There is no comparison between the fruit brought forth by the Law of Moses and the fruit brought forth by the new covenant. There were many devout Jews who lived a righteous, holy life and influenced others to do the same. But this fruit was on a natural plane. The fruit borne under the new covenant is supernatural. It comes from God through the Lord Jesus Christ. It contains the power and virtue to transform the personality until a totally new creation is brought forth.

The fruit grown from the Nature of God in Christ is infinitely superior to the fruit grown by the human nature that strives to obey the statutes of Moses. There is not only a difference in amount but in kind. The one comes from the Nature of God. The other proceeds from the adamic personality.

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. (John 15:16—NIV)

The fourth aspect of the Divine fiat is dominion—rulership over all the works of God's hands.

But there is a place where someone has testified: "What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the angels; you crowned him with glory and honor" (Hebrews 2:6,7—NIV)

Fruitfulness cannot be achieved until image and union have been accomplished. When image, union, and fruitfulness have been gained, God then can trust us with authority and power over the works of His hands.

The tragedy in Eden occurred because there was no righteous government present, no fellow humans who could have prevented Adam and Eve from disobeying God. Of course, God could have stopped the first people. He knew what was taking place. But God had created man to govern His creation, so it was necessary man come to understand the folly of disobeying God and then, through the greatest Man, Jesus Christ, learn to walk in iron righteousness, fiery holiness, and stern obedience to the Father.

Because of this God permitted the first two people to fall into sin. God always knows precisely what He is doing, where He is going, what He is going to produce.

It is not until we are in the image of Christ, in union with God, and are bringing forth the image of Christ in those around us, that we are fit to rule God's world.

Dominion results from fruitfulness. The more people there are who are in the image of Christ, the more completely the will of God is performed in the universe.

David ruled under the Law of Moses, making only a few major mistakes. The rule of David was righteous and honorable by human standards—far more so than what we see today in the governments of the large nations. But the new covenant will bring forth rulers who will make no mistakes, once they are established on the thrones of the universe. They will be totally in accord with God's will and Person, reflecting the Glory of Christ everywhere they go and in all that they do.

For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. (II Corinthians 4:6—NIV)

To be continued.