INDEX TO ALL FIVE SECTIONS Part I - Dominionism is an umbrella term for a number of related groups (the most extreme faction of the Religious Right) whose goal is to see every area of life (including governments and all other institutions) placed under God's law (See is a theocracy Biblical in Part IV below) Many of them believe that Christ cannot return until this is accomplished thus are willing to use force if necessary. The question being whether the Bible ever says (or even implies) that it falls to humans to make the world ready for Christ's second advent OR does this ideology stem from man's incredible conceit and exaggerated estimate of his own importance - imperialism hiding behind a Christian veneer? Part II - History and Spread - Bill Hamon, John Wimber, C Peter Wagner, and The Occult Roots of Dominionism. This movement driven by numerous very deluded "Christian" leaders (a.k.a wolves in sheep's clothing) is influencing thousands of believers who have apparently never compared their teachings with what the Bible says, nor looked into the very dark roots of the movement.  YOU ARE HERE - Part III A - Dominionism Vs. The Bible I - Genesis 1:28 and Matthew 28:19. God's instruction in Genesis 1:28 was a delegation of responsibility for the stewardship of this earth and its resources (that we have miserably failed at). However, Dominionists have interpreted this verse to mean that Christians were commanded to 'rule' the earth. They also assert that the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19 supports the Dominion mandate - a biased self serving interpretation that has more holes in it than Swiss Cheese. Part III B - Dominionism Vs. The Bible II - Every One Of Their Doctrines Contradicts Scripture. Not only is the Manifest Sons of God teaching based on an extremely shallow understanding of Romans 8:19, the Bible very clearly tells us what conditions exist just prior to Christ's return, that He already has dominion over the earth, and that God himself will destroy all earthly kingdoms (no overcomers involved). Part IV - Is A Theocracy Biblical? The question we need to ask ourselves is whether there is a single scrap of evidence for a theocracy in the Scripture. The short answer is "No! Absolutely not!" - for which there are several compelling and irrefutable reasons straight out of the pages of Scripture. Part V - Joel's Army - Where this diabolical doctrine is likely to take us.
ON THIS PAGE
Misinterpreting, Manipulating, and Misusing Scripture
C. Peter Wagner's Teachings On
Genesis 1:28 and Matthew 28:19-20 Genesis 1:28
1 John 3:8
Luke 19:10
Genesis 1:28 And Civil Authorities Matthew 28:19-20 - Redefining The "Great Commission"
Mark 16:15-16
Revelation 1:6
A Kingdom of Priests?
Footnote I - Ed Silvoso
Misinterpreting, Manipulating, and Misusing Scripture
Dominionists and other false teachers intent on pushing their own agenda interpret the Scriptures eisegetically, which means that they superimpose a meaning onto the text that was never intended. This is done by either wrenching the text from its context or manipulating it in some other way to make it seem to support their position. Some go as far as to add or delete words in order to support their presuppositions or agenda. At the same time they blatantly ignore those verses that clearly contradict their teachings.
Please Note: Simply because a person may sincerely believe in the truth of what they are teaching doesn't make them any less of a false teacher and a danger to believers.
The fact is that every single Biblical verse or paragraph has only one legitimate meaning - the one that the original author intended to convey. Because the authority of the Bible rests in the message the writer was trying to communicate, not in the often self serving ideas that are read into it, it is our job as readers to discover what that is. See Context is CRUCIAL - a HUGELY important article. A classic example of manipulating Scripture to reflect a particular viewpoint is clearly seen in C. Peter Wagner's Teachings On Genesis 1:28 and Matthew 28:19-20 - two verses that are the foundation of the entire Dominionist superstructure.
C. Peter Wagner's Teachings On Genesis 1:28 and Matthew 28:19-20
Genesis 1:28
In THIS video Peter Wagner begins by clarifying the meaning of the words mandate and dominion.
