Genesis 1:26 And God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the flying creatures of the sky, and over the tame animals, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creature that crawls on the earth.” And it was so. 27And God created humankind in his own image. In God’s image he created him; male and female he created them. NHEB
Image is permanent while likeness comes and goes depending upon what we do. There is something intrinsic in us and our reality that is reflective of the nature of God. We have a capacity (of function) that we perform that is God-like. It is also hardwired within us to have the ability for a personal relationship with God (although we still have to affirmatively accept this relationship through Christ).
In his final sermon, John Stott addressed the question of what God wants for His people. His answer was God wants His people to be like Christ. He started with three Bible verses in support. https://www.christiantoday.com/article/john.stott.final.sermon.the.model.becoming.more.like.christ/12442.htm
Romans 8:29 because those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30And those he predestined, he also called; and those he called, he also justified; and those he justified, he also glorified. NET
Here Paul is saying that for those He foreknew, it is predestined that you will be conformed to the image of Christ, i.e., sanctified.
2Corinthians 3:18 And we all, with unveiled faces reflecting the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another, which is from the Lord, who is the Spirit. NET
In a letter written before Romans, Paul is making the point is that we will grow in Christ and reclaim our true identity.
1John 3:2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it is not yet revealed what we will be. We know that, when He is revealed, we will be like Him; for we will see Him just as He is. NHEB
So we have past, present and future with all of these verses pointing back to Genesis 1:26. The problem is that Genesis makes this declaration but the Old Testament never fully develops the idea. It happens three times in Genesis, pops up in Psalm 8 and then goes away.
Genesis 1:28 And God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the flying creatures of the sky, and over all the tame animals, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over all the creatures that crawl on the earth.” 29 And God said, “Look, I have given you every plant yielding seed, which is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree, which bears fruit yielding seed. It will be your food. 30 And to every wild animal of the earth, and to every tame animal of the earth, and to every flying creature of the sky, and to every creature that crawls on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green plant for food.” 31 And God saw everything that he had made, and look, it was very good. There was evening and there was morning, a sixth day. NHEB
Someone has to be in charge and God grants that authority to what was created in His image. In granting that authority, God has established what is described by theologians as the creation mandate. We are to be fruitful and multiply and to subdue and to rule (i.e., have dominion) over creation. (Strong’s Hebrew also defines the word translated as “subdue” as to bring into bondage). At this point, sin has not been introduced into the world so that words like subdue and dominate would, in practice, be considerably different before the fall versus after the fall. The notion we see here is of shalom – everything fits together perfectly (note that all animals are vegetarians prior to the fall). In addition, there is no divide between men and women at this point as that happens after the fall.
Psalm 24:1 The LORD owns the earth and all it contains, the world and all who live in it. NET
Deuteronomy 10:14 Look, to the LORD your God belongs heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth, with all that is in it. NHEB
While we have complete freedom in how we go about this work of ruling over the earth, we can’t lose sight of Who it belongs to. Stewardship is a part but it goes beyond simply preserving and taking care of what we have been given (although that is certainly a part). Rather, God wants us to be productive in growing and multiplying these assets for the benefit of others and to His glory. For example, in the Parable of the Talents, the servant who did nothing was judged harshly and admonished. While he took care of what he had been given, he failed to increase it.
Most of the time, the term cultural mandate is used as a synonym for the creation mandate but there can be differences between the two. Some add the idea of the Great Commision to to this mandate while others will go so far as to advocate for uniting church and state into one ruling entity.
1Timothy 2:1 I exhort therefore, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings, be made for all people: 2 for kings and all who are in high places; that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and reverence. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior; 4 who desires all people to be saved and come to full knowledge of the truth. NHEB
The more common view on church and state is illustrated by Paul’s teaching above as God works through government and the church to bring about His purpose. The church’s job is to preach Christ and bring people into a saving relationship with Him. Government has the responsibility of maintaining order so that the church can do its job. Martin Luther talked about this as a right and left hand of God. Others have distinguished between common grace and saving grace. Through common grace, God is bestowing His goodness on all in order to make life possible on Earth.
Psalm 145:9 The LORD is good to all; His compassion rests on all He has made. BSB
Matthew 5:45 For he makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust. NHEB
In our natural state, we are incapable of being acceptable to God. Saving grace is that gift of faith that brings us into a relationship with Christ and saves us from condemnation and outer darkness.
Titus 2:11 For the grace of God has displayed itself with healing power to all mankind, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and all the pleasures of this world, and to live sober, upright, and pious lives at the present time, 13 in expectation of the fulfillment of our blessed hope—the Appearing in glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ; 14 who gave Himself for us to purchase our freedom from all iniquity, and purify for Himself a people who should be specially His own, zealous for doing good works. WEY