The Book of Genesis reveals God’s original intent for his creation. His intent was to endow mankind with heavenly authority by which men and women would rule the earth on their Father’s behalf. If you carefully scan the language of the first two chapters of Genesis you will see that purpose confirmed. God gave Adam, Eve, and their descendants a mandate. He commanded them not just to be fruitful and multiply but to also rule overthe earth and subdueit (Gen.1:28). To subdue something is to take dominion or establish authority over that thing. David declared that God crowned man with glory and honor and set him to rule overall the works of His hands (Ps.8:5-6). Mankind, as represented in Adam and Eve, was crowned so that those made in God’s image might rule over the earth.
God’s original intent, then, was to create man, give him the position of a son or a daughter of the King, and then to place “his children” on the earth to rule as their Father’s representatives. Ancient kings often gave their grown children territory to rule as lesser kings who were still subject to “the great king.” Even in the days of Jesus, King Herod only ruled over Judea at the pleasure of Caesar. He was granted his rulershipas “king” as long as he represented the interests of Caesar well. When it came to actual sons and daughters, the idea was to train them to rule just as their father would rule if he were present. They were his representatives who ruled their territories with his permission and authority. At his death, one of his heirs would then be prepared to rule the greater kingdom as his or her father would have ruled it and to finish the works and campaigns their father had begun.
Of course, our Father will never die, but he still gave Adam, Eve, and their descendants authority to rule over this planet in his name and to carry out his directives. The intent was that man, in close communion with the Father, would rule just as the Father would rule. I imagine that God spoke to Adam and Eve of such things during their evening walks in the Garden of Eden in the same way that Jesus often spoke about the Kingdom of God when he walked with his disciples.
While on this earth, Jesus perfectly represented God in his character and purposes. In the gospel of John, we find these two quotes. “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does” (Jn.5:19), and “For I did not speak of my own accord, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it” (Jn.12:49). These two quotes embody the idea of a representative who re-presents the one who sent him. In essence Jesus assured us that he did and said what the Father would do and say if he were physically present on the earth. He summed it up when he told Philip, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father” (Jn.14:9). Ultimately, we want to be able to say, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Son.”
Because we represent Jesus on this planet, we should speak only as he would speak in any given situation. Even our words should be submitted to the direction the Holy Spirit. Because our words have authority to mobilize the spiritual realm, as we speak we will be setting things in motion that will either support the purposes of God or resist the purposes of God. We will either be aligned with Christ or with Satan. In many cases our words will either constitute blessings or curses.
In Ephesians 4:29, Paul instructed the church to let no unwholesome talk come out of their mouths but only that which is good for building others up. The word unwholesomemeans anything that promotes death, weakness, or decay. If we demean, speak failure, or speak disaster over others, then we have sinned. James is clear that we should only be sources of blessing and never a source of cursing…even regarding our enemies.
A curse is any language that carries a sentiment that does not affirm, build up, or encourage another person. It is a sentiment that embodies judgment and condemnation. John tells us that Jesus did not come into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved (John 3:16-17). Salvation imparts life. Our words must do the same in every circumstance. So we are to discipline ourselves to make every word a blessing. Yes…even at home behind closed doors.
