was made with all of Adam's future descendants, no less than it was made with Adam himself. For in Adam as its federal head and legal representative, all mankind is obligated to keep and execute this covenant. And indeed, Adam could never fulfill the covenant by discharging all those cultural tasks by himself alone.
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He needed a humanity to help him to do so. For although these tasks sound so easy by virtue of the very simplicity with which they're described in the Genesis account, in actual fact they embrace every possible aspect of all human endeavor. Adam's own personal agricultural task, for example, only started by cultivating the Garden of Eden in its simplicity. Yet in Adam, as its federal head, all mankind was required to develop every acre to subdue the entire earth. Adam's own nautical task commenced with merely asserting his authority over a few fish, but mankind was and is ultimately destined to achieve total dominion over all the world's oceans, to become king of its seas in all of its fullness. Adam's own engineering tasks were originally to collect gold and bdellium and onyx stone, but under mankind this was to develop to embrace the construction of gigantic mines and factories and automobiles throughout the world. Man's military task was initially simple, simply to keep the garden, that is to guard it against the intrusion of sin and the devil.
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But after the advent of sin, this task was ultimately to embrace all the armies of soldiers, doctors, and policemen throughout all the ages of the entire world, guarding the interests of mankind and fighting against the consequences of sin and the works of the devil. The unfolding of the world's culture is thus the task of all humanity by virtue of all humanity's involvement in the Adamic covenant of works. In the command to have dominion over the land, we're commissioned to operate tractors and trucks and automobiles. In the command to have dominion over the air, we find the germ of all aeronautics, of airplanes, rockets, Sputnik satellites. In the command to have dominion over the sea, we are enjoined to construct great ocean liners and bathyscaphes and submarines and to form the ocean beds. In the command to have dominion over the cattle and the beasts of the field, or the earth, we have the blueprint of all cattle ranching, sheep farming, and livestock husbandry.
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The command to exploit the creeping thing naturally includes the silkworm and the rock lobster, and hence points to the development of the rock lobster trade and the silk industry. And in reference to man's task of giving names to all the animals, we find the germ of all natural sciences as represented by zoology. Truly, Adam could never undertake all these tasks alone, and neither was this expected of him. As has already been stated, when God made the covenant of works with Adam, he made it with all of his descendants as well. This is one of the chief reasons why God commanded man to multiply and replenish the earth and subdue it. For Adam could never subdue it alone. Only by multiplying could man subdue the earth, namely subdue it in and through his descendants. So God committed these tremendous tasks of developing the world's culture to all mankind, to every scientist, to every farmer, to every technician, to every teacher, to every housewife, to every one of us."
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Now, let me make some applications to try to tie this together. I want you to see, first of all, the inescapability of culture. All of us are involved in culture. We have a culture. You cannot escape culture. The question is, what kind of culture will we have? Will we have a Christian culture or a pagan culture? Let me tell you. Why is it God gives wealth? Why is it God gives blessings? Why is it God gives intellect?
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Why are some men doctors and others are engineers? Why are some men preachers and others are housewives? Why are some individuals economists? No, men are not housewives, Margaret. I knew you were going to think that. But you see what I'm saying? God gives different talents to different people, different blessings. Why? Because every one of us are to engage in a dominion aspect of cultivating and bringing all culture in submission to the Word of God and for the honor and glory of God in whatever field God has given us.
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And wealth is needed and necessary to accomplish those tasks. Cornelius Van Til, one of the greatest thinkers in times past, said this—he defined culture, he said, "Culture, then, is any and all human effort and labor expended upon the cosmos, that is on the world, to unearth its treasures and its riches and bring them into the service of man for the enrichment of human existence unto the glory of God."
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You remember last week I ended with, "Whatsoever ye do, in word and deed, whether ye eat or drink, do all to the honor and glory of God." Do you realize, folks, here we are sitting here and saying, "Well, the church's mission is to win souls." The church's mission is not to win souls. That is an aspect of it. The church's mission is to glorify Jesus Christ in everything. And what we've done, we've limited our mission, narrowing it down. You remember, Dr. Bowen, when you were a boy, if you wanted your mule to plow straight, you put blinders on it.
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And that's what has happened to most Christians. They have blinders. All they can see is through one little tunnel. They've got tunnel vision, and they don't even know the entire world is out there to be conquered and brought under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Why does God give us wealth? Oh, sure. We can enjoy some of it. And we lay up an inheritance for our children, our children's children. That's biblical.
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But first and foremost, it's so that we can bring His covenant to pass and conquer through Him and for Him to whom belongs glory both now and forever. Let's pray. Father, speak to our hearts. Help us, Lord, to understand that Thou hast given us a mandate to subdue and exercise dominion and bring everything into conformity to Your Word. Enable us, Lord, to live for Thee and to accomplish this in some measure. In Christ's name we pray, Amen.
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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-06T03:07:12Z

