The Stroke Behind the Brush

In the opening chapter of the book of Genesis, beginning in verse 26, we find the following words: “And God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.’ So, God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.’” As a result of this Divine utterance, God bestowed and conferred dominion upon man and gave him a position exalted far above the rest of created order. In essence, God made man his viceregent with the attended duties of cultivating and caring for His creation. In doing so, man was to exercise this dominion in accordance with Divine sanction and warrant, understanding that to do so would bring God’s favor and blessing, and conversely, to rule outside of and in opposition to this sanction, would bring God’s judgement. In short, mankind was, as Gregory of Nazianzus eloquently expressed it, “King of all upon earth, but subject to the King Above.”

This particular mandate given by God has come to be known in theological circles as the Cultural Mandate or Creation Mandate. While its implications are vast and far reaching, they are also reflected on a small scale and in the most mundane actions of various vocations. The Reformers of the sixteenth century, such as Luther and Calvin, argued that the work done by the farmer was just as spiritual in the eyes of God as the work of the priest and clergy. This understanding of all legitimate and honest work as spiritual not only changed the way in which men and women viewed work, it led to the reformation of society and to what became know as the Protestant work ethic.

At PaintersPlus, it is this understanding of work that drives what we do. For when we paint, we not only seek to please our customers, which is a matter of great significance, but more importantly we seek to please and glorify God through our work. We view our work as fulfilling the Cultural Mandate given by God to shape the earth for His glory and honor.

Thus, as the artisans and craftsmen of the Old Testament seeking to create beauty and splendor from the natural resources of God’s creation, we seek to bring aesthetic beauty to your home and associated surroundings. As craftsmen of the Old Testament were considered artists, we view ourselves as no less than this in carrying out our duty before God and our customers. Rest assured that when you contract with us to do a job, we will seek to paint your home with the utmost care and professionalism and will do so knowing that our work not only reflects upon who we are, but ultimately upon the Creator as well.