"The word mandate means an authoritative order or command. it doesn't mean a good idea. It doesn't mean a suggestion. It means an authoritative order. Dominion has to do with control. Dominion has to do with ruler ship. Dominion has to do with authority and subduing - and it relates to society"
At about the 2:17 mark Wagner claimed that "Dominion theology begins on the first page of the Bible". He was referring to Genesis 1:28 that reads, God blessed them; and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth." (Genesis 1:28 NASB)
Christians typically understand this to mean that God gave humankind rule over, and responsibility for God's biological creation. However, Dominionists have taken the words in Genesis as a commandment to Christians to 'rule' the earth. However, the verse very unequivocally states that this was a 'blessing' rather than a commandment - The first couple was given stewardship of His magnificent creation to look after and care for it. The verse doesn’t carry even the slightest hint of a 'mandate'. (This makes it a tragedy that environmental issues receive so little attention in Christian circles. See Christian Environmentalism). In any case civil government did not even exist at the time thus cannot be included in what Adam and Eve were given dominion over. See Genesis 1:28 And Civil Authorities below Dominionists then embroider the story by claiming that Adam lost his place to a demonic usurper when he disobeyed God. Thus it is not only our duty but a God given mandate to take back the sovereignty that is rightfully ours. Wagner went on to say, "God created Adam and Eve to have dominion and created us to have dominion because we were in Adam and Eve and that is our Dominion mandate. However, when Adam gave in to Satan's lies, he supposedly relinquished dominion and by doing so condemned all humanity to subjugation to Satan. Thus "God's created world change direction 180 degrees". In fact he says it did so twice. The first time was when "Adam gave up his Dominion and his authority" and the second time when the second Adam came it changed 180 and now it's back on course. However, it's not finished yet."
(If, as Wagner says God's created world is "back on course" I am not sure I understand why it isn't "finished".) Anyway Wagner then proceeded to make a hash of interpreting two other verses. He quoted 1 John 3:8 (the Son of God came to "destroy the works of the devil") and Luke 19:10 (the Son of Man came "to seek and to save that which was lost). According to Wagner what was lost in the Garden of Eden was Dominion.
1 John 3:8
This is a typical example of attempting to establish doctrine based on a stand alone verse (in this case, part of a verse) without paying the slightest attention to context - the text that surrounds that particular passage and determines its meaning. There is both an immediate and a broader context of any given verse. Not only did Wagner only quote the second half of 1 John 3:8 but he totally ignored the broader context that in this case, spans Verses 4-10.
The sole topic of ALL seven verses is sin and righteousness and, as you can see, the part Wagner quoted (the underlined) portion) fits in perfectly. Claiming that verse eight is about dominion can only be done by someone who went to the Bible to prove what they had already decided to believe - not by an honest and straightforward reading. (4) Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness. (5) You know that He appeared in order to take away sins; and in Him there is no sin. (6) No one who abides in Him sins; no one who sins has seen Him or knows Him. (7) Little children, make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; (8) the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil. (9) No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. (10) By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother. (1 John 3:4-10 NASB)
See Context is CRUCIAL Wagner did exactly the same thing with... Luke 19:10 (9) And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because he, too, is a son of Abraham. (10) "For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost." (Luke 19:9-10. NASB)
Zaccheus was a tax collector, a breed hated by the Jews because they worked for Rome and often overtaxed their fellows. However, the above verse was Jesus' response after Zaccheus publicly admitted that he had defrauded the people, said he would repay four times as much as he had taken, and give half of his possessions to the poor. The Savior's words (as with all other verses) can only be accurately understood taking the context into consideration. It makes absolutely no sense that Jesus changed horses in midstream, talking about salvation coming to Zaccheus' house in verse 9, then abruptly switching to restoring man's dominion over the earth in verse 10. In any case, the broader context supports the fact that Jesus came to seek and save lost people and makes it very clear who would be saved and who would not. (Please remember that there were no chapter and verse divisions in the original manuscripts, thus there is no 'division between chapters 18 and 19) Note the theme that begins in chapter 18, verse 9. Verses 9-14: Jesus (referring to the Pharisee and the Tax Collector) said he "who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted." Verses 15 to 17: Jesus said the kingdom of God belongs to he who is like a little child. Verses 18 to 26: Jesus spoke of the rich young ruler who was reluctant to give up his possessions and thus would not have "treasure in heaven". Verses 35 - 43: Jesus spoke of the Blind Beggar whose faith made him whole.
The repentant Zaccheus was simply the last in a series of examples of who would be saved, that is the humble, the child like person, the one with faith and the repentant sinner. It was the continuation of a topic or theme if you will. On the other hand, there is not ONE SINGLE thing that points towards Jesus coming to save our lost Dominionism - nothing except for a strong desire to 'prove' one's case by any means possible.
