Chalcedon Blog

It is significant that godly man in Genesis 1:26-28 is called to exercise dominion (not domination) over the earth, not other men, to develop all things in terms of God's law-word and to make this earth into God's real and domain. Fallen men does not seek dominion, which begins with his salvation and his ability to rule himself, but, rather, the goal of fallen man is domination, to control other people.

In Ephesians 5:21-33, a husband's godly dominion over his wife is compared to Christ's ministry and the sacrifice of His life to redeem the Church. It is declared to be love: "He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh, but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church." This is not domination, yet all too many husbands who call themselves Christian still insist on replacing dominion with domination.

It should not surprise us, therefore, that Christians cannot cope with an evil world given to terror and to domination. Neither should it surprise us that too often the most successful clergyman are those who exercise, not dominion but domination, because this is what the world respects. (Rushdoony, Roots of Reconstruction, p. 412)

Dominion remains one of the most misconstrued terms in Christendom; and the confusion is found both within and without the ranks of the "dominionists." Both paranoid secularists and power-hungry Protestants mishandle the concept of dominion to their own setback. The oversuspicious secularist is inspiring anxiety amongst his ill-informed constituency by grossly exaggerating the so-called theocratic threat. At the same time, the politically inebriated Protestant is blinded to the threat of statism due to his indoctrination in American exceptionalism and his misinterpretation of godly rule -- a rule that has more to do with service than control.

Rushdoony is correct in citing marriage as the appropriate example for understanding the meaning of dominion. Marriage is not only foundational to all other forms of government, it is the essential relationship where man is required to rely upon revelation in order to preserve order. The relationship can only work when a mutual submission in love is maintained. The passages in Ephesians that Rushdoony refers to are the essential texts that continue to inspire the most heated debate, but many misread these Scriptures (Eph. 5:21-33) because they stumble over the word "submit":

21. Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

22. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.

23. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.

24. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.

25. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

26That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

27. That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

28. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.

29. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:

30. For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.

31. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.

32. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

33. Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

This portion begins with the commandment "Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God" (v. 21). This is comprehensive in that it includes everyone and excludes no one. We are all to submit to one another in the fear of God.

However, most of the instruction the apostle Paul describes is directed towards men. He leaves the "wives submit yourselves unto your own husbands" (v. 22) and moves quickly into men loving their wives self-sacrificially (v. 25), washing their wives with Biblical instruction (v. 26), and nourishing and cherishing their wives as if treating their own flesh (v. 28, 29). What's missed is the "washing of their wives in the water by the word" (v. 26).

The idea of washing in the word is a strained analogy, but it works when you understand the nature of people. If one needs to be washed, then one must be dirty. The dirt, in this instance, is anything that resides within us that is contrary to the teaching or training of God's word. Therefore, the effect of instruction in God's word is akin to a cleansing -- resulting in a new way of living.

Herein lies the great mystery: The more a woman is instructed in God's word the more she will faithfully govern herself in terms of that word. At this point, submission is a needless discussion. Her submission is in terms of God and His order, and the misplaced emphasis upon the "husband" has led us down a hazardous road to partriarchal abuse. Remember, authority and submission were instituted as part of the curse:

... in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. Gen. 3:17

A man who truly dotes over his bride with love, sincerity, passion, and service - while also being a strong follower of Christ and His word - will have little conflict with his wife if she is equally committed in her personal service of our Lord. Women tend to be wired to relish in security, celebration, respect, service, and communication. They don't respond well to indifference, stoicism, intellectualism, arrogance, laziness, silence, and domination. Yet, all too many Christian men stumble over these simplicities.

Those who make too much of submission are insecure (there... I said it!). Biblical dominion is something you do more than talk about. It begins with godly service and eventually works itself out of commission. My goal with my children is raise them for independence and self-government. Submission will no longer be discussed as love and respect take over. I want my wife to free to serve God and her family while becoming everything God intends her to be. She has dreams, but she also understands her function in our household. In many ways, she understands how to balance these things much better than I.

I do not dominate my wife. I have a God-given responsibility to serve her, i.e. dominion. I'm responsible for her. If she rebels against the will of God I am quick to show her what the Bible says. At that point, her conflict is with God, not me. HOWEVER, with respect she's cited that same Bible to me more times than I can count. And, what do I do when I hear the word? I submit. The point being that all dominion belongs to God.