Biblical Wealth - Part 3 of 8

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

John Weaver teaches that the purpose of wealth is to establish God's covenant by fulfilling the cultural/dominion mandate given to Adam and restored in Christ. Wealth is a tool for advancing God's kingdom in every sphere of life, not merely for personal enjoyment. The Great Commission expands this mandate, calling believers to bring all culture under Christ's lordship.

Introduction and Scripture Reading

Weaver reads Deuteronomy 8:11-20, emphasizing verse 18 as the key text for the purpose of wealth.

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 8:11-20

"Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day: lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein; and when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied; then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage; who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint; who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee

Review of Previous Teachings on Wealth

Weaver reviews the sovereignty and source of wealth, and the two hinges of blessing: covenantal obedience and individual responsibility.

The Purpose of Wealth: To Establish God's Covenant

Weaver states that the purpose of wealth is to establish God's covenant, as stated in Deuteronomy 8:18.

The Covenant Promise and Its Fulfillment in Christ

Weaver argues that the covenant promises to Abraham are fulfilled in Christ, and believers are heirs through faith.

Scripture Reading — Galatians 3:16

Do you remember what our Lord said in John 8? "Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad." Why? Because Jesus Christ is the true seed of Abraham. Look in Galatians 3 and look, if you would, at verse 29. Galatians 3 verse 29. Our Lord says, "And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." If you belong to Christ, then in Him you are Abraham's seed and what? You are also heirs according to the promise. So everything that God promised to Abraham was basically promised to Jesus Christ. If we are in Jesus Christ, then, of course, we are heirs according to all of those promises. Now, if these verses are insufficient, may I remind you, if you'll look back in your Bibles to Deuteronomy chapter 8 and verse 18, Deuteronomy 8 in verse 18, he says, "But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant."

Look in chapter 5, beginning with verse 30. Acts 5, verse 30. He says,

Scripture Reading — Acts 5:30-31

"The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins."

The Dominion Mandate in Genesis

Weaver explains the cultural/dominion mandate given to Adam in Genesis 1:26-28, defining culture and mandate.

Now look in your Bibles to Genesis 2 and verse 16. The Bible says, "And the Lord God commanded the man, saying..."

The Nature and Scope of the Dominion Mandate

Weaver elaborates on Adam's responsibilities and the comprehensive nature of the dominion mandate, including its reissuance to Noah and its reflection in Psalm 8.

Now it's important that you understand that sovereignty and ownership are intertwined. They go together. What did he say in Psalm 24 in verse 1?

Scripture Reading — Psalm 24:1

"The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein."

The Fall and Its Effects on Culture

Weaver discusses how the fall perverted culture and work, but work itself was pre-fall and is part of man's created nature.

Scripture Reading — Proverbs 21:4

"Even the plowing of the wicked is sin."

What happened after man fell? Well, he still had to work, but now look what God says. Verse 17, Genesis 3,

Scripture Reading — Genesis 3:17-19

"And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return."

The drudgery and the heartache and the sweat, blood, and tears that now attend work is a result of the fall. But work was not a result of the fall.