Genesis 1:28 And Civil Authorities
But let's return to Genesis 1:28 for a moment. As a reminder it says
God blessed them; and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth." (Genesis 1:28 NASB)
Again read the verse in context. Because they were made in the image of God gave the first couple dominion over creation - the birds, fish, and every other living thing (Verse 26 includes the cattle, every creeping thing, and over all the earth.) Civil government did not even exist at the time thus cannot be included in what Adam and Eve were given dominion over. Much to the contrary, the state is a separate institution that believers are under the authority of. As Jesus said in Matthew 22:21, Both Peter and Paul also made it very clear that believers have to submit to authority (unless, of course, we are ordered to do something that is against God's law in which case His law takes precedence. See Acts 4:19). Peter: Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right. (1 Peter 2:13-14 NASB) Paul: Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. (Romans 13:1-2 NASB) Render to all what is due them: tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor. (Romans 13:7 NASB)
Dominionism completely and absolutely contradicts these Biblical instructions. To be noted is the fact that Paul wrote his letter to the Romans while the Romans Empire was still in power. They were no friend to the Christians who at times even faced extreme punishment for failing to worship the emperor. All the same Paul recognized their legitimate authority. Because God appoints the governing authorities to serve a purpose in His plan Paul described them as "God's minister". Additionally, as David Guzik writes in his commentary it is not (Emphasis mine) "always to bless the people. Sometimes it is to judge the people or to ripen the nation for judgment". [01]
I cannot help but think this is exactly the situation we find ourselves in right now - The extreme right wing (many of them Dominionists) and the power base they are building are quite literally ripening the nation for judgment.
Matthew 28:19-20 - Redefining The "Great Commission"
The "Great Commission" refers to the instructions Jesus gave His disciples just before His ascension. He said...
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:19-20 NASB)
C. Peter Wagner wrote the foreword to Bill Hamon's 2010 book Prophetic Scriptures Yet to Be Fulfilled in which he said (Emphasis Added) "... our escapist eschatology led us to believe that our singular task was get souls saved before the world collapsed in disaster, the Church was raptured to Heaven, and the antichrist took over. Now Bishop Hamon and I both believe and teach that our mandate from God is much larger than we had thought. The Gospel of the Kingdom goes beyond saving souls and multiplying churches to a new level that is nothing less than social transformation. Our goal is to see the values of the Kingdom penetrate every aspect of our society here on earth. The Great Commission tells us to make disciples of whole nations, not just of individual men and women, important as saving souls always will be. [02]
In the video linked above Wagner also said, "The Dominion mandate is another phrase for the Great Commission" ... we've got to understand the Dominion mandate is another way of saying the Great Commission because when Jesus sent His disciples out he said he told them to go and make disciples of all nations.
He adds that although Scripture talks of making disciples of individuals in other places, in Matthew 28:19 'nations are whole groups of society - it is "talking about transforming society". Mark 16:15-16:
There are several problems with Wagner's take on Matthew 28:19-20. In the first place although Matthew has Jesus saying "Go and make disciples, the parallel verse in Mark says "Go into all the world and preach the gospel. . And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. "He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned. (Mark 16:15-16 NASB) "Go therefore and make disciples (Gk. matheteuo) of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:19-20 NASB).
Were the disciples confused or did each of them understand Jesus in a different way? Actually neither because there is absolutely NO difference between "make disciples" and "preach the gospel". The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition says a disciple is a. One who embraces and assists in spreading the teachings of another. b. An active adherent, as of a movement or philosophy. (Incidentally, The synonyms for disciple includes the words follower, student, learner supporter, pupil, convert, believer, partisan, devotee, adherent, proselyte etc. )
In other words, a disciple is a person who believes in the teaching of another and assists in spreading those teachings. You cannot become a disciple unless someone preaches it. Both Matthew and Mark were saying exactly the same thing. Jesus was not commanding His followers to subdue geographical nations, He was commanding His followers to make disciples of individuals - to lead men to be his followers - just as He did while He was on earth. And that involved both baptizing them and teaching them to observe all that He commanded. (Note: Baptism does not contribute to salvation but is a public profession of faith. It is the first step after conversion and belief). See Baptism Moreover, the book of Acts often used the term 'disciples' for 'Christians' or 'believers'. The word of God kept on spreading; and the number of the disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith. (Acts 6:7 NASB) When he came to Jerusalem, he was trying to associate with the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. (Acts 9:26 NASB) and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. And for an entire year they met with the church and taught considerable numbers; and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch. (Acts 11:26 NASB) It happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the upper country and came to Ephesus, and found some disciples. (Acts 19:1 NASB)
The Bible makes it very clear that creating heaven on earth is neither our responsibility nor our assigned task. Our job is simple - we are to tell people about God's offer to every single human being on the face of the earth - i.e. although God has decreed death to be the punishment for sin we can (if we wish) obtain forgiveness for our sins and gain eternal life in his coming kingdom because Jesus Christ Himself paid for our sins by dying in our place. However, there is a little more to this. See Salvation In any case, if you think about it for a moment it is simply impossible to "make disciples of whole nations" unless your idea of discipleship is the same as (or similar to) Ed Silvoso's. He claims that "nations have been, and are being, discipled all the time". The examples he puts forth are pretty outrageous. See Footnote I
Revelation 1:6
At some point in the video Wagner refers to Revelation 1:6 saying,
Dominion means being the head and not the tail. Dominion means ruling as Kings. It says in Revelation chapter 1:6 that he has made us kings and priests. And check the rest of that verse it says for Dominion. So we are Kings for Dominion.
