What's the biblical basis for Dominionism?

Question

One stream of Dominion Theology is a growing teaching among Charismatic and Pentecostal churches which states that Christians are meant to acquire authority in seven worldly "domains" referred to as seven cultural mountains that include arts and entertainment, business, education, family, politics, media, and religion. This has been called New Kingdom theology by its proponents, and is associated with the wildly popular Charismatic worship centers of Bethel Church and the International House of Prayer.

What arguments are given by proponents as the biblical basis for this teaching? Especially, from which passages do its teachers derive support for the "dominions" and their number, and why and in what manner should the church seek this authority?

Answer 1

Me and some of the members of my church just had a discussion on dominion theology earlier today. The verses which are referenced for this topic are Genesis 1:26 and Luke 19:13 (KJV)

"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."

"13 And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come."

the words "occupy until I return" suggest using what was gifted unto us to better the kingdom of god. These gifts can include money (pounds), land, political power, or even spiritual gifts. as an investor uses his money to get more money by making strategic financial decisions in the marketplace so too must we Christians use what god has given us to advance the kingdom of god. What this means is that we need to be kingdom minded and ready and willing to promote the Lords agenda as the holy spirit leads us. Things like voting for christian leaders in an election, promoting local churches, being outspoken against the homosexual and abortion movements, supporting Israel, and just generally hating evil and fearing the lord are sure ways of being a good steward of what the lord has given you.

The seven different dominions Religion, Family, Education, Government, Media, Arts, and Business are the different spheres of influence of a society (check out the video on the front page of lancewallnau.com). Dominion theology, which can be backed up by the above bible verses, suggest that Christians should not just be focused on the Religious domain but all seven influence spheres in the society. The apathy of the church has led to the rise of homosexuality and abortion (family), State-sponsored education (education), Obama (government), moral decay in the leftist media, pornography (arts), the collapse of the middle class (business). These are all a direct result of Christians not taking a stand for Jesus Christ. As we have already won in what Jesus did at the cross there is nothing wrong with taking a stand and taking back the dominion over every sphere of influence that the Devil has taken from us. "Taking" is a verb so we actually have to be engaging the enemy to see results or else things will just get worse from this point.

Yes we can all sit on our hands and wait for the lord to come back and say to him that we have kept the talent or minas(gift) safe for the lord but he will take the reward away from those who do nothing with the gifts that he gives them during this church age and give the reward to those who strive for christian dominion before he returns as is suggested by the outcome of the parables of the Talents and the Minas.

Ive been interested in this topic as well, hope this helps.

Jacob

Answer 2

There are a number of things to consider in the discussion of Dominionism. The quoted Scriptures in this comment are from the Word of YHVH Bible.

In using Genesis 1:26 as a reference for dominion one must consider that Adam was created a sinless man when he was given dominion over the Garden of YHVH. Also, verse 26 must have the same meaning that verse 27 has.

YaHavah Elohim is the one and only living God of all creation. The Hebrew word, Elohim, is predominantly used in the Bible as an epithet of deference. For YaHavah it is the highest level of deference, such as the Almighty One. For humans, it is to show deference in leadership. It is used as a plural only when referring to the gods of man’s imagination -- or idols.

YHVH is sinless infinite Spirit. The image of YaHavah’s likeness is as a finite sinless spirit being.

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Genesis 1:26-27 26 And Elohim said, [I will] make mankind [in the] image, [of my] 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 creeps upon the earth. 27 So Elohim created man [in his] image, in the image of Elohim he created them; male and female created he them.

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After Adam sinned, his dominion was removed and he was evicted from the Garden. As for reference to Luke 19:13, the parable of the ten servants is about Jesus teaching his disciples about accountability and the Fear of YHVH, not about increasing talents or minas.

Jesus left his disciples with this command:

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Matthew 28:18-20 18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, All authority is given to me in heaven and in the earth. 19 Go accordingly and teach all peoples 19b— by the authority of the Father and Son [in the] Spirit of YHVH, 20 teach them to be watchmen of all things that I commanded you and know I am with you always, until the end of the age. Amen.

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In the Spirit of YaHavah refers to the regeneration of a truly repentant soul — or born-again. The default sin nature from Adam is removed by remission because YaHavah will not allow sin into his Kingdom.

Verse 19b was never intended to be used as a ritual formula for water baptism. The proper perspective of the Greek for verse 19b is coordinated with the whole context of the Bible concerning Father and Son, aka, YHVH and Jesus. Catholic Trinitarians of the fourth century accommodated verse 19b for text-proof of the doctrine of three gods in the godhead as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, or the Holy Trinity. Father cannot be divided into two persons by separating his Spirit from himself any more than any human can be separated into two separate persons of body and spirit, except at death when the physical body begins to decay back to the earth. Believers who falsely assume the authority of the grace of YaHavah under cover of false doctrine will be judged appropriately.

Jesus has all authority as the Son of YaHavah. True and faithful born-again believers’ function under the authority, power, and presence of the Spirit of YaHavah to disciple the nations, not to take dominion; this is the grace of YaHavah at work. Stated in another way, the grace of YaHavah is his presence and the action of his seven-spirits in a heart that was once denied his presence by Adam’s default sin nature. The grace of YHVH is his favor given to a truly repentant soul. Faith is the confidence of knowing the grace of YaHavah.

We are finite and YHVH is infinite—according to his words to Jeremiah, emphasized texthe fills the heavens and the earth.emphasized text In other words, his Spirit emanates in every direction from himself in heaven into all of his creation — INFINITE.

Here is something to consider concerning the coalition of science and religion:

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What is science saying about the universe and energy? Quantum physics is showing that everything in the universe is energy and electrical currents. Science is saying that electrons behave like waves in a sea of energy. (https://www.one-mind-one-energy.com/)

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Some call the universe a sea of vibrating consciousness. Remember, YaHavah fills the heavens and the earth with the presence of his own infinite Spirit, so, this point of view may be truer than previously thought.