Tolu Kolawole 
In the opening pages of Scripture, God gives humanity its mission:
“Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” (Genesis 1:28)
This command is often called the Cultural Mandate. It’s about more than just having kids — it’s about building families, societies, cultures, and yes, technologies. Nancy Pearcey puts it this way: “Subdue the earth” means harnessing the natural world: planting crops, building bridges, designing computers, composing music.
In Genesis 2:15, Adam is placed in the garden “to work it and keep it.” Work wasn’t a punishment; it was a divine vocation. Creating tools to steward the world wisely is embedded into humanity’s DNA from the beginning.
Even after sin entered the world, the mandate didn’t disappear. In fact, as R.J. Rushdoony notes, Genesis 1:28 “establishes work as God’s commandment, predating the Fall.” Our creative work — including inventing and developing technology — is still part of fulfilling God’s dominion.
Dominion Means Stewardship
Psalm 24:1 reminds us,
“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.”
We don’t own creation; God does. We’re stewards, managing His property according to His rules. This means all technological advancement must be aligned with God’s purposes.
Christian thinkers like Abraham Kuyper emphasized this truth. Kuyper taught that Christ claims every square inch of creation, including technology. There’s no such thing as a “neutral” area of life or work. Every project, app, system, and device either honors Christ’s lordship — or rebels against it.
Our task isn’t to dominate nature selfishly or exploit people with technology. It’s to extend Christ’s reign by creatively stewarding the raw materials of His world for human flourishing and God’s glory.
Technology as a Fruit of the Imago Dei
Why are humans uniquely capable of creating technology in the first place? Because we are made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27).
Being God’s image-bearers means we have been given moral agency, creativity, relationality, and reason. We are not machines ourselves; we are creators because our Creator is the ultimate Creator. Kuyper stressed that the imago Dei “affirms human moral responsibility and creative capacity.” Technology is a natural outworking of our human nature under God’s design.
But because we live in a fallen world, technology can either be used to reflect God’s character — or to oppose it.
This is where discernment becomes crucial.
Avoiding the Two Extremes: Fear or Naivety
There are two traps that Christians often fall into when thinking about technology:
- Luddite Fearfulness: Retreating from technology entirely, treating every innovation as inherently evil.
- Blind Naivety: Accepting every new technology uncritically, assuming it’s always “progress.”
Neither posture is biblical. Instead, we must approach technology with open eyes — seeing its potential for good while being vigilant about its misuse.
Before adopting or creating new technology, ask:
- Does this foster communion with God and neighbor?
- Does this uphold human dignity and protect life?
- Does this serve creation rather than destroy it?
In other words, we need biblical metrics, not just market metrics.
A Practical Framework
So how can you, as a Christian in tech, live this out? Here’s a roadmap:
1. Work as Worship
Colossians 3:23 commands,
“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.”
Your daily coding, troubleshooting, designing, leading, and managing is an act of worship. Excellence in your craft honors Christ. Don’t just build products — build altars of worship in your workplace through your attitude, ethics, and diligence.
2. Embed Biblical Ethics into Your Projects
Every project has ethical implications, whether we realize it or not. Christians must consciously design with kingdom values:
- Protect user privacy and data.
- Avoid creating addictive, exploitative systems.
- Design tech that uplifts human dignity (e.g., accessibility tools, healthcare innovations, education platforms).
Ken Funk suggests using a simple filter:
“Will this help me love God and neighbor better?”
That’s a powerful rubric.
3. Advance Human Flourishing
The Cultural Mandate calls us to cultivate creation and serve humanity. Ask:
- How can this technology alleviate suffering?
- How can it build stronger communities?
- How can it spread truth and beauty?
Think about Luther and the printing press. His willingness to use the newest communication technology of his day catalyzed the Reformation. Today, social media, blockchain, AI, and biotech are the printing presses of our era. Christians should not shrink from them — but wield them for gospel ends.
4. Guard Human Dignity
In a world racing toward automation and dehumanization, Christians must defend the uniqueness of human beings made in God’s image. Tech should never reduce people to data points, dopamine hits, or replace real relationships.
Kuyper warned against treating workers as “iron machines” — mere cogs in a capitalist system. Instead, design tech that enhances human creativity and well-being, not erodes it.
5. Be Rooted in Christian Community
Lone wolves are vulnerable. Surround yourself with other believers in tech. Share ideas. Sharpen one another. Hold each other accountable.
Join groups like faith-and-tech initiatives, Bible studies for tech professionals, or start one in your area. Technology is too powerful and tempting to navigate without brothers and sisters in Christ beside you.
Building for Eternity
Every software line you write, every product you launch, every system you build — it echoes into eternity. C.S. Lewis once wrote that humans are not shaping stones or bricks, but immortal souls. The tools you build today can either draw people closer to God or deepen their alienation.
Ultimately, technology is not an end. It’s a means to a far greater end: the glory of Christ and the flourishing of His creation.
Let’s be Christians who don’t just ride the waves of technological change — but shape them, faithfully, under the lordship of King Jesus.
The digital age is not neutral ground. It’s contested territory. And by God’s grace, you are part of His royal army of creators, innovators, and stewards.
Fill the earth. Subdue it. Redeem it. For His glory.