Kings AND Priests?
Wagner was probably using the KJV that says "And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever". In the original Greek there is no word between kingdom and priests. So saying kingdom and priests, kings and priests, Kingdom of priests, etc. is a matter of interpretation. However, most Bible versions stay true to the Greek and simply put a comma between kingdom and priests, like so - "who has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God..." See Interlinear Bible HERE. Compare with THIS Page Kings OR Kingdom?
The manuscripts the KJV was based on used the Greek word basileus - a sovereign. Hence 'kings'. On the other hand, the NASB is based on texts that use basileia - a realm or kingdom. The Intermediate Bible agrees. Although it says the word is basileian - it also means a kingdom.
When deciding between kingdom and kings, the only option is to apply logic and common sense to the two choices. In which case kingdom makes FAR more sense. Think of it this way - a king is a sovereign, someone who has "chief authority over a country and people." if everyone who gets into God's kingdom is a king, who in the world are they going to rule over. Or, if Wagner happened to be referring to the Dominionist elite, exactly how many sovereigns do we need? The concept of large numbers of "kings" running around is absolutely ludicrous. On the other hand, reading the verse as it is written - "who has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God..." makes perfect sense because a.) the Kingdom of God was so central to Jesus' message that He even defined His purpose in light of the kingdom. a.) Under the New Covenant, we are a holy priesthood inasmuch as we do not need a human intermediary but have direct access to the Father beginning from the moment the curtain of the temple was rent at the Crucifixion (Matthew 27:51). We can go to Him with all our needs and concerns etc. (Matthew 7:7–11; John 16:23–26). As Hebrews 4:16 says ... let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of
Thus we are quite literally a kingdom of priests. you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 2:5 NASB) But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; (1 Peter 2:9 NASB) Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years. (Revelation 20:6 NASB)
And as a by the way Revelation 1:6 says "to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever". In the Old Testament the priesthood was confined to the sons of Aaron (the Levites). As Numbers 18:7 said, " the outsider who comes near shall be put to death. Nevertheless, in spite of the opposition of the priests King Uzziah of Judah tried to combine the two offices, but was struck with leprosy and stayed a leper until he died. See 2 Chronicles 26:16-23. Footnote I - Ed Silvoso
In his book Transformation: Change The Marketplace and You Change the World, Silvoso wrote The discipling of nations is our primary task on Earth... To disciple someone means to turn that person into a follower of the teachings you espouse. In the case of a nation, it means to impact its life so that it will conform to a set of specific values and develop a corresponding behavior. Nations have been, and are being, discipled all the time. The Romans "discipled" nations by conquering and imposing on them Pax Romana. Lenin and his followers "discipled" Russia and the Soviet Union by molding in a regimented and all-encompassing way the lives of millions with Communist philosophy. Mao did the same in China, the largest nation on earth. Militant Muslims actively take over nations and disciple them a la Ayatollah Khomeini; and even though they do not use the term "disciple", they are making entire populations into followers -disciples- of Mohammad. The issue is not whether a nation can be disciples, because it happens all the time and it will continue to happen. The question is, can a nation be impacted in such a way that it will become a disciple of Christ. Can His teachings impregnate its people and its institutions so that the nation will reflect the character of Christ? And at this point, the critical factor is not Jesus Himself, but what His followers are willing to do to see nations become His followers. Would they take His teachings to a nation until those teachings are embraced at a national level? [03]
This is a perfect example of the unadulterated and unmitigated codswallop (British slang a.k.a Applesauce, tripe, or drivel) being passed off under the guise of Christianity. Worse? At the time of writing the book had 63 reviews on Amazon - 81% of which rate it five stars. Either he is ignorant beyond belief, is hoping his readers are, or is twisting the actions of brutal dictators each responsible for the death of millions to support his cockeyed theories. None of them 'discipled' nations. But let me begin with Pax Romana (Latin for "Roman Peace") was not "imposed" on nations, but was a long period (approximately 206 years from 27 BCE to 180 CE) of relative peace and minimal expansion by military force experienced by the Roman Empire in the 1st and 2nd centuries CE. Because this period was initiated during Augustus' reign, it is sometimes called Pax Augusta. According to Encyclopaedia Britannica (Emphasis mine) The empire protected and governed individual provinces, permitting each to make and administer its own laws while accepting Roman taxation and military control. [04]
Lenin: banned all political parties except his own, strictly censored the press and ruled, in his own words, "based directly upon force, and unrestricted by any laws.” [05] Leninism's unrestrained pursuit of the socialist society resulted in the creation of a totalitarian state in the Soviet Union... every aspect of the Soviet Union's political, economic, cultural, and intellectual life came to be regulated by the Communist Party in a strict and regimented fashion that would tolerate no opposition... Terror was applied without hesitation, humanitarian considerations and individual rights were disregarded, and the assumption of the class character of all intellectual and moral life led to a relativization of the standards of truth, ethics, and justice. [06] Note: Totalitarianism is a form of government that attempts to assert total control over the lives of its citizens.
