Guest article by Mark Dewey
The Lord has blessed my wife and me with the privilege and challenge of raising fourteen children. Our family has been afforded the opportunity to interact with men, women, and children from multiple states and other countries. When people first see “all those children,” they often ask if we are Amish, Mormon, or Roman Catholic. In one sense this is understandable; in another, a cause for concern. We are Reformed Postmillennial Christians, yet nobody has asked if we fit in that category. Why not?
Recently, I was asked if our fruitfulness in having so many children is a byproduct of the optimistic eschatology we hold. We do firmly believe the words of Dr. Joe Boot, “The transformation of culture, indeed the potential for the rebuilding of Christian civilization, that is possible through the re-establishment of the Christian family, is immeasurable.” [1]
Family 101: Getting Our House in Order
Family 101 is a much-needed course designed to help Christians understand covenant life. The student will learn not only about the family, but about the important role of education—both our own and that of our children. The videos, audios, and printed works found in Family 101 will provide the encouragement and the education necessary to live faithfully to both God and neighbor.
Buy NowWe also recognize that the Christian family is vital to the Church, a community, country, and the world - to see God’s name hallowed, His Kingdom come, and His will being done on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:9-10). Whether any of our children will be called to disciple the nations by baptizing and teaching; they will, by God’s grace, be instruments in the hands of Jehovah for prayer, tithes, and other acts of love that will further the Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-20).
However, our desire for and rejoicing in the blessing of many children was a biblical conviction before our Postmillennialism. Prior to settling our eschatological views, we were expecting our seventh child when a brother in Christ asked me, “Do you know something the Bible teaches that I don’t know?” My reply was simply, “Yes, be fruitful and multiple.” I wasn’t in any way being condescending or flippant with this response. I thought it was obvious that the Dominion Mandate taught this (Genesis 1:26-28), that it was reiterated after the flood (Genesis 8:17; 9:1,7), and that the Lord never rescinded His command. I was also fully aware that obedience in seeking to be fruitful and multiple doesn’t guarantee a man and his wife will have a dozen children. It’s God who opens and closes the womb as He wills (Genesis 20:17-18; 29:31; 30:1-2, 17, 22), and He had been pleased to open my wife’s womb often.
Though we had yet to embrace the future hope of the Puritans, we did believe with them that “Marriage was ordained for the mutual help of husband and wife, for the increase of mankind with a legitimate issue, and of the Church with a holy seed; and for preventing uncleanness” (WCF 24.2).
When we became convinced of an optimistic eschatology a short time later, we developed a greater understanding of and joy in so many portions of God’s Word, as well as a greater appreciation for the blessing of children. To declare that the Dewey household is serving Jehovah (Joshua 24:15), and that we are bringing up our children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4), became more glorious and significant.
Recognizing it’s consistent with the entire flow of Scripture to speak of the Great Commission as the ultimate application and fulfillment of the Dominion Mandate, was marvelous in our eyes. Knowing that where the first Adam failed, the last Adam will succeed as all authority has been given to Him in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18). What manner of love is this that the Lord, in His grace and kindness, has granted us the blessing of bringing more of His image-bearers and covenant children, more worshippers and warriors of King Jesus, into this blood bought world.
Though our realization that we were to be fruitful and multiply, to fill the earth and subdue it, preceded our eschatology of hope, the confident expectation that Christ will rule to the ends of the earth and all nations will serve Him (Psalm 72) only increases our gratefulness to God for His abundant blessing of children and the generations that will be born to them. We eagerly await the time when the knowledge and glory of King Jesus fills the earth as the waters cover the sea (Isaiah 11:9; Habakkuk 2:14). We trust God to use His and our covenant children as a providential means to bring about “the free and immutable counsel of His own will, to the praise of the glory of His wisdom, power, justice, goodness, and mercy” (WCF 5.1).
As I consider now why it is that nobody, after seeing all our children, has ever asked if we are Reformed Postmillennial Christians, I might have found an answer to my question. Maybe it’s because not enough of us believe something Gary DeMar recently wrote: “While pro-abortion liberals are pushing the abortion and contraception wagon, Christian conservatives with their large families could dominate the culture in a generation or two if they believe and act in terms of ‘In God We Trust.’” [2]
Slaying Leviathan
Historian Glenn S. Sunshine surveys some of the stories and key elements of Christian political thought from Augustine to the Declaration of Independence. Specifically, the book introduces theories of limited government that were synthesized into a coherent political philosophy by John Locke. Locke, of course, influenced the American founders and was, like us, fighting against the spirit of Leviathan in his day. But his is only one of the many stories in this book.
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[1] Dr. Joseph Boot, The Mission of God: A Manifesto of Hope for Society (London:
Wilberforce Publications Limited, 2016), pg. 417.
[2] Gary DeMar, The Self-Malediction of “In Gay We Trust,” (The American Vision,
Tuesday, September 21, 2021).
Mark Dewey has been married to Monique for 30 years. In addition to raising 14 children, they have been blessed with 7 grandchildren (2 more soon, Lord willing). Mark is currently ministering with Athletes Abroad for Christ and hosts a weekly podcast, In the Bullpen with Mark Dewey_, on the Fight Laugh Feast Network._