Tuesday, August 8, 2017

Do we become Angels when we die?

Probably the most universally recognized "religious" symbol in the world is that of an Angel.  They are drawn as fat little cherub-like babies, brilliantly illumined figures with long flowing hair, holding trumpets, holding harps... All sorts of images exist of them.  Equally as known as their visage are the common misconceptions and cliché phrases about what they are.

Probably the most common statements heard are that:
1.) People who go to Heaven become Angels when they die.
2.) The people who have become Angels are watching down over us from Heaven.

Let's address those two statements, although I'm sure there are PLENTY more, by looking first at what Angels are according to Scripture.

Angels are Created Beings (Colossians 1:16).  God created them.  We know this because God created ALL things.  It also seems that Angels are male.  They are never referred to with a feminine gender anywhere in Scripture.

Angels have a certain degree of moral choice available to them because 1/3 of them were able to sin and join Lucifer in his rebellion (Isaiah 14:12-14; Ezekiel 28:12-18).  But there is no redemption is available for them.  Those that joined Satan in his rebellion remain to this day condemned and damned for all eternity.  (2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6)

An Angel’s purpose is to glorify God and do His will.  (Psalm 103:20).  They eagerly wait to God’s will. One way in which Angels do this is that they watch over Believers and war against demonic powers.

Those Angels are NOT our loved ones who have passed away.  Angels are not omniscient nor are they omnipresent, but they do watch over us.  Whether or not each person has a specific "guardian" angel assigned to them is unclear, the idea in general that angels are watching over us the same result is clear.  God has provided for our care.

There are only two Angels given specific names in Scripture.  Gabriel (Luke 1:19) and Michael (Jude 9).  Other than that, Angels are referenced by three different terms.

a. The “Cherubim”  The cherubim were given the task of guarding the entrance to the Garden of Eden (Gen. 3:24), and God himself is frequently said to be enthroned on the cherubim or to travel with the cherubim as his chariot (Ps. 18:10; Ezek. 10:1–22).

b. The “Seraphim”  Another group of heavenly beings, the seraphim, are mentioned only in Isaiah 6:2–7, where they continually worship the Lord and call to one another, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory” (Isa. 6:3).

c. The Living Creatures: Both Ezekiel and Revelation tell us of yet other kinds of heavenly beings known as “living creatures” around God’s throne (Ezek. 1:5–14; Rev. 4:6–8). With their appearances like a lion, an ox, a man, and an eagle, they are the mightiest representatives of various parts of God’s entire creation, and they worship God continually (Rev. 4:8).

The biblical teaching on the existence of angels is a constant reminder that there is an unseen world that is very real. It was only when the Lord opened the eyes of Elisha’s servant to the reality of this that the servant saw that “the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha” (2 Kings 6:17; Ps. 148:2; Heb. 12:22).

The world may dismiss talk of angels as mere superstition, but Scripture offers it as insight into the state of affairs as they really are.  Even Satan himself disguises himself as an "Angel of Light" (2 Corinthians 11:4). In Galatians 1, Paul warned that fallen Angels may even appear and try to distort the truths of the Gospel and deceive people.  He said that we are to consider such a one accursed.

1 Timothy 2:5 says that there is but one God and one mediator between God and men and that is the Lord Jesus Christ.  Therefore we are not to pray to or seek out contact with Angels.  If God needs to contact us utilizing Angels He will do so and make it clear that is what happened because they will speak His truth and nothing contradictory.  I'm not certain whether I feel they do or do not appear in visible form today but they are present nonetheless.

When we are protected from some danger, our slipping foot gains footing somehow... or a car swerves and misses us somehow when a crash should have been inevitable.  Anytime we are spared from some apparent danger we can attribute it, I think, to God commanding His Angels concerning us.  (Psalm 91:11-12)

Now, how about our loved ones that pass?  Well the Bible says that their bodies go into the ground and there they wait for the return of the Lord Jesus.  We know that the moment a believer dies their soul goes immediately to Heaven.  (2 Corinthians 5:6-8)  So if your loved one has passed on and they had been born again through Jesus Christ, take heart, they are not  an Angel but they are in Heaven with the Lord Jesus Christ, ever before His throne, praising Him, and they suffer no more, neither will they ever taste deaths bitterness ever again.  When Christ comes again they’ll receive their physical bodies back only now they will be glorified and perfected, unstained by the sin curse of this world.

I understand that a clichés like "God got a good angel", "They are an Angel now and watching over me.", etc.. I get that it is intended to bring comfort to the grieving.  And I'm not trying to be callous and certainly not trying to hurt feelings or offend but rather trying to point you to a living hope in Jesus Christ!  I would simply suggest that rather than dwelling on your loved one being an Angel and speaking of them as such, seek your comfort from the Lord Jesus Christ.  Cast your burdens upon the Lord and He will sustain you.  (Psalm 55:22; Hebrews 4:16)

 Trust in the Lord.  He is your refuge.  You need not believe that your deceased loved ones are Angels in order to find peace... there is a greater peace available and His Name is Jesus!  He is greater than the Angels (Hebrews 1).  He is the King of Kings and the Savior of sinners.  He has come and died so that you might have life!  Hope this helps you glorify God for His provision of Angels and cleared any misconceptions you may have had.

by Pastor Jason

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