Mao: While most scholars are reluctant to estimate a total number of "unnatural deaths" in China under "Chairman" Mao, evidence shows he was in some way responsible for at least 40 million deaths and could go as high as 80 million or more. This includes deaths he was directly responsible for and deaths resulting from disastrous policies he refused to change. [07] It is also believed that many thousands of Christians lost their lives throughout this period when the Communists launched an attack on the Christian church and other religious groups. Ayatollah Khomein did not, as Ed Silvoso claims, make entire populations into "followers -disciples- of Mohammad" Much to the contrary, he forced Sharia law onto the population. This meant strict dress codes, Islamic education, and the suppression of political and religious minorities " Under his rule, Iranian women were denied equal rights and required to wear a veil, Western culture was banned, and traditional Islamic law and its often-brutal punishments were reinstated. In suppressing opposition, Khomeini proved as ruthless as the shah, and thousands of political dissidents were executed during his decade of rule". After he died "gradual democratization began in Iran in early the 1990s, culminating in a free election in 1997 in which the moderate reformist Mohammed Khatami was elected president. [08] Cindy Jacobs follows in Ed Silvoso's footsteps
No surprise there "As I have also learned from Ed Silvoso, strongholds against unity broken down in the minds of the leaders of the city and then the believers in order for the city to be captured.
She adds that pastors "must see that they are all one Body and that their city will never be won with just part of the Body working. Every joint and member must make an effort to win a city for Christ. Just as it took all the tribes of Israel to conquer the Promised Land of Canaan, it takes all of the parts of the Body of Christ to inherit our promised land in the city." [09]
Continue To Chapter IV - Comparing Dominionist Beliefs With the Scriptures. HERE
End Notes
[01] David Guzik: Study Guide for Romans 13. https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/guzik_david/StudyGuide2017-Rom/Rom-13.cfm]
[02] C. Peter Wagner. Foreword to Prophetic Scriptures Yet to Be Fulfilled: During the 3rd and Final Reformation by Bill Hamon. Publisher: Destiny Image Publishers (April 1, 2010) Pg. 251 [03] Ed Silvoso Transformation: Change The Marketplace and You Change the World. Paperback – Publisher: Chosen Books; Reprint edition (February 1, 2010). Page 42 [04] Encyclopaedia Britannica. Pax Romana. Roman History. https://www.britannica.com/event/Pax-Romana [05] 9 Things You May Not Know About Vladimir Lenin. https://www.history.com/news/9-things-you-may-not-know-about-vladimir-lenin] And a few more points from the Encyclopaedia Britannica. [06] Leninism. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Leninism. [07] Valerie Strauss and Daniel Souther. How Many Died? New Evidence Suggests Far Higher Numbers For The Victims Of Mao Zedong's Era. The Washington Post. July 17, 1994.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1994/07/17/how-many-died-new-evidence-suggests-far-higher-numbers-for-the-victims-of-mao-zedongs-era/01044df5-03dd-49f4-a453-a033c5287bce/ [08] Ayatollah Khomeini returns to Iran. https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/ayatollah-khomeini-returns-to-iran [09] Cindy Jacobs Possessing the Gates of the Enemy: A Training Manual for Militant Intercession Paperback. C. Peter Wagner (Foreword). Publisher: Chosen; Books. 4th Edition | Revised with Study Guide (April 3, 2018) | 
