Dominionism – Dominion Theology

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09/30/2016

The New Apostolic Reformation supports, among other theologies, dominionism. Dominionism is nothing less than the Christians’ dominion over the world.

Christians are thus supposed to authoritatively take over the world in order that Jesus might then come back to be crowned. Hence, God is not in charge of deciding when Christ will return; Christians are.

Does that seem excessive? Read on.

It is important to specify that C. Peter Wagner is regarded as the founder of the New Apostolic Reformation, which comprises famous “apostles” and “prophets” such as Bill Johnson (Bethel Church), Kris Vallotton (Bethel Church), Paul Arnott (Toronto), Cindy Jacobs, Lou Engle (The Call), Todd White and many others.

Evidently, it isn’t the theology of a “lone visionary” but that of all these people, who regularly host conferences around the world and are followed by many Christians who are unaware of the facts.

Here are excerpts from a YouTube video detailing the core of C. Peter Wagner’s teachings concerning dominion theology.

First, Wagner explains the meaning of the “dominion mandate.”

“Mandate” means an authoritative order or commandment […] and “dominion” has to do with control, […] with rulership, […] with authority and subduing, and a release to society

He then cites:

“Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” […] Dominion means being the head, and not the tail. Dominion means ruling as kings. It says in Revelation 1:6 that “he has made us kings and priests,” and check the rest of that verse, it says “for dominion”

This is a broad, inaccurate interpretation of the passage.

The Bible tells us:

and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Revelation 1:6 (ESV)

Thus, we are a kingdom and priests to God his father.

In the video, he then cites:

Go and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19)

and he specifies that the injunction at hand does not have to do with making disciples of individual people, but of entire nations, groups, and societies.

Additional quotes:

Dominion theology begins on the first page of the Bible. […] God created Adam and Eve. […] God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and have dominion over the earth” (Genesis 1:28)

The enemy has attacked the dominion mandate since day one, […] he wanted to usurp the dominion that God had designed for Adam. […] Adam gave his dominion to Satan.

He explains that when Adam and Eve abandoned their dominion, God’s created world changed directions 180 degrees twice, first when Adam gave his dominion away, and then when the second Adam came, direction changed 180 degrees again and was placed back on course.

He cites Luke 19:10 “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost” to explain that Jesus was not referring to people, but to the dominion that was lost in the Garden of Eden.

He then says:

Jesus’s death on the cross paid the penalty for our sins so that we could go to heaven. […] Jesus paid the price of reconciliation; God gave us the task of actually making it happen. […] Jesus delegated establishing his kingdom to us. […] We are the ones who are supposed to bring this about.

He also quotes a “prophetic word”:

Satan has been losing ground for two thousand years, but, prophetically, the process is about to speed up. Now I say this: Satan will lose more ground in the next hundred years than he lost in the past two thousand.

Furthermore:

The year 2001 opened the second apostolic age, the government of the Church is now in place, aligning with apostles and prophets, and this war that we are in and have talked about has two fronts: it has a spiritual front, and it has a natural front.

And to wrap it up nicely, he then explains that in addition to spiritual warfare, there exists the Seven-Mountain Mandate.

Jesus has also given us the revelation of the crucial role of wealth. We will not see sustained transformation of cities and nations without controlling vast amounts of kingdom wealth. Those are carefully chosen statements: vast amounts of kingdom wealth.

Following his interpretation of the Kingdom, this means that Christians ought to control vast amounts of wealth in order to be able to control the world.

This is not in accordance with the Bible. Of the many passages where wealth is mentioned, let’s look at this teaching of Jesus as an example:

 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.” (Matthew 6:19-20)

The Bible also warns us that in the last days, many will turn away from the truth (2 Timothy 4:4). Christians will not control the earth before Jesus returns. Conversely, persecution will increase, people will turn away from God, and the world will gradually fall apart. Only the return of the Lord can save it from utter destruction. Wagner’s theory is therefore wrong and dangerous. It is nevertheless followed by many, including Bethel Church. This theology is comforting; it sure is encouraging to think that we will gain control over the world! But it is a lie and will lead to great disappointment.

This article is indicative of the issue and confirms the content of the video: http://www.charismamag.com/spirit/prophecy/15402-the-case-for-dominionism 

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