Now, my question is this: Is that the end of the story? Thankfully, the answer is no. Because God, in his grace and mercy, sent another man, the last Adam.

Restoration in Christ, the Last Adam

Weaver contrasts the first Adam with Christ, the last Adam, showing that in Christ we regain and surpass what was lost: knowledge, righteousness, holiness, and dominion.

Scripture Reading — 1 Corinthians 15:45-49

"And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly."

Now, let's stop there just for a moment. Note, if you would please, in verse 45, Jesus Christ is called the last Adam.

The Great Commission as the Expanded Dominion Mandate

Weaver connects the Great Commission to the dominion mandate, emphasizing that it involves teaching all nations to observe all of Christ's commands.

The Inescapability of Culture and the Role of Wealth

Weaver concludes that all are involved in culture, and wealth is necessary to fulfill the dominion mandate in every sphere of life for God's glory.

Biblical Wealth - Part 3 of 8

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	73004204140
Subject	Old Testament Studies
Course	Genesis: Creation, Fall, and Dominion
Genre	Sermon
Date	2004-07-25
Dictation Name
Book	Book 052: Biblical Wealth — Chapter 3
Source Timed Segments	95

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction and Scripture Reading: Weaver reads Deuteronomy 8:11-20, emphasizing verse 18 as the key text for the purpose of wealth.
Review of Previous Teachings on Wealth: Weaver reviews the sovereignty and source of wealth, and the two hinges of blessing: covenantal obedience and individual responsibility.
The Purpose of Wealth: To Establish God's Covenant: Weaver states that the purpose of wealth is to establish God's covenant, as stated in Deuteronomy 8:18.
The Covenant Promise and Its Fulfillment in Christ: Weaver argues that the covenant promises to Abraham are fulfilled in Christ, and believers are heirs through faith.
The Dominion Mandate in Genesis: Weaver explains the cultural/dominion mandate given to Adam in Genesis 1:26-28, defining culture and mandate.
The Nature and Scope of the Dominion Mandate: Weaver elaborates on Adam's responsibilities and the comprehensive nature of the dominion mandate, including its reissuance to Noah and its reflection in Psalm 8.
The Fall and Its Effects on Culture: Weaver discusses how the fall perverted culture and work, but work itself was pre-fall and is part of man's created nature.
Restoration in Christ, the Last Adam: Weaver contrasts the first Adam with Christ, the last Adam, showing that in Christ we regain and surpass what was lost: knowledge, righteousness, holiness, and dominion.
The Great Commission as the Expanded Dominion Mandate: Weaver connects the Great Commission to the dominion mandate, emphasizing that it involves teaching all nations to observe all of Christ's commands.
The Inescapability of Culture and the Role of Wealth: Weaver concludes that all are involved in culture, and wealth is necessary to fulfill the dominion mandate in every sphere of life for God's glory.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

Wealth's purpose is covenantal, not personal merit

God gives wealth to establish His covenant, not because of our worthiness.

Deuteronomy 8:18: 'that he may establish his covenant'.

Believers are heirs of Abraham's promises through Christ

The promises to Abraham are fulfilled in Christ, and those in Christ are Abraham's seed and heirs.

Galatians 3:16, 29; Romans 9:5; Romans 15:8.

The dominion mandate is comprehensive and inescapable

All human activity is cultural and falls under the mandate to subdue the earth for God's glory.

Genesis 1:26-28; Weaver's explanation of various cultural tasks.

Work is pre-fall and part of created nature

Work existed before sin; laziness contradicts God's command and human nature.

Genesis 2:15; Weaver states 'work was before the fall'.

In Christ we regain more than Adam lost

Christ restores knowledge, righteousness, holiness, and dominion in a superior, immutable form.

Ephesians 4:24; Colossians 3:10; Matthew 28:18.

The Great Commission is a dominion mandate

Christ's authority and command to teach all nations encompasses all of life, not just evangelism.

Matthew 28:18-20; Weaver says 'the Great Commission just simply expands the cultural mandate'.

