And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
Genesis 1:28
Many in the “Kingdom Now” and “Dominionism” view this as the basis for the Kingdom of Heaven. Adam is given authority, and told to “have dominion”. In this, I would agree. God’s Kingdom is extended to man, and he is given rulership over it. In consideration of this fact, however, we should take a moment to consider the Kingdom from the perspective of the New Testament.
In the writings of Paul, he wrote that the only things that remain are faith, hope, and love (1 Corinthians 13:13). Indeed, the teachings of Jesus emphasize forgiveness and purity of heart, and a life of and by the Spirit, so that one lives not in the lusts and pride of life, but in holiness. Indeed, the Kingdom of God consists in righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
What, then, was the nature of the Kingdom in the life of Adam, in the light of Genesis 1:28?
First of all, Adam had a pure heart. He was a son of his Father, in perfect obedience. He was sinless, and walked with God. He had no rebellion, no self will, and no license given to his flesh.
Second, he was what he ate. When one ate of this tree or that tree, he became it. These were both natural food as well as spiritual. There were restrictions on his diet, so that he could not eat anything he pleased. That which was from the tree in the center of the garden, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, was deadly to him.
Third, he walked in the Word and Will of God. He had first the command of God. Second, dwelling daily with Him, He had the mind of God. In such, all of his actions and decisions would be been wholly in line with that of his Father.
Some have mistakenly taken and applied this first appearance of the Kingdom of God, and its resultant dominion, and have mixed their own vision of the pattern of what that should look like, tainted by their own flesh, to create something wholly unbiblical. This does not change the truth of the revelation that this verse points to the dominion, and hence the Kingdom, which was ordained by God and passed on to man, but it leaves a bad impression on people often today when they hear it talked about.
However, the Kingdom Adam walked in is perfectly and completely expressed in the teachings of Christ and, later, the Epistles. You are not walking in the true dominion given to Adam if you are not abiding in the Words of Christ, for, without them, it is simply a work of the flesh.
Only that which is done by the prompting and leading of the Spirit is true, spiritual endeavor. All other efforts, no matter how well meaning, are simply “dead works”, Hebrews 6:1.
Only faith pleases God, and Adam walked in perfect faith up until the fall, for he pleased God. Hence, even Adam was supposed to learn to walk like Christ would walk, as he grew and developed as a son of God. But, after the fall, things changed, and the dominion that man was created to possess and fulfill became corrupt and became something oppressive.
Too often, we see this yet still today, even in those attempting to do “Kingdom”.
But, Jesus said He did nothing of His own initiative, but only that of the Father. He didn’t visionate, He didn’t direct, He didn’t speak a word other than that which was given. The true son walks in true obedience, humility, and submission. This is what Adam walked in in the garden, and it is the only true place of Kingdom. Matthew 7:21-22.