Submission to God's Reign

How is the fact that we are created in God's image connected to our need to submit to God's reign?

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Answer

The doctrine of the image of God and our need to submit to the reign of God are intimately connected because of the language that we see in Genesis 1:28, which directly comes from the language of "the image," where God gives a commission to both Adam and Eve, and that is to be fruitful, multiply and fill the earth, rule and subdue it. And that tells us something about the one who has made his image—he is a king. And Psalm 95 says such a thing in its commentary of the creation act, that God is the King, and so he demonstrates that by making an image that is a king, and this whole kingdom story starts here. And I would say that the kingdom story is one that consumes all of Scripture and takes us all the way to the book of Revelation. Revelation 22:5 says that that's going to be the occupation of human beings forever, to reign with him forever. And so, it's a kingdom story started by a king and commissioned to us. So, we're supposed to be his stewards, and we're supposed to be his vice regents who actually submit to him and procure and carry out his will as the king.

Answer by Dr. Mark Saucy

Dr. Mark Saucy is a professor of theology at the Talbot School of Theology.