Scripture References

Deuteronomy 8:11-20: Read as the primary text, warning against forgetting God in prosperity and stating the purpose of wealth.
Deuteronomy 8:18: Key verse: God gives power to get wealth to establish His covenant.
1 Samuel 2:7-8: Referenced in review: God makes rich and poor, sovereign in distribution.
Deuteronomy 7:9-15: God keeps covenant and mercy with those who love Him; blessings for obedience.
Galatians 3:16: The promises to Abraham were made to his seed, which is Christ.
Galatians 3:29: If you are Christ's, you are Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise.
Acts 3:22-26: Jesus is the fulfillment of the promise made to the fathers.
Acts 5:30-31: The God of our fathers raised up Jesus as Prince and Savior.
Romans 9:5: Christ came from the fathers according to the flesh, God blessed forever.
Romans 15:8: Christ confirmed the promises made to the fathers.
Genesis 1:26-28: The dominion mandate: man created in God's image to have dominion and subdue the earth.
Genesis 2:16: God commanded the man, putting him under a covenant.
Psalm 24:1: The earth is the Lord's; sovereignty and ownership intertwined.
Genesis 9:1-3: The dominion mandate reissued to Noah after the flood.
Psalm 8:4-9: Man crowned with glory and honor, given dominion over creation.
Proverbs 21:4: Even the plowing of the wicked is sin; culture without faith is sinful.
Romans 14:23: Whatever is not of faith is sin.
Genesis 2:8, 15: God placed Adam in the garden to dress and keep it; work before the fall.
Genesis 3:17-19: The curse on the ground; work now attended by sweat and sorrow.
1 Corinthians 15:45-49: Christ as the last Adam and second man; federal headship.

Historical References

Thomas Aquinas and Thomism: Weaver mentions Aquinas introduced a philosophy separating secular and sacred spheres, which he rejects.
Matthew Fontaine Maury: A Christian and Confederate who discovered ocean trade routes by reading Psalm 8:8 about 'paths of the seas'.
Martin Luther: Quoted: 'There are only two men: Adam and Christ. And everyone hangs from their girdles.'
Francis Nigel Lee: Author of 'The Central Significance of Culture'; Weaver reads an extended quote on the comprehensive nature of the dominion mandate.
Cornelius Van Til: Defined culture as human effort to unearth creation's treasures for the enrichment of human existence unto God's glory.

Important Quotes

But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant, which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.

Key verse stating the purpose of wealth is to establish God's covenant.

Culture is merely religion externalized.

Concise definition of culture as the outworking of religious belief.

You cannot have a change in culture without a change in theology.

Argues that theological shifts precede cultural changes.

There are only two men: Adam and Christ. And everyone hangs from their girdles.

Martin Luther's summary of federal headship; all are either in Adam or in Christ.

The Great Commission just simply expands the cultural mandate or the dominion mandate of Genesis 1, 26 through 28.

Connects the Great Commission to the original dominion mandate.

Culture, then, is any and all human effort and labor expended upon the cosmos, that is on the world, to unearth its treasures and its riches and bring them into the service of man for the enrichment of human existence unto the glory of God.

Cornelius Van Til's definition of culture, emphasizing its God-glorifying purpose.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

How does understanding wealth as a tool for establishing God's covenant change your perspective on financial blessings?

[Context]

Based on Deuteronomy 8:18 and the sermon's main point.

[Question]

In what ways does the dominion mandate apply to your daily work and responsibilities?

[Context]

Weaver explains the comprehensive nature of the cultural mandate.

[Question]

How does the concept of Christ as the last Adam and federal head impact your assurance of salvation?

[Context]

Discussion of Romans 5 and 1 Corinthians 15.

[Question]

What are some practical ways the church can move beyond a narrow focus on soul-winning to a full-orbed dominion mandate?

[Context]

Weaver critiques limiting the Great Commission to evangelism.

[Question]

How can we discern whether our cultural activities are done in faith and for God's glory?

[Context]

Reference to Proverbs 21:4 and Romans 14:23.

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